Kiribati

Officially the Republic of Kiribati, Kiribati is located in the Micronesia subregion of Oceania. Kiribati have a population of 119,000 people as of the 2020 census; more than half of them live on the Tarawa atoll. Comprising 32 atolls and one isolated elevated coral island, Banaba, the nation is an archipelago measuring 811 square kilometers (313 square miles). Kiribati, with its somewhat little landmass, covers a large oceanic area of 3,441,810 square kilometers (1,328,890 square miles).

Being the only nation in the world situated in all four hemispheres—Northern, Southern, Western, and Eastern—Kiribati has a particular topographical difference. This results from its spreading over the 180th meridian and the equator. Unusually veering around Kiribati, the International Date Line makes a long journey towards the east almost to 150°W. Kiribati’s easternmost islands, the southern Line Islands, are among the first to see each new day worldwide, at UTC+14 as they are in the same time zone as the Gilbert Islands.

Kiribati became an independent state when it broke away from the United Kingdom in 1979. Comprising multiple islets linked by causeways, the major city, South Tarawa, is the most heavily populated location in the Tarawa Atoll overall. Phosphates exports greatly helped Kiribati’s economy before independence, however these resources have just run out. Today, the economy mostly depends on fisheries and copra exports; international aid is rather important since this country is among the least developed ones in the world.

Among the various international organizations Kiribati actively participates in are the Pacific Community, the Commonwealth of Nations, the International Monetary Fund, the World Bank, and the Organization of African, Caribbean, and Pacific States. In 1999 it became a full UN member. Kiribati is especially sensitive as an island nation to the effects of tsunamis and climate change. Especially as a member of the Alliance of Small Island States, its diplomatic strategy revolves mostly on overcoming these obstacles.

Three non-contiguous traditional geographic subregions comprise the nation’s large exclusive economic zone (EEZ): Banaba (Melanesian-Micronesian area), the Gilbert Islands (Micronesia), and the Line and Phoenix Islands (Polynesia). The island communities consist of:

• Banaba: An isolated island between Nauru and the Gilbert Islands.
• Gilbert Islands: Comprising 16 atolls located approximately 1,500 kilometers (932 miles) north of Fiji.
• Phoenix Islands: Consisting of 8 atolls and coral islands situated about 1,800 kilometers (1,118 miles) southeast of the Gilberts.
• Line Islands: Featuring 8 atolls and one reef, located roughly 3,300 kilometers (2,051 miles) east of the Gilberts.

Based at Tarawa’s Bonriki International Airport, Air Kiribati and Coral Sun Airways mostly handle domestic air travel for Kiribati. Although Banaba and the Phoenix Islands are not served by these carriers, these airlines link several islands within the Gilbert and Line Islands. From Cassidy International Airport on Kiritimati, there are international flights; Fiji Airways flies to Nadi and Honolulu.

Kiribati, often known as I-Kiribati, inhabitants historically resided in tiny settlements on offshore islands, with numbers ranging from 50 to 3,000. Usually, coconut and pandanus tree products are used in construction of their residences. Many islands depend on the sea for food and money as regular droughts and bad soil conditions make large-scale farming difficult. Common livelihoods include outrigger sailing and fishing; copra farms provide other job prospects.

Betio is the biggest town in the urban capital of Tarawa, where there has been a notable influx recently. From 17,921 in 1978 to a projected 69,710 in 2024, South Tarawa’s population has increased. Ethnically Oceanian, a subgroup of Austronesians, the I-Kiribati have a millennia-old history of habitation. Around the 14th century, Fijians, Samoans, and Tongans invaded the islands, bringing Polynesian language features and therefore diversifying the ethnic scene. Intermarriage among several groups has produced a people with quite uniform look and customs.