All of the islands are atolls ring-shaped islands with central lagoons except for the island of Banaba in 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 permanently inhabited. The capital of Kiribati is Tarawa, an atoll in the Gilbert Islands.
Bairiki, an islet of Tarawa, serves as an administrative center. Kiribati has a total land area of sq km sq mi. The islands extend about 3, km about 2, mi from east to west. From north to south they extend about 2, km about 1, mi , straddling the equator. Kiritimati also called Christmas Island , one of the Line Islands, occupies sq km sq mi and has the largest land area of any atoll in the world. The majority of the atolls is barely more than six metres above sea level and surrounded by barrier reefs creating picturesque lagoons for fishing, snorkeling, scuba diving, swimming and other water sports.
In an Executive Council was established with eight officials and eight representatives. The representative members were elected in the Gilbert and Ellice Islands Advisory Council election held in The Resident Commissioner was now required to consult the Executive Council regarding the creation of laws to making decisions that affected the Gilbert and Ellice Islands Colony.
A Constitution was introduced in , which created a House of Representatives for the Gilbert and Ellice Islands Colony that comprised seven appointed officials and 23 members elected by the islanders. Tuvalu elected four members of the House of Representatives. The Constitution also established the Governing Council.
The House of Representatives only had the authority to recommend laws; the Governing Council had the authority to enact laws following a recommendation from the House of Representatives. A select committee of the House of Representatives was established to consider whether the Constitution should be changed to give legislative power to the House of Representatives.
In Ministerial government was introduced in the Gilbert and Ellice Islands Colony through a change to the Constitution. It was becoming clear however that Tuvaluans were concerned about their minority status within the Gilbert and Ellice Islands Colony. In , ethnic differences within the colony caused the Polynesians of the Ellice Islands to vote for separation from the Micronesians of the Gilbert Islands The following year, the Ellice Islands became the separate British colony of Tuvalu.
The Gilbert Islands attained independence on 12 July under the name Kiribati. The Lap of Luxury R E N Smith explains the housing situation for colonial officers like himself serving in the Pacific in the post-war period. Smith recalls his time as a District Commissioner in the Gilbert Islands and in particular his reliance on the marine transport available to keep the islands of the dispersed archipelago in touch with one another.
Wullie the Reef Heron R. Smith recalls his 'interaction' with the local wildilife in the Gilbert and Ellice Islands with a particularly pushy Reef Heron. More Condoms Please! John Pitchford discovered that the people of the Gilbert and Ellice Islands had an innovative use for condoms! A Reluctant Tax Collector John Pitchford describes the onerous duties of collecting money in the far flung Gilbert and Ellice Islands - although the job did have its compensations.
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