Which Oceanian country was formerly called the Gilbert Islands?

Kiribati is the Oceanian country whose main archipelago was formerly called the Gilbert Islands.

The Gilbert Islands are a chain of 16 atolls and coral islands in the western Pacific. They form the main part of modern Kiribati, but the country also includes the Phoenix Islands, the Line Islands, and Banaba. This is why the country’s name is broader than the historical island-group name.

The archipelago was named for British captain Thomas Gilbert, who crossed several of its islands in 1788. Russian admiral Adam Johann von Krusenstern and French captain Louis Duperrey popularised the name “Gilbert Islands” around 1820. In Gilbertese, the name Kiribati represents the pronunciation of “Gilberts,” with the language’s sound system turning the final “s” into a “ti” sound.

The Gilbert and Ellice Islands colony was divided in 1975. The Ellice Islands became Tuvalu in 1978, while the Gilbert Islands became the core of independent Kiribati in 1979. A common mistake is saying Kiribati consists only of the Gilbert chain; its outlying Phoenix and Line island groups are also part of the republic.