Nauru

At a Glance

Nauru is one of the world's smallest and most isolated nations, a tiny Pacific island that experienced a rapid rise and fall on the back of phosphate mining and is now quietly rebuilding its identity. The lagoon and reef offer decent diving, and the island has a certain raw, unvarnished character. It is visited by almost no-one, which is part of its appeal for those drawn to the genuinely off-map.

• Once had the world's highest per-capita income — from phosphate mining.
• Phosphate ran out; the country is now near-bankrupt and heavily dependent on foreign aid.
• One of the world's highest obesity rates — a direct consequence of the wealth-to-collapse cycle.