Kiribati

Kiribati (pronounced Kiri-bass) is a nation of 34 islands, situated on the equator north of Fiji. There are 3 main Island groups; Gilbert Islands, Phoenix Islands and the Line Islands (Kiritimati - Christmas Island). There are approximately 110,000 people, many living on the Tarawa Atoll. North Tarawa is a series of islands which can be reached by boat or walking at low tide. South Tarawa is an urban area, where the villages run into one another and are linked by causeways.

Kiribati has the biggest sea to land ratio of any country in the world, so fishing forms a big part of their lives and economy. National income is derived from selling yellow fin tuna leases internationally.

On Tarawa, there is one road (35km) from Bonriki (International Airport - and the widest piece of land) to Betio, the port. The lagoon inside North and South Tarawa is beautiful but unfortunately very polluted from effluent. The 'outside' is safe to swim. I live on the south side of South Tarawa in a village called Temiaku, very close to the airport. On the map showing South Tarawa, Temiaku is just where the 'T' of Tarawa in the map touches the coast.

The reason I am here.

Photos: Mike Smith

Maps: Worldmap.com