Command Ridge Guns

Command Ridge is the highest point on Nauru, reaching an elevation of 65 meters, and serves as a poignant open-air museum of World War II history. During the Japanese occupation starting in 1942, the ridge was fortified as a strategic lookout and defense installation. Today, visitors can witness the weathered remains of Japanese coastal defense guns, including two large 12.7cm naval guns that sit in their original emplacements. The site also features a network of bunkers, trenches, and an underground communication center that once served as the island's command hub. These rusty relics, marked by the scars of Allied air raids, provide a direct connection to the intense Pacific theater of war. Beyond its historical significance, Command Ridge has the best vantage point on the island, providing a 360-degree view that encompasses the phosphate-ravaged interior plateau and the surrounding turquoise waters, making it both a historical and geographical landmark of Nauru.

Nearby cities

Baitsi

Baitsi is located in the north of Nauru and extends from the coast into the hilly interior.

Aiwo

Aiwo is considered the main commercial hub of Nauru.

Denigomodu Settlement

Denigomodu is the economic residential hub for phosphate industry workers.

Denigomodu

Denigomodu is the most populous district of Nauru.

Buada Historic Settlement

The fertile inland area around Buada Lagoon, a center for agriculture and settlement on the island for centuries.

Buada

Buada is the only landlocked district of Nauru.

Nibok

Nibok is a district on the western coast of Nauru.

Boe

Boe is a small but densely populated administrative district in southwest Nauru.

Yaren

Yaren is the primary administrative district of Nauru and serves as the de facto capital.

Meneng

Meneng is an extensive district in the southeast of Nauru.

Uaboe

Uaboe is a small coastal district in northwestern Nauru.

Ewa

Ewa is the northernmost point of Nauru.

Anibare

Anibare is best known for the bay of the same name, which offers the island's finest swimming beach.

Anetan

Anetan is a district on the northern coast of Nauru.

Arenibek

Arenibek is a small coastal settlement in the Anabar district.

History & landmarks

Aiwo Civic Centre

The civic centre in Aiwo is a central hub for administrative and social events.

Nauru Post Office

The main post office in Aiwo is a key institution for the island's communication.

Command Ridge

Command Ridge is the highest point in Nauru at 65 meters elevation.

Nauru General Hospital

The Nauru General Hospital in Denigomodu is the primary medical facility on the island.

Central Pacific Bank

The Central Pacific Bank in Aiwo is Nauru's primary financial institution.

Aiwo Pinnacles

The Aiwo Pinnacles are impressive remnants of the limestone structure on the west of the island.

Eigigu Supermarket

The Eigigu Supermarket is the island's largest commercial center for consumer goods.

Nature

Aiwo Mangroves

Isolated mangrove patches can be found in protected zones along the Aiwo coast.

More places

Command Ridge Forest

Command Ridge hosts some of the densest remaining forest patches on the island.

RONPHOS Headquarters

The RONPHOS center coordinates all phosphate extraction on Nauru.

Second Cantilever

The second large cantilever complements the mining infrastructure on the west coast.

Nauru Utilities Corporation (NUC)

NUC is the sole provider of electricity and water on the island.

Western Slopes

The western slopes drop steeply from the Topside plateau toward the narrow coastal plain in the Aiwo district.

Nauru Rehabilitation Corporation (NRC)

The NRC is responsible for restoring land areas destroyed by mining.

Japanese Hospital Ruins

Remains of a Japanese army medical facility, built in the island's interior during the Pacific War.

Phosphate Cantilever

This iconic cantilever is used for loading phosphate onto ships offshore.