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