It is home to around 116,300 people and also the South Pacific's largest marine reserve. Kiribati is low lying and as a result extremely vulnerable to the effects of climate change including rising sea levels and the challenges associated with salt water inundation of fresh water supplies.
New Zealand and Kiribati have a strong relationship based on our geography and shared development interests. As a significant contributor to Kiribati’s social and economic development, and one of a select few countries with a fully-staffed resident diplomatic mission in Tarawa, New Zealand has a high level of impact in Kiribati.
In recent years, our foreign policy engagement has increased significantly as a result of Kiribati’s emergence as a leading voice within the Pacific on climate change issues and its increasing profile on regional and international issues of importance to New Zealand, such as regional fisheries management and conservation.