Kiribati - Useful information for your trip

Kiribati is an island country located in the Pacific Ocean, in Oceania. It is composed by 33 atolls and islands scattered for over 3,5 millions of square kilometres passing different time zones. The capital city and the most populated center is South Tarawa, formed by some islets.

Kiribirati is the only country that covers four hemispheres, divided into four islands' groups: Banaba, Gilber Islands, Phoenix Islands and Line Islands. The islands' limestone soil is thin and Kiritimatinelle, located in the Line Islands is the largest atoll in the world. It is thought that two Kiribati’s uninhabited islands, Tebua Tarawa and Abanuea, disappeared after sinking in the Ocean in 1999. Predictions for the future are not rosy: sea level is going to rise about 50 cm because of global warming, reducing the limited cultivated soil of the islands.

The weather is pleasant from April to October, the winds mainly come from north-east and the temperatures are stable around 30° C. The rainy season goes from November to March, during these months also tropical hurricanes can form. Anyway, the rainfalls vary from island to island.

Because of the recent formations of these islands, their soil shows an high salinity level and flora is quite poor. Kiribati encloses about 83 endemic tree species and 306 imported species on Gilbert Islands, 67 on Line Islands and 283 on Phoenix Islands. The most common trees are coconut palms, pandanus palms and breadfruit trees, while the main crops are Chinese cabbage, pumpkin, tomato, melon and water melon.

On Kiribati there are no endemic or native mammals. It is possible to see Polynesian rats, dogs and porks. Out of around 75 bird species, only Bokikokiko is endemic. On the contrary, there are several coral and fish species.

Kiribati’s economy is one of the poorest in the world, because the island does not have many natural resources. There are no more phosphorous resources on Banaba, once a potential economical source. Main exported products are fish and copra. The most important economic resource for the future of the islands is undoubtely tourism, thanks to its amazing sea, beautiful atolls and long uninhabited beaches. Kiribati is still a remote place difficult to reach.

Unmissable are Kiribati’s deserted beaches and nature excursions.