Gilbert Islands

The Gilbert Islands sit in the Pacific Ocean.

They are a long chain of sixteen islands. They are part of the land called Kiribati.

The islands go from north to south. The north has more rain. This rain helps many plants grow.

You might see many bananas there. People also grow a food called taro. They eat fish and coconuts too.

It is a very special place in the sea.

The Gilbert Islands sit in the Pacific Ocean.

They are halfway between Hawaii and Papua New Guinea. This group of sixteen atolls and islands is the main part of Kiribati. The islands form a long line from north to south.

The equator is the line that divides the north from the south.

In the north, it rains more often. This rain helps many crops grow. People there grow many bananas. They also grow a food called taro. The north has many villages. In the past, a chief ruled the northern islands. In the south, old men made decisions for the group.

Many people have lived here for thousands of years. Long ago, whaling ships visited the islands. Later, the British ruled the islands as a colony. People worked to get phosphate from a nearby island called Banaba. They also grew coconuts. Today, many people in the islands follow Christian faiths. They still value community rules and respect for their parents.

The Gilbert Islands are a beautiful chain of sixteen atolls and coral islands. They sit in the Pacific Ocean, about halfway between Hawaii and Papua New Guinea.

This group of islands makes up the main part of the country known as Kiribati. The islands stretch out in a long line from north to south. The northernmost island is called Makin, while the southernmost is Arorae. The equator actually passes through the middle of this group.

The International Hydrographic Organization says these islands are in the South Pacific Ocean.

Life on the islands can feel different depending on where you are. In the northern islands, it rains more often than in the south. This extra rain makes it easier to grow many different crops. For example, Butaritari and Makin grow most of the bananas sold in Kiribati. They also grow a root called taro, or babai, in the wet soil. In the north, a single chief used to hold all the power. In the southern islands, the old men of the island made decisions together.

People have lived on these islands for a very long time. Scientists believe Oceanians have been here for at least 2,000 or 3,000 years. Explorers from other lands arrived much later. A Portuguese navigator named Pedro Fernandes de Queirós saw the islands in 1606. Later, a British explorer named John Byron passed by in 1765. In 1788, Captain Thomas Gilbert sailed through the area. An admiral named Adam Johann von Krusenstern named them the Gilbert Islands in 1820.

In the 1800s, many whaling ships visited the islands to find whales. By 1915, the islands became a colony of the British Empire. During this time, many people worked to collect phosphate from the island of Banaba. People also grew coconuts on many of the islands. In the early 1900s, most people lived in villages and owned their own land. Many people also went to school to learn how to read and write. Most of this education was provided by religious missions.

The people of the islands have very deep traditions. Long ago, they believed in many natural forces like the sun and moon. They also had strong rules about being polite to others. They believed it was very important to respect their parents and ancestors. Today, many people in the islands follow Christian faiths. Some are Congregationalists and others are Roman Catholics. Even with these changes, the islands remain a special part of the Pacific.

The Gilbert Islands are a chain of sixteen atolls and coral islands. They are located in the Pacific Ocean. This chain sits about halfway between Papua New Guinea and Hawaii. These islands form the main part of the nation of Kiribati. The name Kiribati is a local way to say "Gilberts."

Geologically, these islands are part of a large underwater structure. They and the Ratak chain of the Marshall Islands form a continuous chain of seamounts. Seamounts are underwater mountains. The islands stretch in a line from north to south. Makin is the northernmost island in the group. Arorae is the southernmost island. The equator passes through the middle of the archipelago. However, the International Hydrographic Organization places the entire group in the South Pacific Ocean.

The islands can be divided into three main groups. These are the Northern, Central, and Southern Gilberts. The Northern Gilberts include Makin, Butaritari, Marakei, Abaiang, and Tarawa. These islands have higher mean rainfall than the others. This extra rain allows people to grow more types of crops. For example, Butaritari and Makin produce most of the bananas in Kiribati. They also grow a root called babai, or swamp taro. This is easier in the north because of the high water table.

The Central Gilberts include Maiana, Abemama, Kuria, and Aranuka. These islands have unique historical and cultural traits. The Southern Gilberts include Nonouti, Tabiteuea, Beru, Nikunau, Onotoa, Tamana, and Arorae. In the north, a single chief once held all the power. This chief lived on Butaritari and made all the decisions. In the south, power was different. The unimwane, or old men, made decisions collectively.

Human history on these islands goes back thousands of years. Oceanians have lived there for at least 2,000 or 3,000 years. European contact began in 1606 with Pedro Fernandes de Queirós. He named the islands the Buen Viaje Islands. Later, the British explorer John Byron passed by in 1765. In 1788, Captain Thomas Gilbert sailed through the area. An admiral named Adam Johann von Krusenstern named them the Gilbert Islands in 1820.

During the 19th century, many whaling ships visited the islands. The first recorded visit was by the Ann and Hope in 1799. Whaling was very active from 1825 until the 1860s. By 1886, an agreement between Britain and Germany divided the central Pacific. The Gilbert Islands eventually became a British protectorate in 1892. In 1915, they became a colony of the British Empire. During this colonial period, many people worked to produce phosphate on Banaba. Coconut palms were also a major crop on many islands.

Religion and culture have changed over time. Originally, the people had strong foundation myths. They believed in natural forces like the sun and moon. They also had strict rules for being polite to others. They believed in respecting parents and ancestors. Later, Christian missionaries arrived. Hiram Bingham II was the first to translate the Bible into Gilbertese. By the start of World War II, about 78% of the native population were Christians. This included 43% Congregationalists and 35% Roman Catholics.

Life in the islands was shaped by education and health. By the early 20th century, about 84% of the people were literate. Most education was provided by religious missions. These missions ran village schools and trained teachers. British sanitary inspections also helped improve living conditions. Many residents owned their own land and paid taxes. These taxes helped support the local community. The islands remain a vital part of the Pacific region today.