In Kiribati

Kiribati

Kiribati , officially the Republic of Kiribati, is an island nation located in the central tropical Pacific Ocean. The permanent population exceeds just over 100,000 , and is composed of 32 atolls and one raised coral island, dispersed over 3.5 million square kilometres, straddling the...

, there are no more official subdivisions but it is possible to divide Kiribati geographically into three groups of islands:

• Gilbert Islands
  Gilbert Islands
  The Gilbert Islands are a chain of sixteen atolls and coral islands in the Pacific Ocean. They are the main part of Republic of Kiribati and include Tarawa, the site of the country's capital and residence of almost half of the population.-Geography:The atolls and islands of the Gilbert Islands...
  
  
• Line Islands
  Line Islands
  The Line Islands, Teraina Islands or Equatorial Islands, is a chain of eleven atolls and low coral islands in the central Pacific Ocean, south of the Hawaiian Islands, that stretches for 2,350 km in a northwest-southeast direction, making it one of the longest islands chains of the world...
  
  , and
• Phoenix Islands
  Phoenix Islands
  The Phoenix Islands are a group of eight atolls and two submerged coral reefs, lying in the central Pacific Ocean east of the Gilbert Islands and west of the Line Islands. They are a part of the Republic of Kiribati. During the late 1930s they became the site of the last attempted colonial...
  
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Kiribati was divided into 6 districts until independence:

• Banaba
  Banaba Island
  Banaba Island , an island in the Pacific Ocean, is a solitary raised coral island west of the Gilbert Island chain and 300 km east of Nauru. It is part of the Republic of Kiribati. It has an area of 6.5 km², and the highest point on the island is also the highest point in Kiribati, at 81...
  
  
• Tarawa
  Tarawa Atoll
  Tarawa is an atoll in the central Pacific Ocean, previously the capital of the former British colony of the Gilbert and Ellice Islands. It is the location of the capital of the Republic of Kiribati, South Tarawa...
  
  
• Northern Gilbert Islands
  Northern Gilbert Islands
  The Northern Gilberts geographically and traditionally encompass Makin, Butaritari, Marakei, Abaiang and Tarawa...
  
  
• Central Gilbert Island
  Central Gilbert Island
  The Central Gilberts or nuka have traditionally included Maiana, Abemama, Kuria and Aranuka. However, the latter three are considered the main islands that have unique historical and cultural characteristics which distinguish the Central Gilberts from the north and south.The Central Gilberts as...
  
  
• Southern Gilbert Islands
  South Gilbert Islands
  The Southern Gilberts include the atolls of Nonouti, South and North Tabiteuea, Beru, Nikunau, Onotoa, Tamana and the most southerly island of Arorae....
  
  
• Line Islands
  Line Islands
  The Line Islands, Teraina Islands or Equatorial Islands, is a chain of eleven atolls and low coral islands in the central Pacific Ocean, south of the Hawaiian Islands, that stretches for 2,350 km in a northwest-southeast direction, making it one of the longest islands chains of the world...
  
  

Four of the former districts (including Tarawa) lie in the Gilbert Islands, where most of the islands' population lives. Only three of the Line Islands are inhabited, while the Phoenix Islands are uninhabited but Kanton and Orona (80 people) and have no representation. Banaba itself is sparsely inhabited now. There is also a representative non-elected of the Banabans relocated to Rabi Island

Rabi Island

Rabi is a volcanic island in northern Fiji. It is an outlier to Taveuni , in the Vanua Levu Group. It covers an area of 66.3 square kilometers, reaching a maximum altitude of 463 meters and has a shoreline of 46.2 kilometers...

 in the nation of Fiji

Fiji

Fiji , officially the Republic of Fiji , is an island nation in Melanesia in the South Pacific Ocean about northeast of New Zealand's North Island...

.

Island Councils

There are a total of 21 inhabited islands in Kiribati. Each inhabited island has its own council.

Banaba Island Banaba Banaba Island Banaba Island , an island in the Pacific Ocean, is a solitary raised coral island west of the Gilbert Island chain and 300 km east of Nauru. It is part of the Republic of Kiribati. It has an area of 6.5 km², and the highest point on the island is also the highest point in Kiribati, at 81... Tarawa Island Betio Betio Betio is an island and a town at the extreme southwest of South Tarawa in Kiribati. The main port of Tarawa Atoll is located there.-Overview:...  (Tarawa Tarawa Atoll Tarawa is an atoll in the central Pacific Ocean, previously the capital of the former British colony of the Gilbert and Ellice Islands. It is the location of the capital of the Republic of Kiribati, South Tarawa... ) South Tarawa South Tarawa South Tarawa is the official capital of the Republic of Kiribati on Tarawa Atoll. The meaning of Teinainano is "down of the mast", alluding to the sail-shape of the atoll...  (Tarawa Tarawa Atoll Tarawa is an atoll in the central Pacific Ocean, previously the capital of the former British colony of the Gilbert and Ellice Islands. It is the location of the capital of the Republic of Kiribati, South Tarawa... ) North Tarawa (Tarawa Tarawa Atoll Tarawa is an atoll in the central Pacific Ocean, previously the capital of the former British colony of the Gilbert and Ellice Islands. It is the location of the capital of the Republic of Kiribati, South Tarawa... ) North Gilbert Islands Makin Makin (islands) Makin is the name of a chain of islands located in the Pacific Ocean island nation of Kiribati, specifically in the Gilbert Islands.-Geography:... Butaritari Butaritari Butaritari is an atoll located in the Pacific Ocean island nation of Kiribati.-Geography:... Marakei Marakei Marakei is a small atoll in the North Gilbert Islands. The central lagoon consists of numerous deep basins and surrounded by two large islands which are separated by two narrow channels. The atoll covers an area of 13.5 km².- Geography :... Abaiang Abaiang Abaiang, also spelled Apaiang, sometimes called Apiaia, and formerly named Charlotte Island, Matthews or Six Isles, is a coral atoll of Kiribati, located in the west-central Pacific Ocean.-Geography:... Central Gilbert Islands Maiana Maiana Maiana is a district of Kiribati and an atoll in the North Gilbert Islands. The north and eastern sides of the atoll are a single island whilst the western edge consists of submerged reefs, all surrounding a lagoon... Abemama Abemama Abemama is an atoll in the central part of the Kiribati Group located 152 kilometres southeast of Tarawa and just north of the Equator.- Geography :... Kuria Kuria (islands) Kuria is a the name of a pair of islands in the North Gilbert Islands in the Pacific Ocean. They are located northwest of Aranuka .... Aranuka Aranuka Aranuka is an atoll of Kiribati, located just north of the equator, in the Gilbert Islands... South Gilbert Islands Nonouti Nonouti Nonouti is an atoll and district of Kiribati. The atoll is located in the South Gilbert Islands, 38 km north of Tabiteuea, and 250 km south of Tarawa. The eastern side of the atoll is the primary permanent landmass. There is an islet on the northwest side of the atoll called Noumatong. Noumatong... North Tabiteuea (Tabiteuea Tabiteuea Tabiteuea is an atoll in the Gilbert Islands, Kiribati, south of Tarawa. The atoll consists of two main islands: Eanikai in the north, Nuguti in the south, and several smaller islets in between along the eastern rim of the atoll. The atoll has a total land area of 38 km², while the lagoon measures... ) South Tabiteuea (Tabiteuea Tabiteuea Tabiteuea is an atoll in the Gilbert Islands, Kiribati, south of Tarawa. The atoll consists of two main islands: Eanikai in the north, Nuguti in the south, and several smaller islets in between along the eastern rim of the atoll. The atoll has a total land area of 38 km², while the lagoon measures... ) Beru Beru Island Beru Island is an island located in the Kingsmill Group of the South Gilbert Islands in the Pacific Ocean and is part of the Republic of Kiribati. Beru was previously known as Eliza, Francis Island, Maria, Peroat, Peru Island or Sunday.- Geography :... Nikunau Nikunau Nikunau is a low coral island located in the Gilbert Islands and forms a council district of the Republic of Kiribati. The island consists of two parts which are joined by an isthmus about 150 m wide.... Onotoa Onotoa Onotoa is an atoll and district of Kiribati. It is situated in the Gilbert Islands in the Pacific Ocean, 65 km from Tamana, the smallest island in the Gilberts.... Tamana Arorae Arorae Arorae is an atoll in Kiribati located near the equator.- Geography :The atoll's area is 9,5 km² and has a population of about 1,225 inhabitants most of which are Protestants. The largest villages on the atoll are Roreti, Tamaroa and Taribo.The atoll is a low and flat coralline island with an... Line Islands Kiritimati Kiritimati Kiritimati or Christmas Island is a Pacific Ocean raised coral atoll in the northern Line Islands, and part of the Republic of Kiribati.... Tabuaeran Tabuaeran Tabuaeran, also known as Fanning Island or Fanning Atoll is one of the Line Islands of the central Pacific Ocean, and part of Kiribati. It is an atoll located at... Teraina Teraina Teraina, also known as Washington Island is a coral atoll in the central Pacific Ocean and part of the Northern Line Islands which belongs to Kiribati. Obsolete names of Teraina are Prospect Island and New York Island. The island is located approximately 4.71° North latitude and 160.76° West... Kanton Kanton Island Kanton Island , alternatively known as "Mary Island", "Mary Balcout's Island" or "Swallow Island", is the largest, northernmost, and as of 2007, the sole inhabited island of the Phoenix Islands, in the Republic of Kiribati. It is an atoll located in the South Pacific Ocean roughly halfway between...  (part of Phoenix Islands Phoenix Islands The Phoenix Islands are a group of eight atolls and two submerged coral reefs, lying in the central Pacific Ocean east of the Gilbert Islands and west of the Line Islands. They are a part of the Republic of Kiribati. During the late 1930s they became the site of the last attempted colonial... )

See also

• List of islands of Kiribati
• ISO 3166-2:KI
  ISO 3166-2:KI
  ISO 3166-2:KI is the entry for Kiribati in ISO 3166-2, part of the ISO 3166 standard published by the International Organization for Standardization , which defines codes for the names of the principal subdivisions of all countries coded in ISO 3166-1.Currently for Kiribati, ISO 3166-2 codes are...