ABAIANG

'Abaiang', also spelled 'Apaiang', sometimes called 'Apiaia', and formerly named 'Charlotte Island', 'Matthews' or 'Six Isles', is a coral atoll of the Kiribati, located in the west-central Pacific Ocean.

Contents

Geography

History

'Towns and villages on Abaiang'

Geography

Abaiang comprises 15 islets (minimum one is inhabited) in the northern Gilberts with a total land area of 6 square miles. The atoll has a lagoon (16 by 5 miles (26 by 8 km)) that provides sheltered anchorage.
In the southwest of Abaiang there is a channel, the Bingham Channel, which is the basic conjunction between the lagoon and the Pacific. The channel is between the biggest island of Abaiang (in the east) and a very little island in the southwest of Abaiang called Teirio.
There is minimum one hotel on Abaiang: in Taburao you find the council operated guest house. St. Joseph's College also runs a small private guest house.

History

Captain Thomas Gilbert was the European discoverer (1788); he named it Charlotte Island, after the owner of his ship, the Charlotte.
The foremost institution of Abaiang is St. Josephs College. The current Principal is Sir Paul Chilton, a British migrant. St. Joseph's College was founded in 1939. In the past 65 years it has gone from strength to strength and is now a leading centre for learning in Kiribati. Its alumni include both current President His Excellency Anote Tong, and previous incumbent Teburoro Tito.

'Towns and villages on Abaiang'

All the following places lie on the biggest island of Abaiang:
Aonobuaka - Borotiam - Koinawa - Evena - Morikao - Tabontebike - Tabwiroa - Taburao - Takarano - Tanimaiaki - Tebanga - Tuarabu - Ubanteman