Banaba Peak

Standing at approximately 81 meters above sea level, Banaba Peak is the highest point in Kiribati. Unlike the vast majority of the country's low-lying atolls, Banaba is a raised coral island, pushed upward by tectonic activity to form a solid limestone plateau. This geographical anomaly became the center of a massive phosphate mining operation during the 20th century, which fundamentally reshaped the island's interior. The area around the peak is characterized by a jagged, lunar landscape of limestone pinnacles left behind after the soil was stripped away for export. Today, the summit provides a sweeping view of the surrounding Pacific Ocean and serves as a stark reminder of the island's colonial history and environmental challenges. Visitors can still find remnants of the mining infrastructure, offering a unique insight into the socio-economic changes that forced much of the local population to relocate to Fiji after the resources were depleted.

Nearby cities

Betio

Betio is the economic center of Kiribati, located in the southwest of Tarawa Atoll.

Bikenibeu

Bikenibeu is a significant settlement in the southeast of South Tarawa.

Teaoraereke

Teaoraereke is a populous village in South Tarawa.

Temwaiku

Temwaiku is a rapidly growing settlement at the eastern end of South Tarawa.

Eita

Eita is a village located in the center of South Tarawa.

Bairiki Business District

Bairiki serves as the economic and administrative center of South Tarawa, housing the country's main banks and government offices.

South Tarawa

South Tarawa is the capital and most populous area of the Republic of Kiribati.

Bairiki

Bairiki is the administrative center of South Tarawa.

Bonriki

Bonriki is the easternmost village of South Tarawa and site of the international airport.

Tabwakea

Tabwakea is the largest settlement on Kiritimati, the world's largest coral island.

Banana

Banana is a village on Kiritimati island located right next to the Cassidy International Airport.

Marakei Atoll

Marakei is a unique, circular atoll famous for its closed lagoon and the 'Te Kabaia' welcoming rituals at four sacred shrines.

Rawannawi

Rawannawi is the largest settlement on the Marakei atoll.

Abemama Atoll

Abemama is a historically significant atoll where the British protectorate was declared in 1892 and author Robert Louis Stevenson once li…

Poland

Poland is a small village on the Kiritimati atoll.

History & landmarks

Banaba Island

Banaba is a raised coral island and the highest point in Kiribati.

Betio Islet

Betio is a flat islet at the western end of Tarawa Atoll.

Bairiki National Stadium

The stadium in Bairiki is the largest sporting venue in Kiribati.

Bairiki Independence Site

The central square in Bairiki where the independence of Kiribati from the United Kingdom was officially proclaimed in 1979.

Maneaba ni Maungatabu

The Parliament Building of Kiribati is located in Ambo on South Tarawa.

Nature

More places

Banaba Phosphate Mines

These historical mines were once the economic backbone of Kiribati, leaving behind an industrial landscape on Banaba Island.

Banaba Phosphate Mining Ruins

The remains of intensive phosphate mining from the colonial era that dramatically altered the landscape of Banaba Island during the 20th …

Phosphate Mining Ruins

The abandoned loading cantilevers and machinery on Banaba testify to intensive phosphate mining.

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British Residency Ruins

These ruins on Banaba Island date back to the British administrative era.

Coast Watchers Memorial

A memorial honoring the New Zealand and British coast watchers who were executed by Japanese forces in Betio in 1942.

Tarawa War Cemetery

A memorial site for the soldiers who fell during the Battle of Tarawa, remembering victims from both sides of the conflict.

Betio Japanese Command Post

A massive concrete bunker from World War II that served as the headquarters for Japanese defenders during the Battle of Tarawa.

Betio Coast Defense Guns

These heavy Japanese coastal defense guns date back to World War II.