For the village on Teraina, see Abaiang (Teraina)

Abaiang, also spelled Apaiang, sometimes called Apiaia, and formerly named Charlotte Island, Matthews or Six Isles, is a coral atoll

Atoll

An atoll is a coral island that encircles a lagoon partially or completely.- Usage :The word atoll comes from the Dhivehi word atholhu OED...

 of Kiribati

Kiribati

Kiribati , officially the Republic of Kiribati, is an island nation located in the central tropical Pacific Ocean. The permanent population exceeds just over 100,000 , and is composed of 32 atolls and one raised coral island, dispersed over 3.5 million square kilometres, straddling the...

, located in the west-central Pacific Ocean

Pacific Ocean

The Pacific Ocean is the largest of the Earth's oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic in the north to the Southern Ocean in the south, bounded by Asia and Australia in the west, and the Americas in the east.At 165.2 million square kilometres in area, this largest division of the World...

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Geography

Abaiang Atoll comprises 30 islands, two of which had now been reduced to just rock. Abaiang Island (the main island), Ribono Island, and Nuotaea Island are inhabited. All the other islands are uninhabited. Abaiang Atoll is in the northern Gilberts with a total land area of 6 square miles (15.5 km²). The atoll has a lagoon

Lagoon

A lagoon is a body of shallow sea water or brackish water separated from the sea by some form of barrier. The EU's habitat directive defines lagoons as "expanses of shallow coastal salt water, of varying salinity or water volume, wholly or partially separated from the sea by sand banks or shingle,...

 (16 by) 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 are two guesthouses on Abaiang Island. "Nei Nikuao Lodge", the Council-owned lodge on "Sunset Beach" at Tabontebike village on the main island, and "Ouba Islet Resort" on Ouba Islet on the north-western "Pacific Coast" of Abaiang. Nei Nikuao Lodge was temporarily closed down in 2004 due to unresolved landlease issues. However, renovation work has now begun to refurbish the lodge, and have it fully operational again, by the beginning of 2009. "Ouba Islet Resort" is an eco-tourism resort on Ouba island in the north-western perimeter of the atoll, which has been operating since July, 2006.

History

Thomas Gilbert

Thomas Gilbert (captain)

Thomas Gilbert was an 18th century British mariner.Thomas Gilbert and John Marshall were the captains of two East India Company vessels, the Charlotte and the Scarborough, returning from carrying convicts to Botany Bay in 1788, when they sailed through the Gilbert Islands and described Aranuka,...

, sailing in the East India Company

East India Company

The East India Company was an early English joint-stock company that was formed initially for pursuing trade with the East Indies, but that ended up trading mainly with the Indian subcontinent and China...

 vessels Charlotte

Charlotte (ship)

The Charlotte was a First Fleet transport ship of 335 tons, built on the River Thames in 1787. She was a light sailer, and had to be towed down the English Channel for the first few days of the voyage...

 was the first European to describe visiting Aranuka, in June of 1788. Thomas Gilbert he named it Matthew Island, after the owner of his ship, the Charlotte. He named the lagoon, Charlotte Bay.

The first missionary to live in Kiribati arrived at Abaiang on 16 November 1857. He was Hiram Bingham II

Hiram Bingham II

Hiram Bingham, formally Hiram Bingham II , was a Protestant Christian missionary to Hawaii and the Gilbert Islands....

 of the American Board, a Boston based missionary group. This Hiram Bingham was the son of Hiram Bingham I

Hiram Bingham I

Hiram Bingham, formally Hiram Bingham I , was leader of the first group of Protestant missionaries to introduce Christianity to the Hawaiian islands.-Life:...

 who was one of the first and most influential missionaries to Hawaii. Hiram Bingham II and his wife were accompanied to Abaiang by Hawaiian pastor Joel Hulu Mahoe

Joel Hulu Mahoe

Joel Hulu Mahoe was a noted Hawaiian pastor and missionary and half-uncle of two of Hawaii's future monarchs, King David Kalākaua and Queen Lydia Kamakaeha Liliuokalani.-Early life:...

 and his wife. Bingham landed at the village of Koinawa and a memorial was erected at the spot during the centennial celebrations in 1957.

The Catholic community also has strong ties to Abaiang and completed the building of the imposing Church of Our Lady of the Rosary, also at Koinawa village, in October 1907. This work was done under the supervision of a priest from Belgium who was given the local name of Father Ioane. He lived and worked so long on Abaiang and became so well loved that the village of Borotiam was named in honour of his home country Belgium. Borotiam being the local vernacular for Belgium. This church recently celebrated its centennial with a fresh paint job and a celebration whose special guest was the current President.

The foremost institution of Abaiang is St. Josephs College. The Principal during the country's silver jubilee celebrations was 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

Anote Tong

Anote Tong is an I-Kiribati politician with Chinese heritage. He is the current President of Kiribati. He won the election in July 2003 with a slim plurality of votes cast against his brother, Dr. Harry Tong and the private lawyer Banuera Berina...

, and previous incumbent Teburoro Tito

Teburoro Tito

Teburoro Tito was the President and foreign minister of Kiribati from October 1, 1994 to March 28, 2003. He was elected for the first time in 1994. He was reelected in 1998 with 52% of the vote. His main opponent was Harry Tong, who later ran against his brother, current President Anote Tong...

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Towns and villages on Abaiang

All the following places lie on the biggest island of Abaiang:

• Aonobuaka
  Aonobuaka
  Aonobuaka is a settlement in Kiribati. It is located on an atoll, to the north of Koinawa and Morikao and to the south of Borotiam....
  
  
• Borotiam
  Borotiam
  Borotiam is a settlement in Kiribati. It is located on an atoll; the nearest locations, to the south, are Aonobuaka and Koinawa. Tebunginako is to the west....
  
  
• Koinawa
  Koinawa
  Koinawa is a settlement in Kiribati. It is located on an atoll to the south of Aonobuaka; to its east is Morikao....
  
  
• Evena
• Morikao
  Morikao
  Morikao is a settlement in Kiribati. It is located on an atoll; the nearest locations are Koniawa, to the west, and Kuria, to the east. Aonobuaka is to the north, and Taburao is to the south....
  
  
• Tabontebike
  Tabontebike
  Tabontebike is a little city on the biggest island of the Kiribatian atoll of Abaiang.The city is on the extreme point of the cape on the Bingham Channel , south of the channel.-Distances:...
  
  
• Tabwiroa
• Taburao
  Taburao
  Taburao is a settlement in Kiribati. It is located on an atoll; the nearest locations are Turaubu, to the east; Morikao and Kuria, to the north; and Tabuiroa, to the south....
  
  
• Takarano
  Takarano
  Takarano is a settlement in Kiribati. It is located on an atoll; Ubanteman is to its south....
  
  
• Tanimaiaki
• Taniau
• Tebunginako
  Tebunginako
  Tebunginako is a settlement in Kiribati. It is located on an atoll; to its west is Ubanteman, and to its south are Borotiam and Koinawa....
  
  
• Tuarabu
• Ubanteman
  Ubanteman
  Ubanteman is a settlement in Kiribati. It is located on an atoll; to its north is Takarano, and to its east Tebunginako....
  
  

Air

The atoll is served by Abaiang Atoll Airport

Abaiang Atoll Airport

Abaiang Atoll Airport , often abbreviated Abaiang Airport, is the airport serving Abaiang, Kiribati. It is located on Abaiang Island, between the villages of Tabwiroa and Tuarabu ....

 on Abaiang Island, situated between the villages of Tabwiroa and Tuarabu. Air Kiribati

Air Kiribati

Air Kiribati Limited is the national airline of Kiribati operating passenger services within the Gilbert Islands of Kiribati, and to Fiji. It also operates charters, medical evacuation and search and rescue services. Its main base is Bonriki International Airport, Tarawa Atoll.Until 2008, it was...

 connects Abaiang with Marakei

Marakei

Marakei is a small atoll in the North Gilbert Islands. The central lagoon consists of numerous deep basins and surrounded by two large islands which are separated by two narrow channels. The atoll covers an area of 13.5 km².- Geography :...

 and the international airport

Bonriki International Airport

-See also:* USAAF in the Central Pacific...

 at South Tarawa

South Tarawa

South Tarawa is the official capital of the Republic of Kiribati on Tarawa Atoll. The meaning of Teinainano is "down of the mast", alluding to the sail-shape of the atoll...

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External Links

• Exhibit: The Alfred Agate Collection: The United States Exploring Expedition, 1838-1842 from the Navy Art Gallery