43 Facts About Kiribati

Kiribati is an island nation in the central Pacific Ocean. Its official name is the Republic of Kiribati.

The country has a small population and is facing an existential crisis as a result of climate change.

Kiribati's people are known as I-Kiribati. They spell 'ti' as's'. As a result, they say 'Kiribati' as 'Kiribas'.

Kiribati was admitted to the United Nations as a full member in 1999. The country is also a member of the International Monetary Fund, the World Bank, and the Commonwealth of Nations.

Kiribati is roughly four times the size of Washington, DC.

Kiribati's national currency is the Australian dollar.

Tarawa, Kiribati's capital city, is an island in and of itself. The capital is located midway between Hawaii and Australia.

Kiribati consists of 33 coral islands organised into three groups: the Line Islands, the Phoenix Islands, and the Gilbert Islands. The majority of these are coral atolls. "Atolls form when corals form a colony, or reef, around the top of a volcanic island," according to Britannica. The reef eventually reaches the water's surface and becomes land."

Kiribati has 33 islands, 21 of which are inhabited. The Gilbert Islands' Banaba Island is a raised limestone island, while the remaining 32 islands are atolls, which are ring-shaped with central lagoons.

Crop cultivation on the island nation is extremely difficult due to poor soil and seasonal variations in rainfall. However, the island country has an abundance of seafood.

Kiribati is vulnerable to rising sea levels as a result of global warming, and such a rise in sea level will contaminate fresh water with salt water, rendering it unfit for drinking. Furthermore, the island will be rendered uninhabitable.

The country generates a large amount of solid waste, and unfortunately, the country lacks a suitable waste disposal or waste management system to address this issue.

According to a United Nations report, the wildlife in the area is "among the most critically threatened in the world." Pollution from various sources has a significant impact on the inhabitants of this island nation's quality of life.

Kiribati's population is predominantly Christian. Religion freedom is a fundamental right that is widely respected in the country.

Kiribati is one of the world's poorest countries due to a lack of natural resources. Tourism, which accounts for nearly 20% of the country's GDP, helps to support the country's economy.

Kiribati is the only country in the world that is located in all four hemispheres (North, South, East, and West).

The New Year arrives first in Kiribati, followed by every other country on the planet. This is because Kiribati is 14 hours ahead of Greenwich Meantime.

The Gilbert Islands are home to more than 90% of the country's population. And the vast majority of it is based on Tarawa.

The country's highest point is only 81 metres above sea level.

In 1999, two small uninhabited islands vanished beneath the sea due to rising sea levels.

The country faces being engulfed by the sea in the next 50 years or more.

The country has purchased 6000 acres of land from Fiji in order to relocate its people to a safer location. Kiribati is over 1000 miles away from Fiji.

The oceanic language "Gilbertese" is widely spoken and understood by the people of the island nation. English is also an official language, but it is mostly spoken in Tarawa, the capital city.

Kiribati was once a nuclear testing ground.

The island nation's population growth rate is rapid, and the government is concerned. The government provides free family planning services.

Rural houses are rectangular open-sided structures with raised floors and thatched roofs. Concrete and corrugated iron are used to build houses in towns.

A meeting house is a common location where representatives from each village house gather for formal discussions and decision-making on important issues. These gathering places are known as "maneaba."

The largest structures in the villages are churches, which are mostly built in European style.

Subsistence agriculture and fishing provide a living for up to 80% of the country's population.

Fish is a plentiful natural resource in Kiribati. The country has established a 200-nautical-mile exclusive economic zone around the island. The export of fish from the country generates significant revenue.

Kiribati requires virginity tests for brides. The purpose of the test is to determine whether the bride-to-be is a virgin or has already had sexual relations. There is, however, no concrete evidence to support the notion that these tests can accurately determine a bride's virginity status.

Kiribati has one of the highest infant mortality rates in the world, with respiratory infections and diarrheal disease being the leading causes of death.

Education is highly valued in the country, so schooling begins at the age of six. At least 20% of the children attend college.

Tuberculosis, liver cancer, hepatitis B, and AIDS are among the leading causes of death in the country.

Culture is very important in the lives of the people of Kiribati. They respect elders, and parents do their best to instill their values and traditions in their children.

The island nation's first settlers were Austronesian-speaking people who arrived in the region long before the 1st century A.D.

Kiribati's 33 islands cover an enormous 3.5 million square kilometres of ocean. Surprisingly, the entire country has a population of less than 120,000 people.

Kiribati is also well-known for Kiritimati, also known as Christmas Island. Kiritimati, also known as Christmas Island, has the most land area of any coral atoll in the world, covering approximately 388 square kilometres. In 2015, the island's population was estimated to be around 6,447 people.

The island is well-known for its fishing because of the abundance of fish such as sailfish, marlin, wahoo, barracuda, and tuna. The Giant Trevally, or GT, is one of the island's most sought-after fish. It has distinctive characteristics and can weigh up to 80 kg.

The island is also well-known for its bird watching. Some of the bird species found on the island include the Pacific long-tailed cuckoo, Kuhl's lorikeet, and the endemic Christmas Island warbler. Beautiful seabirds thrive on the island nation as well.

Scuba divers can also see over 200 different types of coral. These species include a wide range of marine creatures such as turtles, dolphins, sharks, and reef fish.

The Gilbert Islands were named after the British explorer Thomas Gilbert, who discovered the island in 1788. The name "Kiribati" is the local pronunciation of "Gilberts".

Tourism is thriving in the country, helping to support the economy. The government is also actively promoting tourism from all over the world.