The Republic of Kiribati, a sovereign state in the central Pacific Ocean, consists of a widely scattered collection of 33 low-lying coral atolls and reef islands. The total population of these islands, many of which are only protruding tips of undersea volcanoes, is roughly 110,000, most of whom live on South Tarawa. Added together, the far-flung republic boasts a total land area of roughly 310 square miles (800 square km), and its islands straddle both the Equator and the 180th meridian (the basis for the International Date Line), making Kiribati the only nation that is spread across all four of the world’s hemispheres.
A nation sprinkled in the ocean:
- The main island of South Tarawa has a population density similar to that of Tokyo or Hong Kong. The islands saw action during World War II, and some nuclear bomb testing was conducted there.
- Kiribati’s offshore reefs teem with colorful fish, and the climate is warm. World War II shipwrecks are plentiful, especially off the eastern edge of Kiritimati.
- Kiribati is a member of the Commonwealth of Nations, the IMF, and the World Bank. The nation became a full member of the United Nations in 1999.