Kiribati
Oceania · Tarawa · KI
Kiribati is the vast island nation of the central Pacific, the republic of the thirty-three atolls and the reef islands that spreads across the equator and the international date line in one of the most remote and the most thinly populated countries on earth. The country, which takes its name from the old spelling of the Gilbert Islands, holds the capital of the South Tarawa on the narrow ribbon of the islets of its huge lagoon, while the far-flung groups of the Line and the Phoenix islands stretch the territory across nearly four thousand kilometres of the ocean. The life of the nation is bound to the sea, the fishing, the coconuts and the traditional canoes, and the culture of the maneaba, the dance and the songs of the islanders holds the community together across the vast distances. Warm, gentle and profoundly remote, Kiribati is the Pacific of the old world.
Overview
Kiribati is a country in Oceania. Its capital is Tarawa and the international dialling code is +686. Languages commonly used in everyday life here include English and Gilbertese. Local currency is the Australian Dollar (AUD). We also list 1 city in Kiribati: Tarawa.
The Capital of the South Tarawa and the Islets of the Lagoon
The capital of the South Tarawa, the string of the islets joined by the causeways that sits along the southern rim of the huge lagoon of the atoll, is the crowded, friendly heart of the country, home to the government, the cathedral and the largest share of the national population. The town of the Bairiki and the villages of the islets run the life of the capital along the single road of the causeway, with the thatched houses, the churches, the swimming holes of the lagoon and the white beaches of the lagoon shore. The parliament house, the museum of the country and the war relics of the capital complete the circuit of the town, and the daily life of the lagoon, the fishing, the washing and the children, gives the capital its vivid island character.
The Island of the Kiritimati and the Atolls of the Line
The atolls of the Line Islands, the far eastern group of the country centred on the huge, wild island of the Kiritimati, hold the largest coral atoll in the world and one of the most extraordinary wildernesses of the Pacific. The Kiritimati, the Christmas Island of the old charts, spreads its enormous network of the lagoons, the flats and the lakes across the equator, and its waters are famous for the bonefishing, the enormous fish that the anglers of the world fly the great distances to test. The birdlife of the island, the seabirds of the breeding colonies that cover the islets of the lagoon, ranks among the great ornithological sights of the ocean, and the remote islands of the group give the complete, isolated escape of the Pacific.
The Canoes and the Fishing of the Gilbertese Way
The sea is the life of the country, and the fishing and the seafaring skills of the Gilbertese people, honed over the thousands of years of the Pacific migration, remain the heritage and the daily practice of the atolls. The traditional sailing canoes of the islands, the swift outrigger boats that the islanders built and steered across the open ocean without the modern instruments, are the great pride of the culture, and the villages still race the canoes at the festivals of the year. The fishing of the shore and the reef, the line fishing, the netting and the spearfishing of the reefs that feeds the families of the atolls, continues much as it has for centuries, and the ocean, with its tuna, its bonito and its flying fish, feeds the whole nation.
The Battles of the Tarawa and the Memory of the War
The atoll of the Tarawa was the site of one of the bloodiest battles of the war in the Pacific, the three-day struggle of 1943 that the American forces fought against the Japanese garrison of the island on the way to the Philippines. The beach of the Red One on the islet of the Betio, where the landing craft of the marines grounded on the reef and the men waded through the withering fire, is now a quiet stretch of the sand with the relics and the bunkers of the battle still visible, and the memorials of the war on the island honour the dead of both sides. The cemetery of the fallen, the preserved guns and the wrecked hulks of the landing craft give the visit a sober, unforgettable power.
The Culture of the Maneaba and the Dance of the Islands
The maneaba, the great meeting house of the islands, is the social and the spiritual centre of every village of the country, the thatched open hall where the community gathers for the discussions, the ceremonies, the feasts and the storytelling of the everyday life. The dances of the country, the vigorous movements and the chants of the te bwai dance of the women and the energetic performances of the men, are among the most distinctive of the whole Pacific, and the visitors of the villages are welcomed with the performances of the dance and the traditional presentation of the mats and the necklaces. The craft of the islanders, the weaving of the pandanus mats, the baskets and the fans, and the significance of the gifts and the feasts, hold the deep social structure of the nation.
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- Capital
- Tarawa
- Currency
- Australian Dollar (AUD)
- Languages
- English, Gilbertese
- Calling code
- +686
- Internet TLD
- ki
Entry requirements
Check who can enter →See which passports travel visa-free or need a visa to enter Kiribati.
Cities (1)
All cities →Frequently asked questions
What is the capital of Kiribati?
Tarawa is the capital of Kiribati, and the country sits in Oceania.
What currency is used in Kiribati?
You pay with Australian Dollar (AUD) in Kiribati. Exchange rates move day to day, so check the current rate before you change money or use your card abroad.
Which languages do people speak in Kiribati?
The languages we list for Kiribati are English and Gilbertese. A couple of greetings in the local language go a long way when you travel, even in cities where another language is widely used.
What is the international dialling code for Kiribati?
The dialling code for Kiribati is +686 — keep the plus sign when you save the number.
Which cities in Kiribati do you cover?
Our guide lists 1 city for Kiribati: Tarawa (capital).