Title: Spot 6/7 eyes the Kiribati Republic, the first state threatened by rising sea levels
Location: Republic of Kiribati
Image Type: Optical
Resolution: 1.5m
Copyright: Airbus DS 2015
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Threatened by rising sea levels caused by climate change, the Kiribati Republic has been looking for new land since March 2012. 22km² have already been acquired from Fiji to house its population. In the heart of the Pacific straddling the Equator and the 180° meridian line, at 811km² Kiribati is one of the smallest states in the world. Lying just above sea level its coastline is being eroded by waves and salt water ingress. Yet the Ocean is the Kiribati’s primary source of wealth. In 2008, the Republic created the largest maritime reserve in the world – the size of California – which was classified as a World Heritage Site in 2010.