The Republic of Kiribati

The common greeting of the People of Kiribati Islands is Mauri, which literally means "blessing"; a more appropriate word to utter when interacting with the people of these atolls where lifestyle is shaped and affected by its remoteness, and whose future remains uncertain in a world of restless climate change. Kiribati is part of a chain of Island that makes up the largest atolls in the world, surrounded by a vast Ocean that stretches thousands of miles in the midst of the Pacific Ocean. These atolls have endured centuries of climate change, and though the islands have shrunk considerably, its inhabitants are perhaps the worlds most resilient people. This essay explores the physical, geographical settings of the Kiribati atolls and its people.

Geographical Description and People of Kiribati
Kiribati is a country of its own and one of the smallest countries in the world. The Republic of Kiribati is made up of 32 Island atolls and with a total landmass of about 800 square kilometers and extended to almost four thousand kilometers from West to East and about three thousand kilometers from the North to the South. These atolls are surrounded by vast ocean which covers a n area about three million square kilometers; these atolls lie between the Polynesian islands of Hawaii and Australia, and situated on the crossroad of the Polynesian islands of the Tokelau and the Marshall Islands or Micronesia. These group of atolls are divided into three districts, the Kirimati Islands-the Christmas islands, also formally known as the Gilbert Islands where the capital city is-Tarawa, the Phoenix Islands, and the Line Islands. These atolls are amongst the lowest atolls in the world with many of them rise only to some six meters above the sea level. Of these 32 Islands only 10 of are inhabited living more than twenty of them remained inhabited. The majority of people in this Republic live in the capital of Kiribati, Tarawa, with the Island of Bairi, a smaller island of the lower Gilbert islands, serves as the government administrative heard-quarters.
The native of the Islands of Kiribati were formally called the "Gilbertese", but today they referred to themselves as "I-Kiribati". There are about 30,000 I-Kiribati natives living on these atolls. Studies suggest that the inhabitants of these islands may have lived on this beautiful atolls for hundreds and event thousands of years with Melanesian and Polynesian contacts during pre-Christian era. Some forklores of the Islands have Polynesian roots, especially the islands of Samoa. However, these people have their own unique cultures, language, customs and traditions. Today, I-Kiribati people are part of Micronesian group of people.

Colonial impact on Banaba
One of worlds' cruel activities took place in this chain of Island, on the beautiful island of Banaba. The island is in fact the highest island of the chain of Islands that make up the Republic of Kiribati, but as it had something the British colonial government wanted, the Phosphate. In 1900s, the British began a mining operation on this island, but before doing so, the British government relocated the Banaban people to Rabi Island in Fiji, and Wagina Island in the Solomon Islands. After 80 years in operation, the Phosphate deposit in the Island of Banaba became exhausted and the British government decided to grant theKiribati Islands independence which took place in 1979. Today, the Banaban people still claim the island of Banaba but is caught up in a dilemma; on one hand, they are better off being Fijians, on the other hand, they have deep connection to the Island of Banaba and the government of Kiribati. The Kiritbati government had declared that Banaban could only get government benefits if they returned to Kiribati. Others still feel much connected to Banaba and wanted their island as part of the Republic of Fiji.

World War II Remains
Another world event that put the Kiribati Islands on the world spotlight, took place six decades ago when Americans stormed the Islands in pursuit of the Japanese military stormed the beaches of Tarawa and engaged the Japanese in one of the worlds most renowned battles of the Pacific. Today, the beaches of Tarawa, the capital city of Kiribati bears the scars of that battle. It was on these beaches that thousands of Americana and Japanese lost their lives in a fight to control these atolls.