Maiana
Map of Maiana
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| Geography | |
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| Location | Pacific Ocean |
| Coordinates | 0°55′N 173°00′E / 0.917°N 173.000°E |
| Archipelago | Gilbert Islands |
| Area | 16.72 km2 (6.46 sq mi) |
| Highest elevation | 3 m (10 ft) |
| Administration | |
| Demographics | |
| Population | 2,027 (2010 Census) |
| Pop. density | 121 /km2 (313 /sq mi) |
| Ethnic groups | I-Kiribati 99.9% |
Maiana is an atoll in Kiribati and is one of the Central Gilbert Islands. Maiana is 44 kilometres (27 mi) south of the capital island of South Tarawa and has a population of 2,027 as of 2010[update]. The northern and eastern sides of the atoll are a single island, whilst the western edge consists of submerged reefs and many uninhabited islets, all surrounding a lagoon. The atoll is 14 kilometres (8.7 mi) long and is very narrow, with an average width of less than 1 kilometre (0.62 mi) and a total land area (including uninhabited islets) of 16.72 square kilometres (6.46 sq mi).
Most of the 2,027 people who live on Maiana live on the main island; the largest village is Bubutei, at the southern tip of the main island, which is home to 489 people or almost a quarter (24%) of the island’s total population. The population of Maiana is roughly stable and has been around 2,000 people since 1985.
Many parts of Maiana suffer from coastal erosion, with the villages of Tekaranga and Tematantongo being particularly affected. Drought is another serious concern as the island's limited freshwater supply comes entirely from the shallow freshwater lens, which becomes salty close to the coast especially during drought periods. Like all of the atolls of Kiribati, Maiana is at serious risk from sea level rise, as even small changes in sea level can cause accelerated erosion and threaten infrastructure, agriculture and water supplies.
Maiana is administered by an Island Council based in Tebangetua village. The Maiana constituency elects two representatives to the national House of Assembly in the capital of South Tarawa. At present, the MPs for Maiana are Dr. Anote Tong and Teiwaki Areieta. Dr. Tong is also the current President of Kiribati.
There are different stories told as to the creation of Maiana and the other islands in the Gilberts. An important legend in the culture of Maiana is that spirits who lived in a tree in Samoa migrated northward carrying branches from the tree, Te Kaintikuaba, which translates as the tree of life. It was these spirits, together with Nareau the Wise who created the islands of Tungaru (the Gilbert Islands).
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