Kiribati

Kiribati is one of the most extraordinary nations you have probably never heard of. Pronounced "Kee-ree-bas," this republic of 33 coral atolls and reef islands is scattered across 3.5 million square kilometers of the central Pacific - an ocean area larger than India, yet the total land mass is only about 800 square kilometers. The country straddles the equator and the International Date Line, making it the only nation on Earth to occupy all four hemispheres simultaneously.

Life in Kiribati revolves around the ocean. The I-Kiribati people are among the world's most skilled traditional navigators and fishermen, and their culture is built around community, sharing, and an intimate understanding of tides, currents, and marine life. But Kiribati is also ground zero for climate change. Most of the islands sit barely two meters above sea level, and rising oceans threaten to make the entire country uninhabitable within this century. The government has already purchased land in Fiji as a potential refuge, and Kiribati's plight has made it one of the most powerful voices for climate justice in the world.