Kiribati

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Country Name

Kiribati or officially The Republic of Kiribati.

Location

It is located in the tropical central Pacific Ocean, consisting mainly of about 32 islets. Kiribati does not share land borders. The neighboring islands include Fiji, Nauru, The Marshall Islands, Samoa, French Polynesia, the Cook Islands, and Tonga.

Capital

South of Tarawa.

Reason For Naming

This name derives from the main archipelago that forms the nation. It was named the Gilbert Islands after the British explorer Thomas Gilbert. He sighted many of the islands in 1788 while mapping out the Outer Passage route from Port Jackson to Canton.

Flag

The Kiribati flag was adopted on July 12, 1979.

The flag of Kiribati is composed of six ripples in blue and white colors, yellow sun, and a flying frigate. All this is placed on a red background.

The white & blue waves represent the Pacific Ocean, as well as reference the three island groups; Phoenix, Gilbert, and the Line Islands.

The sun includes 17 rays which represent the former Ocean Island of

Banaba as well as the sixteen Gilbert Islands.

The frigatebird is a seabird species native to tropical and subtropical ocean environments. Its presence on the flag is thought to represent naval strength and power.