Butaritari facts for kids
Map of Butaritari
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 Butaritari
Location in Kiribati
Butaritari
Location in Micronesia
Butaritari
Location in Oceania
Butaritari
Location in Pacific Ocean
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| Geography | |
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| Location | Pacific Ocean |
| Coordinates | 3°10′04″N 172°49′33″E / 3.16778°N 172.82583°E |
| Archipelago | Gilbert Islands |
| Area | 13.49 km2 (5.21 sq mi) |
| Highest elevation | 3 m (10 ft) |
| Administration | |
| Largest village | Taubukinmeang |
| Demographics | |
| Population | 3,224 (2015 Census) |
| Pop. density | 322 /km2 (834 /sq mi) |
| Ethnic groups | I-Kiribati 90.6% |
Butaritari is a beautiful atoll located in the Pacific Ocean. It is part of the island nation of Kiribati. This atoll has a unique, roughly four-sided shape. The southern part of Butaritari is made up of a long, almost continuous islet.
The atoll's reef forms a complete circle, but the northern side has very few islets. You can find Bikati and Bikatieta islets at the far northwest tip. Smaller islets are also scattered along the western side. Butaritari's lagoon is quite deep, allowing large ships to enter, even though the passages are narrow.
Butaritari is known as the most fertile of the Gilbert Islands. It has good soil for an atoll and receives plenty of rain. The land area of Butaritari is about 13.49 km2 (5.21 sq mi). In 2015, its population was 3,224 people.
During World War II, American forces called Butaritari "Makin Atoll." It was the site of an important conflict known as the Battle of Makin. Interestingly, the name Makin actually belongs to a separate atoll. This other Makin is only 3 kilometres (1.6 nmi; 1.9 mi) northeast of Butaritari and can be seen from there. People on both atolls speak a similar dialect of the Gilbertese language.
Contents
Discovering Butaritari: An Island Gem
What is an Atoll?
An atoll is a ring-shaped coral reef, island, or chain of islands. It surrounds a lagoon, which is a body of seawater. Atolls are formed from underwater volcanoes. Over time, coral grows around the volcano, and as the volcano sinks, the coral continues to grow upwards, forming a ring.
Island Shape and Features
Butaritari is the second most northern island in the Gilbert Islands. The nearby Makin atoll is just 3 kilometres (1.6 nmi; 1.9 mi) away. In the past, the U.S. military called Butaritari "Makin Atoll." The smaller Makin was then known as Makin Meang or Little Makin. Today, Butaritari is the main name for the larger atoll. Butaritari has also been called Pitt Island, Taritari Island, or Touching Island.
The atoll is roughly four-sided. It stretches about 30 km (19 mi) from east to west and about 15 km (9 mi) from north to south. The reef on the west side is more submerged and has several wide channels. Small islets are found between these channels. The northern reef is continuous but has almost no islets. In the northeast, the reef is about 1.75 km (1.09 mi) wide with only a few small islets. This means the lagoon of Butaritari is very open to the ocean. The lagoon is deep enough for large ships, but the entry passages are quite narrow.
The southern and southeastern parts of the atoll form a nearly continuous islet. This islet is only broken by one wide section of reef. These islets are usually between 0.2 km (0.1 mi) and 0.5 km (0.3 mi) wide. They become wider where the reef changes direction. You can find many mangrove swamps in these wider areas. They also grow along the southern lagoon shore.
Bikati and Bikatieta islets are located at the far northwest tip of the atoll. They border a small lagoon north of the main one. There is a village on the larger Bikati islet, which is about 2 km long and 0.5 km wide.
Protecting Butaritari's Environment
One big worry for the islanders is saltwater seeping into their babai pits. Babai (also known as Cyrtosperma merkusii or giant swamp taro) is an important food crop. Erosion is another problem. It is caused by digging up sand and gravel, reclaiming land, and building causeways. These activities can change ocean currents along the shoreline.
Causeways have also reduced the flow of water in the lagoon. This has led to low oxygen levels, which harms fish and other sea creatures. Digging up coral and removing coral boulders also makes coastal erosion worse. Protecting the environment is very important for Butaritari's future.
Butaritari's Villages
In 2010, Butaritari had a population of 4,346 people. They lived in twelve villages:
| Kuuma | 323 inhabitants |
| Keuea | 258 inhabitants |
| Tanimainiku | 248 inhabitants |
| Tanimaiaki | 267 inhabitants |
| Tabonuea | 271 inhabitants |
| Antekana | 217 inhabitants |
| Taubukinmeang | 835 inhabitants |
| Temanokunuea | 621 inhabitants |
| Onomaru | 366 inhabitants |
| Ukiangang | 707 inhabitants |
| Bikaati | 225 inhabitants |
| Tukurere | 8 inhabitants |
Weather on Butaritari
Butaritari is one of the greenest islands in Kiribati. This is because it gets a lot of rain. The island typically receives about 4 meters of rain each year. This is much more than other atolls like Tarawa Atoll, which gets about 2 meters. Rainfall on Butaritari increases even more during an El Niño event.
Life and Economy on Butaritari
Farming and Fishing
Butaritari has rich ocean resources, including a large lagoon and a wide reef. The island also has the best potential for farming in all of Kiribati. Fruits like bananas, breadfruit, and papaya grow very well here. Farmers have also successfully grown pumpkins, cabbage, cucumbers, eggplant, and other vegetables. This was made possible with help from the Taiwan Technical Mission.
However, most families on Butaritari live a traditional lifestyle. They grow and catch their own food. While food is plentiful, money can be scarce. There are not many paid jobs available on the island.
Butaritari Through Time
Ancient Stories and Legends
The people of Butaritari have many interesting stories about how their islands were created. One important legend tells of spirits who lived in a special tree in Samoa. These spirits traveled north, carrying branches from this tree, called Te Kaintikuaba, or the "tree of life." These spirits, along with a wise being named Nareau, created the islands of Tungaru, which are now known as the Gilbert Islands.
Early European Visits and Trade
The first Europeans to see Butaritari and Makin were from a Spanish expedition. Led by Pedro Fernandes de Queirós, they sighted the islands on July 8, 1606. They called them the Buen Viaje (Good Trip) Islands.
Traditionally, a powerful chief, or Uea, ruled Butaritari and Makin. This chief lived on Butaritari Island. The Uea had the authority to make all decisions for both atolls. This was different from the southern Gilbert Islands, where older men, called unimwane, shared power.
The people of Kuma village had a special ability. They could call dolphins or whales. They used this skill for important celebrations, like the opening of a new meeting house, called a maneaba. This provided special meat for the feasts.
In 1841, the islands were visited by the United States Exploring Expedition. The United States later gave up any claims to Butaritari and Little Makin in the 1970s.
The first traders to live in the Gilbert Islands arrived in 1846. Butaritari soon became a major center for trade. Companies like the German-based Handels-und Plantagen-Gesellschaft der Südsee-Inseln zu Hamburg (DHPG) and the Chinese company On Chong set up businesses there. These traders helped Butaritari become the main trading hub of the Gilbert Islands. However, later, a powerful company called Burns Philp moved its operations to Tarawa, which became the new political center.
A Famous Visitor: Robert Louis Stevenson
The famous writer Robert Louis Stevenson, along with his wife Fanny Van de Grift Stevenson and stepson Lloyd Osbourne, visited Butaritari in July 1889. At that time, Nakaeia was the ruler of Butaritari and Makin atolls. Stevenson described Nakaeia as a very strong and powerful leader. He was the main planter and merchant on his islands.
Stevenson faced some challenges during his visit due to the lively activities of the islanders. He cleverly introduced himself as the son of Queen Victoria to ensure his family's safety and respect. Nakaeia allowed two trading firms from San Francisco to operate on the islands. Up to 12 Europeans lived there.
The last Uea was Nauraura Nakoriri. He ruled before and after the Gilbert Islands became a British Protectorate in 1892.
Butaritari in World War II
Japanese Arrival
On December 10, 1941, just three days after the attack on Pearl Harbor, about 300 Japanese troops arrived at Butaritari. They occupied the atoll, which they called "Makin," without any fighting. Butaritari was important because it was east of the Marshall Islands. It could be used as a seaplane base. This would help Japanese planes patrol closer to islands held by the Allies. It also protected the eastern side of the Japanese defense area.
The American Raid
Butaritari atoll was the site of the Makin Raid in August 1942. During this raid, two companies of U.S. Marines from the 2nd Marine Raider Battalion landed from submarines USS Argonaut and USS Nautilus. This was a surprise attack meant to draw Japanese attention away from the planned invasion route through the Solomons. The Marines successfully defeated the Japanese forces on the island.
The Battle for Butaritari
Before the main invasion, the Japanese forces on Butaritari had 806 men. However, most of these were aviation workers or laborers. They had little or no combat training and were not given weapons. Only about 300 soldiers were trained for fighting. The Japanese also had three tanks and three anti-tank guns.
Butaritari's land defenses were mainly along the lagoon shore, near the seaplane base. The Japanese expected the American invasion to come from the ocean side. This was because of the earlier raid in 1942. The defenders had no aircraft, ships, or hope of help. They could only try to slow down the American attack.
American air attacks began on November 13, 1943. Then, ships started bombarding the island. Troops landed on November 20. The American forces slowly took out the Japanese strongpoints. Even with many more soldiers and weapons, the Americans found it difficult to defeat the small Japanese defense force. On November 23, the American commander reported that "Makin taken."
The battle was intense, and many lives were lost on both sides. Around 395 Japanese and Korean soldiers died. American combat casualties included 66 killed and 152 wounded. A Japanese submarine also sank the American ship escort carrier USS Liscome Bay on November 24. This led to the loss of 687 sailors. This shows the high cost of war for everyone involved.
Visiting Butaritari Today
Butaritari has an air service twice a week. It connects with nearby Makin and the capital, South Tarawa. This service is provided by Air Kiribati. The runway at Butaritari Atoll Airport was originally built by Americans during World War II. It was known as Starmann Field.
For a short time in 1995, an international flight connected Tarawa Atoll–Butaritari–Majuro. The goal was to help the island's economy grow and link Kiribati with the Marshall Islands. Today, the only international air connection is through South Tarawa. From there, Fiji Airways offers a twice-weekly flight to Fiji.
Butaritari has three guesthouses. They offer basic places to stay, mainly for government staff and visitors. Tourists are also welcome to experience the island's beauty.
See also
In Spanish: Butaritari para niños
- USS Makin Island: A U.S. Navy ship named after the island.
- List of Guano Island claims
