When Kiribati, another country of sun-baked atolls and lagoons just to the south, had links with Beijing, it allowed the Chinese to build a satellite-tracking station on the island of Tarawa.
Tarawa and Kiritimati have major airports.
Thomas Gilbert sighted Tarawa and Capt.
In the 1960s, '70s, and '80s the United States constructed the Iwo Jima, Tarawa, and Wasp classes of amphibious assault ships, descendants of the World War II escort carriers that could transport close to 2,000 Marines as well as their weapons and vehicles.
The Tarawa and Wasp classes, besides carrying helicopters and Harriers, were built with well decks for the launching of landing craft.
Kiribati conducts its own technical and teacher training, and the University of the South Pacific operates a centre on Tarawa that offers degree and certificate programs, but other higher education opportunities must be pursued overseas.
Having also occupied Makin and Tarawa in the Gilbert Islands in the first days of the war, the Japanese successfully attacked Rabaul, the strategic base on New Britain (now part of Papua New Guinea), on January 23 , 1942
English, which is the official language, is also widely spoken, especially on Tarawa.
South Tarawa is one of the most densely populated areas in the Pacific.
Tarawa consists of a lagoon fringed by a V-shaped reef 22 miles (35 km) long and made up of more than 30 islets.
The capital and government centres are at Ambo, Bairiki, and Betio, all islets of South Tarawa in the northern Gilberts.
