Kiribati (pronounced Kiribas) is an independent republic within the Commonwealth of Nations, located at the heart of the Pacific Ocean where the Equator and International Date Line (Prime Meridian) meet. It extends from the western hemispheres to the eastern hemisphere, as well the northern and southern hemisphere making it the only island nation in the world situated on the four hemispheres. It is part of the division of the Pacific islands that is known as Micronesia. Kiribati consists of 32 low lying islands, and one solitary island Banaba (an isolated island between Nauru and the Gilbert Islands). The atoll Kiritimati Christmas Islands is the largest coral atoll in the world. The islands are divided among three island groups: the Gilbert Islands in the West, the Phoenix Islands Protected Area or PIPA (formerly known as the Phoenix Islands Group) in the center, and the Line Islands in the East. In the year 2000 it was the chosen one to witness the dawn of the new Millennium.

Most of the islands are low lying coral islands and atolls with ring-shaped islands with central lagoons except for the island of Banaba near the Gilbert Islands which is a raised limestone Island. Of the 33 islands of Kiribati, 21 are inhabited. Most of the population is concentrated in the Gilbert Islands and only one of the islands in Phoenix Group (Kanton Island) is inhabited and three of the Line Islands are inhabited. The capital of Kiribati is Tarawa, an atoll in the Gilbert Islands. Bairiki on Tarawa Atoll, serves as the head of Kiribati government and administrative center.