Kiribati (pronounced: Kiribas) is an island nation in the middle of the Pacific Ocean. The country consists of 32 atolls with a combined land area of ​​811 km². The country has 120,000 inhabitants and the capital is Tarawa, also called Bairiki. See Kiribati population density.

According to ABBREVIATIONFINDER, the country of Kiribati is located in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, south of the Marshall Islands, northeast of the Solomon Islands and north of Tuvalu. The capital Baikiri is located 3,600 kilometers northeast of Australia. The country consists of 32 atolls, low-lying islands, with a combined land area of ​​811 km². However, the entire country is spread over a 3.5 million square kilometer portion of the Pacific Ocean. There are more than 4,000 kilometers between the most distant islands that belong to Kiribati. The highest point is on Banaba Island with 81 meters above sea level.

Kiribati gained independence from the United Kingdom in 1979 and is a democratic country. Overcrowding on the small atolls is sometimes a problem. The country is one of the poorest in the world because there are hardly any raw materials, and agriculture is difficult due to salinity. Income is $6,000 per capita, thanks in part to international aid. Tourism is important to Kiribati, but the islands are geographically isolated.

Road Network

Kiribati’s road network is extremely limited. This is because the islands are atolls with little land area. On the inhabited islands there is usually only one road that connects the population centers. The roads are single lane and you drive on the left. There are no highways in Kiribati. The most populous is Tarawa Atoll, which is home to about half of the population. There is a road network here, the greatest distance that one can drive on Tarawa is about 35 kilometers. An important structure is a 3 kilometer long causeway between Bairiki and Betio. Bridges are sometimes made of wood.

The roads on the less inhabited islands are often unpaved. The island of Kiritami has the largest area, and is located approximately 3,500 kilometers east of Bairiki. Here is one paved road from the airport to the village of London. This island is significantly closer to Hawaii than the rest of Kiribati. There are no ferry services between most islands due to long travel times and long distances. Transport is mainly by plane.

Road numbering

Since most atolls have only one or two roads, there is no road numbering in Kiribati.

Signage

The signs and few signposts are after the New Zealand model.