Kiribati
Kiribati
- Capital
- South Tarawa
- Population
- 119,446
- Region
- Oceania
- Languages
- English
Kiribati is the only country in the world to be situated in all four hemispheres simultaneously, spanning the equator and the 180th meridian. In 1995, the nation moved the International Date Line far to the east so that all its island groups could share the same calendar day. This adjustment made the uninhabited Millennium Island the first place on Earth to see the sunrise of the year 2000. Because of its unique temporal alignment, the country remains a focal point for studies on global timekeeping and maritime boundaries.
Currency
The official currency is the Australian Dollar (AUD), while the Kiribati dollar exists as a localized version equivalent in value. Before the adoption of the Australian dollar in 1966, the islands primarily used the Australian pound and their own unique coinage featuring local motifs.
Flag symbolism
The upper half of the flag features a golden frigate bird flying over a rising sun, which represents strength, freedom, and the dawn of a new era. The seventeen rays of the sun correspond to the sixteen Gilbert Islands and Banaba, signifying unity across the archipelago. Below, three blue and three white wavy horizontal stripes represent the vast Pacific Ocean that defines the nation's life and culture. This design is unique for being an almost exact graphical representation of the national coat of arms transposed onto a rectangular field.
Emblem history
The national emblem originated as a coat of arms granted to the Gilbert and Ellice Islands Colony by the College of Arms in 1937. It features the same iconic frigate bird and rising sun motif found on the flag, sitting above a shield with oceanic waves. Upon independence in 1979, the design was retained with the addition of a ribbon at the bottom containing the Gilbertese motto 'Te Mauri, Te Raoi ao Te Tabomoa.' These words translate to 'Health, Peace, and Prosperity,' reflecting the core values of the I-Kiribati people since the colonial era.