Nauru had to pay a heavy price for the riches it mined. By the end of the twentieth century, phosphate mines started to run dry.
The money from mining was invested in various businesses abroad. Unfortunately, this turned out to be a failure that left Nauru bankrupt. Its telecommunications network collapsed in 2003 and the country was cut off from the rest of the world for nearly two months!
Moreover, more than 80 percent of the island became infertile due to extensive mining. In 1993, the Nauru Rehabilitation Corporation filed a case in the International Court of Justice to claim compensation from Australia for the exploitation of its phosphate resources. Both the countries later came to a friendly settlement. Today, the people of Nauru are tirelessly working to make its land once again suitable for agriculture.
Picture Credit : Google