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Glite Dictionary
Republic of Kiribati

Republic of Kiribati

7.7
An island country in the central Pacific Ocean just south of the equator
  • proper noun
translation icon : República de Kiribati
  • The Republic of Kiribati is particularly vulnerable to rising sea levels caused by climate change.

Examples

  • Did you know that the Republic of Kiribati consists of 33 islands?

  • The Republic of Kiribati is known for its stunning coral reefs.

  • She conducted anthropological research in the Republic of Kiribati during the summer.

  • The flag of the Republic of Kiribati features a frigatebird flying over the ocean.

  • The Republic of Kiribati is particularly vulnerable to rising sea levels caused by climate change.

  • Did you know that the Republic of Kiribati consists of 33 islands?

  • The Republic of Kiribati is known for its stunning coral reefs.

Synonyms

Kiribati
vsRepublic of Kiribati
1 7.6

An island country of 33 small islands in the central Pacific Ocean south of the equator

gives a broader formal description without listing exact island count

Surface Forms

Republic of Kiribati main

Morphology

republic + of + Kiribati

The meaning (a sovereign state named Kiribati) is directly compositional: 'republic' denotes a form of government and 'of Kiribati' specifies the place, so the phrase names the country. The 'Republic of X' construction is a common, cross-linguistic naming pattern, so a B1 learner who knows the constituent words would readily infer the MWE's meaning.

Etymology

Republic of Kiribati comes from the old name 'Gilbert Islands'. In the local language, 'Gilbert' was pronounced more like Kiribati, so when the islands became a country they chose that local form and the name stuck.