Kiribati: A scattering of islands straddling the equator, the nation has a unique geography: 33 atolls and reef islands, with just one raised island (Banaba) in which the highest point is part of the land mass - everywhere else, it's the top of the tallest palm tree.
The total ocean area is around 3.5 million square kilometres, the land area 800 square kilometres and the population (2011) around 100,000.
To put this in Australian terms: Its widest extent (from Banaba to Kiritimati) roughly equals the distance from Perth to Brisbane, its ocean area is almost half the size of Australia, its land area is slightly smaller than the municipality of Alice Springs, its population is about the same as Ballarat's.
The islands known as The Gilbert Islands are now within the Republic of Kiribati, which also includes the Line and Phoenix islands far to the east. After being embroiled in a melange of colonial, trading and beachcomber interests the islands became part of the British Protectorate of the Gilbert and Ellice Islands in 1892. Administration was by a resident commissioner posted at various places around the group, from Butaritari to Tarawa and then Banaba as these adopted strategic or trade significance (Banaba was a rich source of phosphate until mined out). Following separation from the Ellice Islands and inclusion of the Line and Phoenix island groups, Kiribati finally became independent in 1979.
Butaritari in the Gilberts group is one of the nation's northernmost islands, along with its neighbour, Makin. Compared to the urbanised Tarawa atoll, Butaritari conveys an impression of fertile bounty, of babai and bananas interspersed with pigs and poultry, of streets shaded by massive breadfruit trees, casual village life with foot traffic and bicycles, the local shop a tiny kiosk in the middle of the main street.
During WWII, when the group was occupied by the Japanese and then re-taken by the Allies in fierce fighting, Butaritari was known to the Americans by the name 'Makin' but reverted to its traditional name after the war. Much is available online referring to the Battles of Makin and Tarawa including photos, movie footage and even video games - be sceptical of any with a backdrop of jungle-clad hills.
Back in 1888 Robert Louis Stevenson spent time on Butaritari where his experiences provided background for his future writings - he finally settled in Samoa where he died in 1894.
Sea Level Rise: Being almost entirely low-lying, Kiribati one of the most vulnerable nations to sea-level rise and already appears to be feeling its effects during extreme tides.
Even before land inundation reaches critical stage, seawater seeping into the islands' life-giving groundwater may cause disastrous food crop failures, the swamp-living staple babai being one of the most affected.
In a worst-case scenario much of the population may one day be forced to evacuate; sadly the world will probably remain unaware how much poorer we are for the loss of this unique culture.
Search 'Sea level rise Kiribati' for numerous online references
Gilbertese Spelling: The I-Kiribati (Gilbertese) spelling for names of people and places was used in the book, A Flight of Dolphins. In Gilbertese, the letter group ‘ti’ is used to represent an ‘s’ sound. The word ‘Kiribati’ for example is derived from the English word ‘Gilberts’ and is frequently pronounced as ‘Kirri-bas’ or ‘Kirra-bus’.
Book references: A Flight of Dolphins, Part 1: Ambition, Part 2: Ruthlessness, Part 3: Insight
Author Blogs:
See the author's blog about a flying visit to Tarawa and Butaritari, experiencing the honest warmth and hospitality of its people all the way.
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