Kiritimati

Kiritimati is a massive atoll located in the northern Line Islands of the Pacific Ocean.

An atoll is a ring-shaped coral island surrounding a central lagoon. Kiritimati is part of the Republic of Kiribati. It is a very significant part of that nation. The atoll provides over 70% of the total land area for Kiribati. This country is made up of 33 different islands and atolls. Kiritimati is one of the largest atolls in the world by land area. It consists of about 368 square kilometers of land and a large network of lagoons.

The geography of the atoll is unique due to its position and time zone. It sits north of the equator. It is located south of Honolulu and far from San Francisco. Kiritimati sits in the UTC+14 time zone. This is the furthest forward time zone in the entire world. Because of this, it is one of the first inhabited places to experience New Year's Day. In 1995, the Republic of Kiribati realigned the International Date Line. This change placed Kiritimati to the west of the dateline. This means the island sits east of the 180th meridian but follows a different calendar day.

Human history on the atoll spans many centuries. Polynesian people first inhabited the island. Radiometric dating shows they used the land between 1250 and 1450 AD. Researchers believe they used the island intermittently. They likely traveled from Tabuaeran to the north to gather resources. They sought out birds and turtles. Archaeological sites are mostly found on the eastern windward side. These sites include habitation areas and marae, which are sacred spaces. They also found canoe storage sheds and navigational aids.

European discovery changed the course of the island's history. A Spanish expedition led by Hernando de Grijalva reached the island in 1537. They called it Acea. Captain James Cook visited on Christmas Eve in 1777. In 1781, maps labeled the area as île des Tortues. This means Turtles Island. Later, the United States claimed the island under the Guano Islands Act of 1856. However, very little guano mining actually happened there. Permanent settlement did not truly begin until 1882. This was driven by fishermen and workers for coconut plantations.

The 20th century brought both growth and hardship to the atoll. In 1902, a British lease allowed a company to plant 72,863 coconut palms. An extreme drought killed 75% of these trees. This caused the settlement to be abandoned between 1905 and 1912. Later, a French priest named Father Emmanuel Rougier leased the island. He planted about 500,000 coconut trees. During World War II, the United States occupied the island. It was a vital location to protect supply routes between Hawaii and Australia. The military built the first airstrip during this time.

Kiritimati was also the site of significant nuclear testing during the Cold War. The United Kingdom used the island as a main base for hydrogen bomb tests. In 1957, the Grapple X test was detonated over the southeastern tip. This blast was stronger than expected and destroyed buildings. The United States also conducted 22 successful nuclear detonations in 1962. These were part of Operation Dominic. Residents were not evacuated during these tests. This led to long-standing concerns regarding radiation exposure.

Today, the atoll serves as a wildlife sanctuary. Access to five sensitive areas is strictly restricted to protect nature.

The population has grown steadily. The 2020 Census recorded 7,369 inhabitants. Most people live in four main villages: Tabwakea, London, Banana, and Poland. London is the primary village and contains the port. The economy relies on imports for food. However, marine fish provide much of the local nutrition. The atoll also exports copra, which is dried coconut pulp.