The world’s smallest island republic searches for a sustainable future... but is money laundering or hosting Australia's unwanted boat people the answer? Too small to mint its own currency, Nauru for a time became a tax haven, attracting money launderers.

The prosperity of this tiny equatorial nation relied until recently on phosphate rock, that is, ossified bird droppings, a resource now almost depleted. Inside the reef, a lush equatorial coastline belies the moonscape of the heavily-mined interior. Nauru's few visitors can fish for marlin, yellowfin tuna, skipjack, barracuda and more. More recently, Nauru hosted a "dumping ground" or transit camp for some of Australia's illegal immigrants. But is this really an appropriate role for an independent nation?

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