KIRIBATI - Republic of Kiribati / Ribaberiki Kiribati

Kiribati , officially the Republic of Kiribati (Gilbertese: Ribaberiki Kiribati), is a country in the central Pacific Ocean. The permanent population is just over 110,000 (2015), more than half of whom live on Tarawa atoll. The state comprises 32 atolls and one raised coral island, Banaba. They have a total land area of 800 square kilometres (310 sq mi) and are dispersed over 3.5 million square kilometres (1.3 million square miles). In terms with its Exclusive Economic Zone in the Pacific, it straddles all three primary geographic regions; Banaba (Melanesian-Micronesian Border), the Gilbert Islands (Micronesia) and the Line and Phoenix Islands (Polynesia). Their spread straddles the equator and the 180th meridian, although the International Date Line goes round Kiribati and swings far to the east, almost reaching the 150°W meridian. This brings the Line Islands into the same day as the Kiribati Islands. Kiribati's easternmost islands, the southern Line Islands, south of Hawaii, have the most advanced time on Earth: UTC+14 hours. Kiribati is the only country in the world to be situated in all four hemispheres.

Kiribati gained its independence from the United Kingdom, becoming a sovereign state in 1979. The capital, South Tarawa, now the most populated area, consists of a number of islets, connected by a series of causeways. These comprise about half the area of Tarawa Atoll.  There are 21 inhabited islands in Kiribati. Kiribati is divided geographically into three island groups, including a group that unites the Line Islands and the Phoenix Islands (ministry at London, Kiritimati Island). The groups have no administrative function. Four of the former districts (including Tarawa) lie in the Gilbert Islands, where most of the country's population lives. Five of the Line Islands are uninhabited (Malden Island, Starbuck Island, Caroline Island, Vostok Island and Flint Island). The Phoenix Islands are uninhabited except for Kanton, and have no representation. Banaba itself is sparsely inhabited now. There is also a non-elected representative of the Banabans on Rabi Island in Fiji.

Kiribati was formerly the Gilbert Islands, part of the Gilbert and Ellice Islands which split into Kiribati and Tuvalu upon gaining independence from the United Kingdom in 1978 and 1979. The first stamps of Kiribati were a pair issued on 19 November 1979 to mark the independence of the country. The first mail service to the Gilbert and Ellice Islands was ad hoc, depending on which ships were calling at the various islands. A regular service began in 1911; Edward VII postage stamps of Fiji were overprinted GILBERT & ELLICE / PROTECTORATE and put on sale on 1 January of that year, followed in March by a set of four stamps depicting a Pandanus tree, inscribed GILBERT & ELLICE ISLANDS / PROTECTORATE. In 1976, the islands became two separate colonies and later independent as Kiribati and Tuvalu.

The Gilbert Islands issued stamps under that name before attaining independence on 12 July 1979 as the Republic of Kiribati. The first stamps of Kiribati were a pair issued on 19 November 1979 to mark the independence of the country. The Tuvalu Philatelic Bureau was established on 1 January 1976, which was the day the Gilbert and Ellice Islands colony was dissolved and Tuvalu established as a separate British dependency. The first stamp issue was a set of provisional overprinted definitive stamps and a commemorative set of three stamps. The first postage stamp cancellation devices were put into use the same day.

The covers posted from the bureau on September 2, 2015 and I received on September 29, 2015. All letters goes via Australia.

This cover posted from Betio post office, Kiribati.

Kiribati issue a number of thematic stamps , and it can buy from their philatelic bureau. Some of the available stamps you can see displayed there.

This is another nice cover with flora and fauna stamps, gifted by Holger Kaufhold

This is the last among the four covers came. The stamps has the flag of Kiribati too, which is enhancing the beauty of the cover. Thank You Holger for the nice stamps.

The cover posted July 31, 2013 and I received on August 20, 2013.