Kiribati

Kiribati (formerly the Gilbert Islands) is an island group in Micronesia.

Regions

Phoenix Group, Rawaki.
* Nikumaroro.

Cities

Tarawa - capital

Understand

Originally under British colonial rule as the Gilbert Islands, Kiribati was granted self-rule by the UK in 1971 and complete independence in 1979. The US relinquished all claims to the sparsely inhabited Phoenix and Line Island groups in a 1979 treaty of friendship with Kiribati. The name "Kiribati" is pronounced "Kiri-bass", which is the closest local equivalent to "Gilberts".

The Phoenix and Line Islands, while under Kiribati jurisdiction, are actually on the other side of the International Date Line. However, on 1 January 1995, Kiribati proclaimed that all of its territory lies in the same time zone as the Gilbert Islands (GMT +12).

Some islands, especially the capital Tarawa, saw battles during the Second World War, and shipwreck diving is a common tourist activity.

Get in

By plane

Air Nauru Air Marshall Islands

By boat

Norwegian Cruise Lines offers a stop on Fanning Island on their 11 and 10 day Hawaiian cruises. The cruises depart in Hawaii and stop for approximately 8 hours on the island.

Talk

English is an official language of the islands, and is widely spoken. The native I-Kiribati language may be useful in more remote locations, however.

Stay safe

There has been some political unrest.