Discover Kiribati: Top 7 Amazing Fun Facts You Never Knew About This Pacific Paradise

1. New Year's First Toast

Raise your coconut-filled glasses for a toast: Kiribati is the first country to ring in the New Year, thanks to its prime position near the International Date Line, making the party even bigger on Christmas Island. But this tropical paradise is feeling the heat of a greater challenge – being submerged by rising sea levels due to global warming, causing its people to flee and become "global warming refugees."
Source => rove.me

2. Four Hemispheres, One Country

If you thought extra cheese was the only thing that could boast of being in four places at once, Kiribati begs to differ: This tiny island nation is the only country to straddle all four hemispheres – Northern, Southern, Eastern, and Western – laying claim to 3.5 million square kilometers of the Pacific Ocean.
Source => en.wikipedia.org

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=> Fun Facts about South-Korea

3. Island Facelift Dilemma

If Kiribati were an extroverted houseguest, it'd occupy every room in your home and still be the life of the party just on account of its "watery" humor: It covers a massive 1.3 million square miles in the Pacific, but its tiny land area barely rises two meters above sea level, making it prone to the wrath of rising tides. The government is now considering an island facelift, dredging up sand and rock to boost Kiribati's elevation, though the plan could cost a whopping couple billion dollars – talk about an expensive makeover!
Source => theguardian.com

4. Personal Oceanic Paradise

Who needs a fishing rod when you can own your personal ocean, am I right? That seems to be the prevailing wisdom in Kiribati: This tiny nation, made up of just 33 coral atolls and a lone limestone island, boasts the largest exclusive economic zone in the Pacific region, sprawling 3.5 million square kilometers of watery wonderland. As a result, Kiribati's got marine resources galore, opening up a world of speciality tourism opportunities like birdwatching, diving and sport fishing.
Source => elibrary.imf.org

5. Sunrise New Year Celebration

Hold onto your party hats and pop that champagne early: Kiribati is the world's first country to greet the New Year with an uproarious sunrise! As the Line Islands of Kiribati break the dawn, the nation erupts in jubilant festivities at local meeting houses and watering holes, (un)officially kicking off the global merrymaking.
Source => iexplore.com

6. Coco-nutty Delights

If there's one place where getting "coco-nutty" has a whole different meaning, it's Kiribati: Locals love to get tipsy on Karewe, an alcoholic beverage made from the fermented sap of the coconut tree, and they also boil the fresh sap to create a delicious sweetener and spread called Kamwaimwai.
Source => en.wikipedia.org

7. Rush Hour Mastered in Tarawa

If the population density of Kiribati's capital had you worried about rush hour, fear not -- the folks in Tarawa have got it down to a road well-traveled: The South Tarawa Road, extending over 32 kilometers, is a crucial artery for more than 50,000 inhabitants, linking Betio seaport in the west with Bonriki international airport in the east. This lifeline has been upgraded thanks to a collaboration between the Government of Kiribati, the World Bank, Asian Development Bank, and the Government of Australia, featuring enhanced drainage, footpaths, solar-powered street lighting, and sheltered bus stops to ensure the swift and safe transit of both commuters and chuckle-inducing puns.
Source => worldbank.org