Kiribati has few natural resources. Commercially viable phosphate deposits on Banaba were exhausted at the time of independence. Copra and fish now represent the bulk of production and exports. Kiribati has the lowest GDP out of any sovereign state in Oceania, and is considered one of the least developed countries in the world. [124] Kiribati is a country in Oceania. The countries closest to the country without a neighbor are; Tokelau, Samoa, Wallis and Futuna Islands, Niue and Tonga island countries. Main Characteristicsof Kiribati Pacific Islands Forum in crisis as one-third of member nations quit". The Guardian. 8 February 2021 . Retrieved 9 February 2021.

Kiribati has had two domestic airlines: Air Kiribati and Coral Sun Airways. Both airlines are based in Tarawa's Bonriki International Airport and serve destinations across the Gilbert Islands and Line Islands only: Banaba and the Phoenix Islands are not served by the domestic carriers. [ citation needed] From 1973 though 2008, a total of almost 500 US Peace Corps volunteers were based on the Islands, as many as 45 in a given year. Activities included assisting in the planning, design and construction of wells, libraries, and other infrastructure, and agricultural, environmental, and community health education. In 2006, volunteer placement was significantly scaled down due to the reduction of consistent air transportation to the outer islands; it was later ended because the associated ability to provide medical care to volunteers could not be assured. [79] [80] In July 2022, US Vice President Harris announced plans to build a new embassy in Kiribati and Tonga and reestablish the Peace Corps presence in the region. [81] Law enforcement and military [ edit ] Police vessel RKS Teanoai, in 2019 Gradual sea-level rise also allows for coral polyp activity to raise the atolls with the sea level. However, if the increase in sea level occurs at a rate faster than coral growth, or if polyp activity is damaged by ocean acidification, then the resilience of the atolls and reef islands is less certain. [101] Also, coral bleaching has occurred on more than 60% of the coral reefs in the Maldives. [102] Plaque dedicated to the memory of Test Veterans who died in the British Nuclear tests of 1952 - 1962.The coat of arms dates was then granted by the College of Arms in May 1937 when it was officially granted to the colony of Gilbert and Ellice Islands. The shield was incorporated into the centre of the fly half of a British Blue Ensign as the state ensign of the colony.

In November 2010, Kiribati hosted the Tarawa Climate Change Conference (TCCC) to support the president of Kiribati's initiative to hold a consultative forum between vulnerable states and their partners. The conference strove to create an enabling environment for multi-party negotiations under the auspices of the UNFCCC. The conference was a successor event to the Climate Vulnerable Forum. [69] The ultimate objective of TCCC was to reduce the number and intensity of fault lines between parties to the COP process, explore elements of agreement between the parties and thereby to support Kiribati's and other parties' contribution to COP16 held in Cancun, Mexico, from 29 November to 10 December 2010. [ citation needed] international: country code - 686; landing point for the Southern Cross NEXT submarine cable system from Australia, 7 Pacific Ocean island countries to the US; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean) (2019) Kiribati". Encyclopædia Britannica . Retrieved 27 July 2010. "Kiribati: definition of Kiribati in Oxford dictionary (British & World English)". Oxford University Press. Archived from the original on 27 May 2016 . Retrieved 31 December 2014. Football is the most popular sport. Kiribati Islands Football Federation (KIFF) is an associate member of the Oceania Football Confederation, but not of world-governing body FIFA. Instead, they are member of ConIFA. Kiribati National team has played ten matches, all of which it has lost, and all at the Pacific Games from 1979 to 2011. The Kiribati football stadium is Bairiki National Stadium, which has a capacity of 2,500. [167] As one of the world's most vulnerable nations to the effects of global warming, Kiribati has been an active participant in international diplomatic efforts relating to climate change, most importantly the UNFCCC conferences of the parties (COP). Kiribati is a member of the Alliance of Small Island States (AOSIS), an intergovernmental organisation of low-lying coastal and small island countries.

Fact about Kiribati flag

The Gilbert Islands where 90% of the Kiribati population live, boast some of the highest population densities in the Pacific, rivalling, without any tall building, cities like Hong Kong or Singapore. This overcrowding produces a great amount of pollution, worsening the quality and length of life. Due to insufficient sanitation and water filtration systems, worsened by the fragility of the water lens of the atolls and by climate change, only about 66% have access to clean water. Waterborne diseases grow at record levels throughout the islands. Poor sanitation has led to an increase in cases of conjunctivitis, diarrhoea, dysentery, and fungal infections. Kiribati is the country with the third highest prevalence of smoking in the world, with 54–57% of the population reported as smokers. [148] Due to this and other " lifestyle diseases," such as type 2 diabetes, there has been a drastic spike in amputations on the islands, doubling in a few years. [ citation needed] Kiribati is known for its excellent fly fishing, great scuba diving, and astounding seabird wildlife. The national dish of Kiribati is Palusami. Karewe, in addition to being a traditional beverage, is one of the country’s national drinks. The national instrument of Kiribati is Te Buki (unofficial). The name Gilbert, already in the name of the British protectorate since 1892, was incorporated into the name of the entire Gilbert and Ellice Islands Colony (GEIC) from 1916 and was retained after the Ellice Islands became the separate nation of Tuvalu in 1976. The spelling of Gilberts in the Gilbertese language as Kiribati may be found in books in Gilbertese prepared by missionaries, but with the meaning of Gilbertese ( demonym and language) (see e.g., Hawaiian Board of Missionaries, 1895). [23] The first mention as a dictionary entry of the word Kiribati as the native name of the country was written down in 1952 by Ernest Sabatier in his comprehensive Dictionnaire gilbertin-français. [ citation needed]

Kiribati has a tropical, marine climate, which is hot and humid, with an average daily temperature of 83°F (28°C) and moderated by trade winds. Typhoons can occur any time, but usually do in November to March Haggas, Jim. Christmas Island - The Wrong Place at the Wrong Time. Minerva Press Ltd., 1997. ISBN 1861064306 The uniqueness of Kiribati when compared with other forms of Pacific island dance is its emphasis on the outstretched arms of the dancer and the sudden birdlike movement of the head. The Frigate bird ( Fregata minor) on the Kiribati flag refers to this bird-like style of Kiribati dancing. Most dances are in the standing or sitting position with movement limited and staggered. Smiling whilst dancing is generally considered vulgar within the context of Kiribati dancing. This is due to its origin of not being solely as a form of entertainment but as a form of storytelling and a display of the skill, beauty and endurance of the dancer. [163] [164] Cuisine [ edit ]

Economy

Two uninhabited Kiribati small islets, Tebua Tarawa and Abanuea, disappeared under water in 1999, and the islet of Tepuka Savilivili ( Tuvalu) no longer has any coconut trees due to salination of its freshwater. The United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change predicts that sea levels will rise by about 20 inches (.5 meters) by 2100 due to global warming, with further rise inevitable. It is thus only a matter of time before Kiribati's remaining arable land becomes subject to increased soil salination and the nation is largely submerged. Phoenix Islands, in one of the largest marine protected areas on Earth (was the largest from 2008 to 2010) [85] Although polygamy was practiced, marriage in Kiribati is now monogamous. Arranged marriages remain common, especially in rural areas. Most families tolerate elopements. Virginity of the bride remains valued despite criticism by churches. Marriage is almost universal, and divorce is unpopular and uncommon. The household is commonly based on a single nuclear family and may include aging parents and adoptive kin. Married women move to live with the husband's tribe.

Economic development is constrained by a shortage of skilled workers, weak infrastructure, and remoteness from international markets. The public sector dominates economic activity, with ongoing capital projects in infrastructure including road rehabilitation, water and sanitation projects, and renovations to the international airport, spurring some growth. Public debt increased from 23% of GDP at the end of 2015 to 25.8% in 2016. Campbell, I.C. and J.P. Latouche. Les Insulaires du Pacifique. Paris: Presses universitaires de France, 2001. ISBN 2130519261

There are 21 inhabited islands in Kiribati. Kiribati can be geographically divided into three archipelagoes or groups of islands, which have no administrative functions. They are: An equatorial nation of the Pacific Ocean including (Banaba) Island the Gilbert Island (16) 8 of the line Island and the Phoenix Island. After World War II, rice became a daily staple in most households, which is still the case today. The majority of seafood, fish in particular, is eaten sashimi-style with either coconut sap, soy sauce or vinegar-based dressings, often combined with chillies and onions. Cassidy International Airport on Kiritimati has an international service provided by Fiji Airways: Nadi to Cassidy Airport and then to Honolulu.