National Anthem Comparison
Marshall Islands vs Nauru
Marshall Islands
Forever Marshall Islands
Comparison Analysis
Marshall Islands and Nauru, both Oceania nations, take distinct approaches to their national anthems. Marshall Islands's "Forever Marshall Islands" was written in 1991, while Nauru's "Nauru, Our Homeland" dates to 1968.
Both anthems share themes of god / faith, love of homeland and hope. Marshall Islands additionally explores nature, while Nauru also touches on peace and ancestors / heritage.
Both anthems carry a hopeful tone, creating a similar emotional register despite their geographic distance.
Shared themes
Marshall Islands
Nauru
Shared themes:
Metadata
| Marshall Islands | Nauru | |
|---|---|---|
| Written | 1991 | 1968 |
| Adopted | 1991 | 1968 |
| Lyricist | Amata Kabua | Margaret Hendrie |
| Composer | Amata Kabua | Laurence Henry Hicks |
| Language | mh | na |
| Region | Micronesia | Micronesia |
Lyrics Side by Side
Marshall Islands
Forever Marshall Islands
Original
Translation
Nauru
Naoero Bwiema
Original: current statutory wording (Schedule 1, amended 12 May 2026). The retained English text matches the law’s parallel English version apart from the Nauru/Naoero spelling and line grouping. It is not presented as a word-for-word rendering of the Naoero original. Other translations have not been checked against this edition.
Original
English version (retained)
Interesting facts
Marshall Islands
- 1. The anthem is sung in Marshallese, an Austronesian language of the Micronesian branch.
- 2. A South Korean newspaper reported in 1992 that the tune was written by the Korean composer Gil Ok-yun: Kabua had received four candidate melodies in August 1991, chose one and set his own words to it.
- 3. In the English version published by the Marshall Islands embassy, the opening lines picture the islands lying 'like a wreath of flowers upon the sea'.
- 4. It replaced an earlier anthem, 'Ij Io̧kwe Ļo̧k Aelōn̄ Eo Aō', a well-respected local folk song that the Marshallese chose when they became self-governing in 1979.
Nauru
- 1. Nauru is the third-smallest country in the world by area, after Vatican City and Monaco
- 2. The island was once one of the richest countries per capita due to phosphate mining, but the resources have been almost entirely depleted
- 3. Nauru has no official capital; its government offices are in the Yaren District
Listen
Marshall Islands
Nauru
