Kiritimati Island (Christmas Island), Kiribati (with Map & Photos)

Kiritimati Island or Christmas is an atoll in the Line Islands, belonging to Kiribati. It is located 285 km from Tabuaeran Island, 2500 km from Honolulu, 2700 km from Tahiti. The land area is 388 km². Kiritimati Island has one of the highest concentrations of seabirds in the world. There are five closed territories on the atoll.

Kiritimati Island

During World War II, Kiritimati was occupied by the Allied forces, and an airstrip was built. In 1956-1958, 50 km from Kiritimati Island, Great Britain conducted nuclear weapons tests. Many structures were destroyed, but the surviving infrastructure made it possible to make Kiritimati the administrative center of the Line Islands.

Kiritimati Island Map