Kiribati: Geography#
| Location | Oceania, group of 33 coral atolls in the Pacific Ocean, straddling the Equator; the capital Tarawa is about half way between Hawaii and Australia |
|---|---|
| Geographic Coordinates | 1 25 N, 173 00 E 1.4166666,173.0 |
| Area | total: 811 sq km land: 811 sq km water: 0 sq km note: includes three island groups - Gilbert Islands, Line Islands, and Phoenix Islands - dispersed over about 3.5 million sq km (1.35 million sq mi) [Verified in 8 databases] |
| Land boundaries | 0 km |
| Coastline | 1,143 km |
| Elevation Extremes | lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: unnamed elevation on Banaba 81 m |
| Highest Mountains | |
| Terrain | mostly low-lying coral atolls surrounded by extensive reefs |
| Natural Hazards | typhoons can occur any time, but usually November to March; occasional tornadoes; low level of some of the islands make them sensitive to changes in sea level |
| Natural Resource | phosphate (production discontinued in 1979) |
| Land Use | arable land: 2.47% permanent crops: 39.51% other: 58.02% (2011) |
| Climate | tropical; marine, hot and humid, moderated by trade winds |
| Irrigated Land | NA |
| Renewable Water Resources | NA |
| Environment_CurrentIssues | heavy pollution in lagoon of south Tarawa atoll due to heavy migration mixed with traditional practices such as lagoon latrines and open-pit dumping; ground water at risk |
| Environment - international agreements | party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Whaling signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements |
| Large Cities | Due to difference in city rankings taken from two data sources we are listing here both lists : According to Wolfram: Bairiki; Taburao; Bonriki; Buariki; Temaraia According to Geonames: Tarawa; Betio Village; Bikenibeu Village; Teaoraereke Village; Bairiki Village Attempted Explanation: Please help us to try to explain the discrepancies by sending us helpful information to office nospam@TUGraz.at @global-geography.org Important Cities |
| Geography-note | 21 of the 33 islands are inhabited; Banaba (Ocean Island) in Kiribati is one of the three great phosphate rock islands in the Pacific Ocean - the others are Makatea in French Polynesia, and Nauru; Kiribati is the only country in the world to fall into all four hemispheres (northern, southern, eastern, and western) |