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Kiribati may seem a little behind the times, but because the international date line now makes a detour around its islands, every new day on Earth begins in this Pacific island nation. And a day can take a long time dawning on Kiribati, if you take into account all its islands: Kiribati's total span equals that of Western Europe. Of course, its actual landmass is considerably smaller: All of the islands, together, cover less territory than the city of London. The country also rests on both sides of the equator. Starting south of the Marshall Islands, Tarawa resides above the equator and the rest of the country stretches south and east along the southern equatorial line.

With its small islands separated by vast distances, it's easy to get off the beaten path in the Republic of Kiribati (pronounced KIR-ee-bahss). The country offers visitors a chance to see what the Pacific was like before the arrival of resorts and other amenities. Although there may be better scenery and beaches (and even diving) in other South Pacific locales, we found the I-Kiribati, as they refer to themselves, to be very friendly and their culture fascinating, especially in more remote villages.

The least complicated way to island-hop across the country is by private yacht, but it is possible to see a few of the major islands by regularly scheduled boat or plane. In either case, it's "island time" there, so it's best not to have serious time restrictions if you want to explore this country.

Geography

History

Snapshot

Kiribati's foremost attractions are snorkeling, scuba diving, deep-sea fishing, beaches, island culture and relaxation.

Kiribati will appeal to travelers who like to dive or snorkel on relatively undeveloped islands or who are interested in Micronesian culture—and don't mind heat and humidity. Don't expect world-class service, and don't expect everything to go according to schedule.

Potpourri

Kiribati was once the only country in the world to straddle the international date line, which meant that on Monday, a person on Kiritimati could call a relative on Tarawa to ask what the weather is like for Tuesday. In 1994, however, the government decided to adjust the date line to keep everyone on the same day. The move also positioned Kiribati to be the first nation in the world to greet the millennium. The government renamed uninhabited Caroline Island, its easternmost island, in honor of the change: It's now called Millennium Island.

With no part of the country more than 6 ft/2 m above sea level, Kiribati is one of the nations most threatened by a rise in ocean levels.

Hawaii gets as many visitors in six hours as Kiribati gets in a year.

In 1937, as Amelia Earhart was attempting to become the first woman to fly around the world, she disappeared before reaching her destination for a last leg of the trip: Howland Island in Kiribati. Pieces of aluminum dating to the 1930s found by a flight-accident investigator on Nikumaroro, another Kiribati island, have prompted the theory that she may have landed her plane on the island and died there, stranded, when no one answered her radio calls.

There are 2,000 Internet users in the country.

The islands there are tiny and the traffic isn't much, but there's still a tollbooth at the end of the causeway between Bairiki and Betio.

Islanders generally regard imported canned goods (such as Spam) as luxuries. This preference probably began during World War II when U.S. servicemen introduced their K-rations to the locals, who were amazed at the varieties of tinned foodstuffs available.

The I-Kiribati have no letter s in their alphabet. To represent this sound they use ti—thus the pronunciation of Kiribati as Kiri-bahss.

Community meetinghouses, called maneaba, are the cultural and civic centers of all villages.

Tarawa's population accounts for more than a quarter of the total national head count.

The women of Kiribati's churches export a lot woven products. In 2005, they exported more than 1,000 pieces of seashell handicrafts.

Radio Kiribati broadcasts in I-Kiribati and English languages from Tarawa, but the signal is too weak to reach most outlying islands. There are no television stations on the islands.

Location