Nauru, also spelled Naoero, island and republic in the central Pacific Ocean, situated just south of the equator. It is a raised coral island, oval in shape, with an area of 21.2 sq km (8.2 sq mi). The population (2006 estimate) is 13,287. In the late 1980s the population was estimated to be made up of about 58 percent Nauruans, 26 percent other Pacific Islanders, 8 percent Chinese, and 8 percent Europeans. The Nauruans are of mixed Polynesian, Micronesian, and Melanesian origin. About four-fifths of the people are Christians. Nauruan and English are the main languages. Nauru does not have an official capital, but government offices are located in the district of Yaren.