An island country of the central Pacific Ocean south of the equator and west of Kiribati. Inhabited by a population of mainly Polynesian ancestry, Nauru was explored by the British in 1798, became a German protectorate in 1888, and was administered by Australia from 1914 until 1942, when it was captured by Japan. Recaptured by Australia in 1945, Nauru became independent in 1968. Yaren is the de facto capital.