Cruising to Kiribati

Background

The Gilbert Islands were granted self-rule by the UK in 1971 and complete independence in 1979 under the new name of Kiribati. The US relinquished all claims to the sparsely inhabited Phoenix and Line Island groups in a 1979 treaty of friendship with Kiribati.

Geography

Location: Oceania, group of 33 coral atolls in the Pacific Ocean, straddling the Equator; the capital Tarawa is about one-half of the way from Hawaii to Australia; note - on 1 January 1995, Kiribati proclaimed that all of its territory lies in the same time zone as its Gilbert Islands group (GMT +12) even though the Phoenix Islands and the Line Islands under its jurisdiction lie on the other side of the International Date Line
Geographic coordinates: 1 25 N, 173 00 E
Map references: Oceania
Area: total: 811 sq km; note: includes three island groups - Gilbert Islands, Line Islands, Phoenix Islands

Coastline

1,143 km

Maritime claims

Territorial sea: 12 nm
Exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Climate

Tropical; marine, hot and humid, moderated by trade winds

Terrain

Mostly low-lying coral atolls surrounded by extensive reefs

Elevation extremes

Lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
Highest point: unnamed location on Banaba 81 m

Economy

A remote country of 33 scattered coral atolls, Kiribati has few natural resources. Commercially viable phosphate deposits were exhausted at the time of independence from the UK in 1979. Copra and fish now represent the bulk of production and exports. The economy has fluctuated widely in recent years. Economic development is constrained by a shortage of skilled workers, weak infrastructure, and remoteness from international markets. Tourism provides more than one-fifth of GDP.

The financial sector is at an early stage of development as is the expansion of private sector initiatives. Foreign financial aid from UK, Japan, Australia, New Zealand, and China equals about 20% of GDP. Remittances from seamen on merchant ships abroad account for more than $5 million each year. Kiribati receives around $15 million annually for the government budget from an Australian trust fund.

Transportation

Airports: 19 (2005)
Airports - with paved runways: total: 3 
Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 16
under 914 m: 4 (2005)
Roadways: total: 670 km (1999)

Waterways

5 km (small network of canals in Line Islands) (2003)

Merchant marine

Total: 2 ships (1000 GRT or over) 2,749 GRT/3,911 DWT
By type: cargo 1, passenger/cargo 1
Foreign-owned: 1 (Syria 1) (2005)

Sailing Specifics: Ports and terminals

Betio   

Other Sailing Destinations in the Region

American Samoa - Australia - Cook Island - Easter Islands (Chile) - Federation of Micronesia - Fiji - Guam - USA (Hawaii)  - Kiribati - Marshall Islands - Nauru - New Caledonia - New Zealand - Niue - Norfolk Island - Northern Mariana Islands - Palau - Papua New Guinea - Pitcairn Island - Samoa - Solomon Island - Tokelau - Tonga - Tuvalu - Vanuatu - Wallis and Futuna

Further Reading

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