KIRIBATI ~Christmas Island ~

...here another one of David's  amazing postcards (uploading by date sent 28-08-2013)...I would never have associated these gorgeous tropical views with Christmas...THANKS!!


With fantastic stamp and cancellation:
 (Christmas decoration...how cool is that!)
 Grey-tailed Tattler
(Issued  09.02.2008)

Kiribati (part of the Line Islands) is an island nation in the middle of the Pacific. The nation is composed of 32 atolls and one raised coral island, Banaba. Formerly part of the British Gilbert and Ellice Islands Colony, Kiribati became independent in 1979.

 Christmas Island (also known as Kiritimati) by itself represents the majority of the land area of Kiribati and is the world's largest coral atoll. The entire island is a Wildlife Sanctuary.

 The island got its names from its discovery by Capt. James Cook on Christmas Eve in 1777. Christmas became Kiritimati in the local Gilbertese language.

Because of its position just west of the International Date Line, Kiritimati is the first inhabited island to begin each new day and year.