Kiribati is the archipelago nation that is the only country in the world with territory in all four hemispheres. Its islands cross both the Equator and the 180th meridian, placing parts of the country in the Northern, Southern, Eastern, and Western Hemispheres.
Kiribati consists of 32 atolls and one raised coral island, Banaba. Its three principal island groups are the Gilbert Islands, the Phoenix Islands, and the Line Islands. The country’s easternmost territory reaches into the Western Hemisphere, while Banaba and the Gilbert Islands lie much farther west in the Pacific.
This geographic distinction can be confusing because the International Date Line was adjusted around Kiribati in 1995. The change placed the Line Islands on the same calendar day as the rest of the country, even though some of them lie on the opposite side of the 180th meridian. Kiribati’s territory is widely dispersed, and its ocean area is enormous compared with its small land area. The capital, South Tarawa, is in the Gilbert Islands.