Geography of Kiribati#Climate

Kiribati includes Kiritimati (Christmas Atoll; in the Line Islands), the largest coral atoll (in terms of land area, not dimensions) in the world, and Banaba (Ocean Island), one of the three great phosphate rock islands in the Pacific.

Kiribati straddles the equator in the Pacific Ocean, about one-half of the way from Hawaii to Australia. On 1 January 1995, Kiribati unilaterally moved the International Date Line from the middle of the country to include its easternmost islands and make it the same day throughout the country.

File:Kiribati map LOC.jpg

File:GilbertIslands.jpg

The total land area mass total {{convert|811|km2|abbr=on}}. It includes three island groups - Gilbert Islands, Line Islands, Phoenix Islands. Most of the land on these islands is less than two metres above sea level.{{cite web| first=Rodney|last=Dekker|url= http://www.abc.net.au/news/2011-12-09/tuvalu-kiribati-climate-change/3720408|title= Island neighbours at the mercy of rising tides| date =9 December 2011|publisher=Australian Broadcasting Corporation |access-date=9 December 2011}} Including the amount of water, the total water and land area is 2485 square miles. A 1989 United Nations report identified Kiribati as one of the countries that could completely disappear in the 21st century if steps are not taken to address global climate change.

The coastline of the islands total 1,143 km (710 mi) in length. Kiribati has the 12th largest exclusive economic zone of {{convert|3441810|km2|mi2|abbr=on}} (200 nautical miles). The islands are relatively flat and very spread out. The highest point, on Banaba Island, is 265 feet above sea level.

Due to its location, Kiribati exhibits a maritime climate. Temperatures range between 26 and 32 °C year-round, with the water temperature sitting on a comfortable year-round 28-29 °C. The dry season is from December to March while the wet season last from February to May and from September to November. In the driest years, the islands have received 150mm of rainfall while its wettest years have seen upwards of 4000mm.{{Cite web|url=http://traveltips.usatoday.com/climate-kiribati-30240.html|title=What Is the Climate of Kiribati?|website=traveltips.usatoday.com|access-date=2016-05-23}}{{Cite web|url=http://www.weatheronline.co.uk/reports/climate/Kiribati.htm|title=Climate of the World: Kiribati - Weather UK - weatheronline.co.uk|website=weatheronline.co.uk|access-date=2016-05-23}}{{Cite web|url=http://www.climate.gov.ki/current-climate/|title=Current climate {{!}} Climate Change|website=climate.gov.ki|access-date=2016-05-23|archive-date=11 March 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210311133236/http://www.climate.gov.ki/current-climate/|url-status=dead}}

{{Weather box

|location = Tarawa (Köppen Af)

|metric first = Yes

|single line = Yes

|collapsed = Yes

|width = auto

|Jan record high C = 35.0

|Feb record high C = 33.0

|Mar record high C = 35.0

|Apr record high C = 34.5

|May record high C = 34.5

|Jun record high C = 33.5

|Jul record high C = 34.5

|Aug record high C = 34.5

|Sep record high C = 34.5

|Oct record high C = 35.0

|Nov record high C = 35.0

|Dec record high C = 35.0

|year record high C = 35.0

|Jan high C = 30.7

|Feb high C = 30.6

|Mar high C = 30.7

|Apr high C = 30.7

|May high C = 30.8

|Jun high C = 30.8

|Jul high C = 30.9

|Aug high C = 31.0

|Sep high C = 31.1

|Oct high C = 31.2

|Nov high C = 31.3

|Dec high C = 30.9

|year high C = 30.9

|Jan mean C = 28.2

|Feb mean C = 28.1

|Mar mean C = 28.1

|Apr mean C = 28.2

|May mean C = 28.4

|Jun mean C = 28.3

|Jul mean C = 28.2

|Aug mean C = 28.3

|Sep mean C = 28.4

|Oct mean C = 28.6

|Nov mean C = 28.5

|Dec mean C = 28.2

|year mean C = 28.3

|Jan low C = 25.3

|Feb low C = 25.3

|Mar low C = 25.2

|Apr low C = 25.3

|May low C = 25.5

|Jun low C = 25.3

|Jul low C = 25.1

|Aug low C = 25.2

|Sep low C = 25.3

|Oct low C = 25.4

|Nov low C = 25.4

|Dec low C = 25.3

|year low C = 25.3

|Jan record low C = 21.5

|Feb record low C = 22.5

|Mar record low C = 22.5

|Apr record low C = 22.5

|May record low C = 21.0

|Jun record low C = 21.0

|Jul record low C = 21.0

|Aug record low C = 21.5

|Sep record low C = 22.5

|Oct record low C = 22.0

|Nov record low C = 22.5

|Dec record low C = 22.0

|year record low C = 21.0

|precipitation colour = green

|Jan precipitation mm = 271

|Feb precipitation mm = 218

|Mar precipitation mm = 204

|Apr precipitation mm = 184

|May precipitation mm = 158

|Jun precipitation mm = 155

|Jul precipitation mm = 168

|Aug precipitation mm = 138

|Sep precipitation mm = 120

|Oct precipitation mm = 110

|Nov precipitation mm = 115

|Dec precipitation mm = 212

|year precipitation mm = 2052

|unit precipitation days = 0.3 mm

|Jan precipitation days = 15

|Feb precipitation days = 12

|Mar precipitation days = 14

|Apr precipitation days = 15

|May precipitation days = 15

|Jun precipitation days = 14

|Jul precipitation days = 16

|Aug precipitation days = 18

|Sep precipitation days = 15

|Oct precipitation days = 11

|Nov precipitation days = 10

|Dec precipitation days = 17

|year precipitation days = 172

|Jan humidity = 81

|Feb humidity = 80

|Mar humidity = 81

|Apr humidity = 82

|May humidity = 81

|Jun humidity = 81

|Jul humidity = 80

|Aug humidity = 79

|Sep humidity = 77

|Oct humidity = 77

|Nov humidity = 79

|Dec humidity = 81

|year humidity = 80

|Jan sun = 220.1

|Feb sun = 192.1

|Mar sun = 207.7

|Apr sun = 201.0

|May sun = 229.4

|Jun sun = 219.0

|Jul sun = 229.4

|Aug sun = 257.3

|Sep sun = 243.0

|Oct sun = 260.4

|Nov sun = 240.0

|Dec sun = 189.1

|year sun =

|Jand sun = 7.1

|Febd sun = 6.8

|Mard sun = 6.7

|Aprd sun = 6.7

|Mayd sun = 7.4

|Jund sun = 7.3

|Juld sun = 7.4

|Augd sun = 8.3

|Sepd sun = 8.1

|Octd sun = 8.4

|Novd sun = 8.0

|Decd sun = 6.1

|yeard sun = 7.4

|source 1 = Deutscher Wetterdienst

{{cite web

| url = https://www.dwd.de/DWD/klima/beratung/ak/ak_916100_kt.pdf

| title = Klimatafel von Tarawa, Int. Flugh. Bonriki / Kiribati (Gilbert-Inseln)

| work = Baseline climate means (1961–1990) from stations all over the world

| publisher = Deutscher Wetterdienst

| language = de

| access-date = 30 November 2020}}

}}

{{Weather box

|location = Kiritimati (Köppen BSh)

|single line = Yes

|metric first = Yes

|collapsed = Yes

|width = auto

|precipitation colour = green

|Jan record high F = 89

|Feb record high F = 91

|Mar record high F = 92

|Apr record high F = 92

|May record high F = 93

|Jun record high F = 90

|Jul record high F = 90

|Aug record high F = 91

|Sep record high F = 91

|Oct record high F = 92

|Nov record high F = 92

|Dec record high F = 91

|Jan high F = 85

|Feb high F = 85

|Mar high F = 86

|Apr high F = 86

|May high F = 87

|Jun high F = 87

|Jul high F = 86

|Aug high F = 87

|Sep high F = 87

|Oct high F = 87

|Nov high F = 86

|Dec high F = 86

|Jan mean F = 80

|Feb mean F = 80

|Mar mean F = 81

|Apr mean F = 81

|May mean F = 81

|Jun mean F = 81

|Jul mean F = 81

|Aug mean F = 82

|Sep mean F = 81

|Oct mean F = 81

|Nov mean F = 81

|Dec mean F = 80

|Jan low F = 75

|Feb low F = 75

|Mar low F = 76

|Apr low F = 76

|May low F = 76

|Jun low F = 76

|Jul low F = 76

|Aug low F = 77

|Sep low F = 76

|Oct low F = 75

|Nov low F = 76

|Dec low F = 75

|Jan record low F = 66

|Feb record low F = 71

|Mar record low F = 71

|Apr record low F = 70

|May record low F = 73

|Jun record low F = 68

|Jul record low F = 72

|Aug record low F = 71

|Sep record low F = 69

|Oct record low F = 68

|Nov record low F = 67

|Dec record low F = 69

|Jan precipitation inch = 1.0

|Feb precipitation inch = 2.8

|Mar precipitation inch = 2.5

|Apr precipitation inch = 8.1

|May precipitation inch = 3.5

|Jun precipitation inch = 3.2

|Jul precipitation inch = 2.0

|Aug precipitation inch = 0.6

|Sep precipitation inch = 0.1

|Oct precipitation inch = 0.1

|Nov precipitation inch = 0.3

|Dec precipitation inch = 0.6

|Jan precipitation days = 2.4

|Feb precipitation days = 4.6

|Mar precipitation days = 6.0

|Apr precipitation days = 13.8

|May precipitation days = 6.8

|Jun precipitation days = 6.1

|Jul precipitation days = 3.0

|Aug precipitation days = 1.8

|Sep precipitation days = 0.1

|Oct precipitation days = 0.3

|Nov precipitation days = 0.7

|Dec precipitation days = 1.7

|Jan humidity = 77

|Feb humidity = 80

|Mar humidity = 80

|Apr humidity = 83

|May humidity = 81

|Jun humidity = 80

|Jul humidity = 78

|Aug humidity = 75

|Sep humidity = 74

|Oct humidity = 74

|Nov humidity = 73

|Dec humidity = 75

|source 1 = Weatherbase {{cite web

|url=http://www.weatherbase.com/weather/weather.php3?s=98419&refer=wikipedia

|title=Weatherbase: Historical Weather for London, Kiribati

|publisher=Weatherbase

|year=2011

|access-date=14 May 2016

|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160611015212/http://www.weatherbase.com/weather/weather.php3?s=98419&refer=wikipedia

|archive-date=11 June 2016

|url-status=live

}}

Retrieved on 24 November 2011.

|date=November 2011

}}

The amount of arable land is at 2.5%. Crop usage stands at about 40% of the available land. A few trees exist and occupy 10% of the land. About 50% of the land is used for housing and commercial use.

{{see also|List of ecoregions in Kiribati}}

Kiribati is part of three terrestrial ecoregions:{{cite journal |author = Olson, D. M, E. Dinerstein |title = Terrestrial Ecoregions of the World: A New Map of Life on Earth |journal = BioScience |year = 2001 |volume=51 |issue=11 |pages= 933–938 |url = http://www.worldwildlife.org/science/wildfinder/ |doi = 10.1641/0006-3568(2001)051[0933:TEOTWA]2.0.CO;2 |display-authors=etal|doi-access = free }}

• the Line Islands are in the Central Polynesian tropical moist forests ecoregion
• the Phoenix Islands are in the Western Polynesian tropical moist forests ecoregion
• the Gilbert islands and Banaba are in the Eastern Micronesia tropical moist forests ecoregion

Much of the natural resources have been exhausted before its 1979 independence. On the island of Banaba, the British mined guano for phosphorus, until exhaustion of supply, an event that was before independence.{{Cite web|url=http://www.britannica.com/place/Banaba|title=Banaba {{!}} island, Kiribati|website=Encyclopædia Britannica|access-date=2016-05-23}}

Cyclones can occur any time, but usually November to March; occasional tornadoes; low level of some of the islands make them very sensitive to changes in sea level. The Climate Change in the Pacific Report (2011) describes Kiribati as having a low risk of cyclones;{{cite book|title= Climate Change in the Pacific: Volume 2: Country Reports|year=2011 |publisher= Pacific Climate Change Science Program|location=Australia Government|chapter= Ch.6 Kiribati |chapter-url=http://www.pacificclimatechangescience.org/publications/reports/climate-variability-extremes-and-change-in-the-western-tropical-pacific-2014/}} however in March 2015 Kiribati experienced flooding and destruction of seawalls and coastal infrastructure as the result of Cyclone Pam, a Category 5 cyclone that devastated Vanuatu.{{cite web| work= SBS Australia |title= Flooding in Vanuatu, Kiribati and Tuvalu as Cyclone Pam strengthens |date =13 March 2015|url= http://www.sbs.com.au/news/article/2015/03/13/flooding-vanuatu-kiribati-and-tuvalu-cyclone-pam-strengthens | access-date=15 March 2015}}

The island of Banaba has suffered greatly from the after effects of the massive phosphorus mining. Most of the population were forced to evacuate to the island country of Fiji due to its effects. In addition, the atoll near the island of Tarawa is vulnerable to the effects of solid waste disposal. A report by the United Nations say the wildlife from the region are endangered. The islands are very sensitive to the damaging effects.{{Cite web|url=http://www.nationsencyclopedia.com/Asia-and-Oceania/Kiribati-ENVIRONMENT.html|title=Environment - Kiribati - area|website=nationsencyclopedia.com|access-date=2016-05-23}}

The country signed the Convention on Diversity on 6 August 1994.{{Cite web|url=https://sustainabledevelopment.un.org/content/documents/1225Kiribati-MSI-NAR2009.pdf|title=KIRIBATI NATIONAL ASSESSMENT REPORT|website=Sustainable Development|publisher=United Nations|access-date=23 May 2016}}

It also signed conventions on the Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection.{{Cite web|url=https://www.cia.gov/the-world-factbook/countries/kiribati/|title=Australia - Oceania :: Kiribati – The World Factbook - Central Intelligence Agency|website=cia.gov|access-date=2019-04-05}}

{{see also|Protected areas of Kiribati|Coral reefs of Kiribati}}

File:Territorial_waters_-_Kiribati.svg

The Phoenix Islands Protected Area constitutes 11.34% of Kiribati's Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) with a size of {{convert|408250|km2|sqmi|abbr=on}}. This is the second largest marine protected area (MPA) in the Pacific Ocean.

21 of the 33 islands are inhabited.

Banaba (Ocean Island) in Kiribati is one of the three great phosphate rock islands in the Pacific Ocean.

Kiribati is the only country in the world whose land exists in all four hemispheres.

This is a list of the extreme points of Kiribati, the points that are farther north, south, east or west than any other location.

• Northernmost point – Teraina (Washington Island), Line Islands
• Easternmost point – Caroline Island, Line Islands
• Southernmost point – Flint Island, Line Islands
• Westernmost point - Banaba Island

{{Reflist}}

{{CIA World Factbook}}

{{Kiribati geography}}

{{Geography of Oceania}}