How to Pronounce Kiritimati

Meaning and Context

Kiritimati, pronounced "Ki-ri-si-mas" and often referred to as Christmas Island, is a stunning coral atoll that constitutes a significant landmass within the Line Islands of the Republic of Kiribati. This remote Pacific island, with a land area of approximately 388 square kilometers, is renowned for being the world's largest coral atoll and holds the unique distinction of being one of the first inhabited places on Earth to usher in the New Year, as it lies just west of the International Date Line in the UTC+14 time zone. Its pristine ecosystem supports vital seabird nesting colonies, expansive saltwater lagoons, and world-class bonefishing, making it a destination for ecotourism and sport fishing. The island's history includes early Polynesian settlement, its discovery by Captain James Cook on Christmas Eve in 1777, and its later use for nuclear weapons testing by the United Kingdom and United States during the Cold War. Today, Kiritimati faces pressing environmental challenges, including sea-level rise and coastal erosion, which highlight the vulnerabilities of low-lying island nations to climate change.

Common Mistakes and Alternative Spellings

The primary spelling to use is Kiritimati, which is the official I-Kiribati name and a transliteration of the English word "Christmas" into the local phonology, where the 'ti' combination is pronounced as an 's'. The most common alternative name is Christmas Island, though this can cause confusion with the Australian external territory of the same name in the Indian Ocean. Frequent misspellings and typos arise from mishearing or misremembering the unique pronunciation, leading to errors such as "Kiritmati" (dropping one 'i'), "Kirimati," or "Kiritimati Island" (which is redundant, as the '-ti' suffix already means 'island'). Other common errors include "Christmas Atoll" (which is descriptively accurate but not the official name) and conflating it with "Kiribati" itself, leading to phrases like "the island of Kiribati" instead of "the island of Kiritimati in Kiribati."

Example Sentences

To experience one of the planet's first New Year's celebrations, travelers must journey to the remote Pacific atoll of Kiritimati.

The island's vast lagoons and flats are considered a premier global destination for catch-and-release bonefishing.

Scientists are closely monitoring the effects of climate change on Kiritimati's vulnerable shoreline and freshwater lens.

Due to its isolation and minimal light pollution, the island offers spectacular views of the night sky.

The name Kiritimati was officially adopted when Kiribati gained independence from the United Kingdom in 1979.

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