Editing Geography of Kiribati (section)

=== Natural environment ===
==== Ecoregions ====
{{see also|List of ecoregions in Kiribati}}
Kiribati is part of three [[terrestrial ecoregions]]:<ref>{{cite journal |author = Olson, D. M, E. Dinerstein |title = Terrestrial Ecoregions of the World: A New Map of Life on Earth |journal = [[BioScience]] |year = 2001 |volume=51 |issue=11 |pages= 933–938 |url = http://www.worldwildlife.org/science/wildfinder/ |doi = 10.1641/0006-3568(2001)051[0933:TEOTWA]2.0.CO;2 |display-authors=etal|doi-access = free }}</ref>
* the Line Islands are in the [[Central Polynesian tropical moist forests]] ecoregion
* the Phoenix Islands are in the [[Western Polynesian tropical moist forests]] ecoregion
* the Gilbert islands and Banaba are in the [[Eastern Micronesia tropical moist forests]] ecoregion

==== Natural resources ====
Much of the natural resources have been exhausted before its [[Kiribati#Independence|1979 independence.]] On the island of Banaba, the British mined [[guano]] for phosphorus, until exhaustion of supply, an event that was before independence.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.britannica.com/place/Banaba|title=Banaba {{!}} island, Kiribati|website=Encyclopædia Britannica|access-date=2016-05-23}}</ref>

==== Natural hazards ====
[[Cyclones]] can occur any time, but usually November to March; occasional [[tornado]]es; low level of some of the islands make them very sensitive to changes in sea level. The Climate Change in the Pacific Report (2011) describes Kiribati as having a low risk of cyclones;<ref name="CCP2ch6">{{cite book|title= Climate Change in the Pacific: Volume 2: Country Reports|year=2011 |publisher= Pacific Climate Change Science Program|location=Australia Government|chapter= Ch.6 Kiribati |chapter-url=http://www.pacificclimatechangescience.org/publications/reports/climate-variability-extremes-and-change-in-the-western-tropical-pacific-2014/}}</ref> however in March 2015 Kiribati experienced flooding and destruction of seawalls and coastal infrastructure as the result of [[Cyclone Pam]], a Category 5 cyclone that devastated [[Vanuatu]].<ref name="SBS15">{{cite web| work= SBS Australia |title= Flooding in Vanuatu, Kiribati and Tuvalu as Cyclone Pam strengthens |date =13 March 2015|url= http://www.sbs.com.au/news/article/2015/03/13/flooding-vanuatu-kiribati-and-tuvalu-cyclone-pam-strengthens | access-date=15 March 2015}}</ref>

==== Pollution ====
The island of Banaba has suffered greatly from the after effects of the massive phosphorus mining. Most of the population were forced to evacuate to the island country of [[Fiji]] due to its effects. In addition, the atoll near the island of Tarawa is vulnerable to the effects of solid waste disposal. A report by the United Nations say the wildlife from the region are endangered. The islands are very sensitive to the damaging effects.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.nationsencyclopedia.com/Asia-and-Oceania/Kiribati-ENVIRONMENT.html|title=Environment - Kiribati - area|website=nationsencyclopedia.com|access-date=2016-05-23}}</ref>