A nation of 10,000 people just shrank the list of countries recognizing Abkhazia and South Ossetia to four
The Pacific island nation of Naoero, formerly Nauru, has severed diplomatic relations with the partially recognized states of Abkhazia and South Ossetia, Georgia’s Foreign Ministry reported. Naoero’s cabinet made the decision on July 21.
“This decision once again confirms that respect for and compliance with the norms of international law are the foundation of healthy international relations,” the ministry said, adding that Georgia is now ready to establish diplomatic relations with Naoero.
Amid unprecedented and systematic external pressure, Naoero severed the diplomatic relations it established with Abkhazia and South Ossetia in 2009, Abkhazia’s Foreign Ministry said.
Only four United Nations member states now recognize the independence of Abkhazia and South Ossetia: Russia, Nicaragua, Venezuela, and Syria. The vast majority of the world’s countries consider Abkhazia and South Ossetia part of Georgia.
Naoero, the smallest island nation in the world, has an area of about 21 square kilometers (8 square miles) and a population of about 10,000. The country changed its name from Nauru to Naoero in 2026, a move the government described as an effort to shed its colonial legacy. The United Nations recognized the country’s new name in June 2026.
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