When it comes to counting up the numbers of countries that regard Kosovo as independent, the former Serbian territory's backers regard every one as important.

The decision by Nauru was heralded on April 23 when the government's decision was communicated to Kosovo president Fatmir Sejdiu. As counted by pro-Kosovo independence website kosovothanksyou.com, this means that since its unilateral declaration of independence on February 17, 39 of 192 United Nations member states have decided to recognise Kosovo.

Size does not matter in such counts, but in winning the support of Nauru, it is notable that Kosovo has the backing of a country that is not only the world's smallest island state, but also the world's smallest republic, with a total population estimated at just more than 9000. Nauru is in the Micronesian South Pacific and does not have its own currency, but uses the Australian dollar.

After a flurry of early recognitions from the US and a number of European Union member states, the process of recognition of Kosovo has slowed in pace in recent weeks. Nauru's message was preceded some days ago by a declaration by the Marshall Islands.

According to kosovothanksyou.com, however, a number of somewhat larger (and arguably better-known) states will recognise Kosovo "soon": Lithuania, Bangladesh, the Czech Republic, Macedonia, Pakistan, Portugal, Qatar and Saudi Arabia.