Kiribati

Kiribati - officially the Republic of Kiribati, is an island region located in the central tropical Pacific Ocean. The country's 33 atolls are scattered over 3,500,000 sq. km near the equator. English name for ones main group of islands: the former Gilbert Islands.

Curving its way above and below the equator, the Republic of Kiribati (pronounced 'Kiri-bas') encompasses the Gilbert, Phoenix and Line Islands, and was recognized under British rule as the Gilbert Islands. Measured by nation size Kiribati is a small region of just more than 810 sq km, but its 33 atolls span a huge 3.5 million sq km from the Pacific. Most atolls surround turquoise lagoons and barely rise above the surrounding ocean, so it is rare to be out on the sight and sound of the sea.

Kiribati's recent colonial and WWII history has had smaller impact over a outer islands, exactly where the individuals subsist on coconuts, breadfruit and fish as they have done for centuries. Even on the primary island, Tarawa, most locals live in conventional raised thatched huts. Western influence is increasing, though, inside type of cars, bars, movies and the Internet, and inevitably there's an escalating urban drift within the outer islands to Tarawa.

The people with the islands are named I-Kiribati. Wide-eyed little ones may well chirp a bold 'mauri' (hello) to passing strangers, even though their elders have a tendency to the a laconic raise of an eyebrow in greeting. Nothing occurs fast here, so wind down, relax and enjoy living on island time.