Ten fun facts about Kiribati
Fact 1
The capital of Kiribati is SouthTarawa.
Fact 2
Kiribati comprises of 33 islands that straddle the equator. These islands were once used as a testing ground for nuclear weapons.
Fact 3
The lower half of the flag of Kiribati is blue with three wavy horizontal white stripes that represent the ocean while the upper half is red with a yellow frigate bird flying over a yellow rising sun.
Fact 4
The two main languages spoken on the islands are English and Gilbertese.
Fact 5
Kiribati unilaterally moved the International Date Line from the middle of the country to include its easternmost islands and make it the same day throughout the whole country. January 1, 1995 is therefore a legendary date in Kiribati.
Fact 6
They gained independence in 1979 though they were granted self rule by the British in 1971. It became a member of the United Nations in 1999.
Fact 7
Banaba Island is the only actual island which is also known as Ocean Island. The other land is made up of atolls and reefs.
Fact 8
They export 62% copra, seaweed, fish and coconuts. The local economy also depends on subsistence farming and fishing. Kiribati imports machinery and equipment, foodstuffs, miscellaneous manufactured goods and fuel.
Fact 9
The official currency is the Australian dollar.
Fact 10
The people of Kiribati are mainly Catholics and Protestants.