Kiribati Weather

Kiribati climate

Kiribati straddles the equator across 3.5 million square kilometers of the central Pacific Ocean, giving it a hot equatorial climate. Average temperatures hover around 28-30°C year-round. The Gilbert Islands receive the most rainfall at around 2,000mm annually.

Drought is a recurring and serious concern, particularly on the low-lying atolls where there is no surface freshwater. El Niño events can shift rainfall patterns dramatically.

As one of the lowest-lying nations on Earth, with most land less than 2 meters above sea level, Kiribati is acutely vulnerable to sea level rise and storm surges.