3 Island Countries of Pacific Gain Entry

Three small Pacific island nations--Kiribati, Nauru and Tonga--with a total population of barely 200,000, were admitted to the United Nations, raising its membership to 188. Scores of countries joined in sponsoring the three membership resolutions that the General Assembly adopted by acclamation at the start of its annual session. The only cloud on the horizon was China’s unwillingness to join the sponsors of Nauru, because the tiny isle has diplomatic relations with Taiwan. Nauru, northeast of Australia, has fewer than 11,000 inhabitants, the smallest number of any U.N. member.