[ad_1]
Kiribati is a scattered collection of 33 low-lying coral atolls and islands in the Pacific Ocean, with a population of around 110,000 people. Its islands straddle the Equator and the 180th meridian, making it the only nation spread across all four hemispheres. The main island, South Tarawa, has a high population density and the nation is known for its WWII wrecks and teeming coral reefs. Kiribati is a member of the Commonwealth of Nations, the IMF, the World Bank, and the UN.
The Republic of Kiribati, a sovereign state in the central Pacific Ocean, consists of a widely scattered collection of 33 low-lying coral atolls and coral islands. The total population of these islands, many of which are just protruding tips of underwater volcanoes, is around 110,000 people, most of whom live on South Tarawa. Added together, the vast republic boasts a total land area of approximately 310 square miles (800 square km), and its islands straddle the Equator and the 180th meridian (the base for the International Date Line), making Kiribati the only nation that is spread across all four hemispheres of the world.
A nation splashed in the ocean:
The main island of South Tarawa has a population density similar to that of Tokyo or Hong Kong. The islands saw action during WWII and some nuclear bomb tests were conducted there.
The coral reefs off Kiribati are teeming with colorful fish and the weather is warm. WWII wrecks are plentiful, especially off the eastern border of Kiritimati.
Kiribati is a member of the Commonwealth of Nations, the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank. The nation became a full member of the United Nations in 1999.
