South Tarawa

South Tarawa (in Gilbertese and English: Teinainano Urban Council or abr. TUC) is the capital city of the country Kiribati. It is on an island called Tarawa Atoll. The meaning of Teinainano is "down of the mast", referring to the sail-shape of the atoll.

The South Tarawa population center is made up of all the small islands between Bairiki (on the west) to Temaiku on the east. All of separated islands are joined by causeways, forming one long island on the reef along the southern side of the Tarawa Lagoon. There is also a new causeway—the Japanese Causeway—that links South Tarawa to Betio. South Tarawa is at 1°19' North, 172°58' East (1.31667, 172.9667).

There is a Kiribati Teacher College and one University of the South Pacific center on South Tarawa. Bairiki is sometimes considered the capital of Kiribati because at one time both the Parliament, the Presidency and main administrative offices were located there. The Parliament meets on Ambo island; Government department are spread among South Tarawa, Betio and Christmas Island.

The Roman Catholic diocese and the Kiribati Protestant Church are on South Tarawa. Bairiki (executive), Ambo (legislative), Betio (judicial) are the main places of the capital.

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