When did the Republic of Kiribati become independent?

Kiribati is an independent island nation in the central Pacific Ocean. The permanent population is over 119,000 (2020), more than half of whom live on Tarawa atoll. The state comprises 32 atolls and one raised coral island, Banaba. They have a total land area of 811 square kilometres (313 square miles) and are dispersed over 3.5 million km2 (1.4 million sq mi).

Kiribati gained its independence from the United Kingdom, becoming a sovereign state in 1979. The capital, South Tarawa, now the most populated area, consists of a number of islets, connected by a series of causeways. These comprise about half the area of Tarawa atoll.

It became a full member of the United Nations in 1999.

Kiribati is predicted to be one of the countries most impacted by climate change, in part to due its vulnerability to sea-level rise. It is less than 2 meters above sea level. Global warming is causing glaciers and ice sheets to melt. The average sea level has risen 3.2 mm/year (0,2 inches/year) since 1993.