text: Well, I won't quote out of wikipedia, I'll give you the answer however....\n\n\nNauru is "hollow looking" because of all the massive phosphate mining that has taken place over the last few decades.\n\nAlmost all of the interior of the island has been lowered by several hundred feet due to this mining activity.\n\nThe result is that the island looks like the surface of the moon, rather desolate....but, the locals are now all rather wealthy.