A thin atoll and a famous battlefield
Tarawa is the capital of Kiribati, an atoll where a thin strip of land, often only a few hundred metres wide, curves around a large lagoon. South Tarawa is where most people live, while North Tarawa is quieter, with traditional villages reached by boat or on foot at low tide. At Betio, on the southwest tip, the Battle of Tarawa was fought in November 1943, and coastal guns, bunkers and wrecks still lie on the reef. Visitors come for the history, the lagoon and a glimpse of I-Kiribati life.