KIRIBATI (Pacific Islands)

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Kiribati is an independent republic and comprises the Gilbert, Phoenix and Line groups of islands. There are some 30 low lying coral islands with a total land area of over 800 square kilometres. The capital is Tarawa and the population of 65,000 is mainly Micronesian. English is the official language, but Gilbertese and Kiribati are the main local languages. The country become a republic in 1979.

The climate is tropical and the wet season is from November to April. Local currency is the Australian dollar. Local taxis and buses are available on South Tarawa and boats and ferries operate to the outer islands. There are scheduled flights from Tarawa to the outer islands.

Kiribati is more a sprinkling of far-flung coral atolls than dry land, more deep blue ocean than sandy beach, more coconut trees than people, more Catholic church than ancient island beliefs. Kiribati (pronounced kee-ree-bus ) is far away, hard to get to, untouristed and deeply religious.

It is also blessed with myriad reefs, billions of gaudy fish swarming over the coral, and plenty of WWII wrecks. The atolls are scattered over the equator so the weather is dependably warm, though often tempered by cool breezes off the sea.

Tarawa, Kiribati's capital, may not be the Venice of the Pacific, but you do have to negotiate the main sights by causeway and inter-island boat. While modernity is rearing its head, locals still welcome travellers as rarely seen curios. Although there's not much organised activity, it's not hard to find diving and game fishing in most places. And idyllic beaches are never far from anywhere if you want to escape with a book or a diving mask.