European colonial interest in the islands wasn’t the full-on invasion or conquest as seen in other parts of the world. Some Europeans just happened to end up on the islands, either living as beachcombers, traders or even castaways. One group was called the Gilberts who controlled several islands. They agreed to become a British protectorate at the end of the 19th century, and the islands became formally known as the Gilbert Islands.

Kiribati is the only country in the world to fall into all four hemispheres (northern, southern, eastern, and western)

The relationship with Britain became more formal in the 20th century with the islands forming part of the crown colony of the Gilbert and Ellice Islands.

The Ellice Islands were separated from the colony in 1975 and became.part of Tuvalu in 1978. The following year, the Gilbert Islands gained their independence from the United Kingdom and changed its name to Kiribati. The name (pronounced ‘Kiri-bas’) doesn’t hark back to any indigenous tradition, it is actually the local way that ‘Gilbert’ is said.