Caroline Island 776265 221514239 2008-06-24T20:59:47Z 4.240.12.211 ~ender - wikify: Ghyben-Herzberg lens {{featured article}} {{for|the islands in the Western Pacific|Caroline Islands}} {{coor title dms|9|56|13.13|S|150|12|41.40|W|}} [[Image:NASA-CarolineAtoll.jpg|right|200 px|thumb|NASA orbital photo of Caroline Island; north is to the upper right. The two largest islets are Nake Islet (top) and South Islet (bottom) and are about 500 m wide.]] '''Caroline Island''' or '''Caroline Atoll''' (also known as '''Millennium Island'''), is the easternmost of the uninhabited [[coral atoll]]s which comprise the southern [[Line Islands]] in the central [[Pacific Ocean]]. First sighted by Europeans in 1606, claimed by the [[United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland|United Kingdom]] in 1868, and part of the [[Kiribati|Republic of Kiribati]] since the island nation's independence in 1979, Caroline Island has remained relatively untouched and is considered one of the world's most pristine [[tropics|tropical]] islands, despite [[guano]] mining, [[copra]] harvesting, and human habitation in the 19th and 20th centuries. It is home to one of the world's largest populations of the [[coconut crab]] and is an important breeding site for [[seabird]]s, most notably the [[sooty tern]]. The atoll is best known for its role in celebrations surrounding the arrival of the year 2000 &mdash; a 1995 realignment of the [[International Date Line]] made Caroline Island one of the first points of land on Earth (outside [[Antarctica]]) to see sunrise on [[January 1]], [[2000]]. ==Geography and climate== {{see also|List of islets of Caroline Island}} Caroline Atoll lies near the southeastern end of the [[Line Islands]], a string of atolls extending across the equator some 1500&nbsp;km (900&nbsp;miles) south of the [[Hawaiian Islands]] in the central [[Pacific Ocean|Pacific]]. The slightly crescent-shaped atoll (3.76&nbsp;km² or 1.45&nbsp;mi² in land area) consists of 39 separate islets surrounding a narrow lagoon. Extending approximately 9&nbsp;km (6&nbsp;mi) from north to south and 2&nbsp;km (1&nbsp;mi) from east to west, the islets rise to a height of only 6&nbsp;meters (20&nbsp;ft) above sea level. The islets, like those of all atolls, share a common geologic origin and consist of sand deposits and [[limestone]] rock set atop a [[coral reef]]. [[Image:CarolinePic-Kepler-Long.JPG|thumb|left|250px|The many islets of Caroline Island are separated by shallow channels. In the foreground: coral rubble beach and ''Tournefortia'' shrub on Long Islet. In the background: ''Pisonia'' forest and a row of non-indigenous Coconut palms on Nake Islet.]] <!-- Islands --> Three large islets make up the bulk of Caroline's land area: Nake Islet (1.04&nbsp;km² or 0.40&nbsp;mi²) at the north; Long Islet (0.76&nbsp;km² or 0.29&nbsp;mi²) at the northeast of the lagoon and South Islet (1.07&nbsp;km² or 0.41&nbsp;mi²).<ref name="oceandots">{{cite web | title=Line Islands - Millennium | format=HTML | work=Oceandots.com | url=http://www.oceandots.com/pacific/line/caroline.htm | accessdate=2006-06-11}}</ref> The remaining assembly of small islets, most of which were named during the 1988 ecological survey, conducted by Angela and Cameron Kepler, fall into four major groupings: the South Nake Islets, the Central Leeward Islets, the Southern Leeward Islets, and the Windward Islets (see [http://www.oceandots.com/pacific/line/caroline3.htm map]). Caroline's islets are particularly ephemeral &mdash; over the course of a century of observation, several of the smallest islets have been documented to appear or disappear entirely following major storms, while the shapes of larger ones have significantly changed.<ref name="oceandots">{{cite web | title=Line Islands - Millennium | format=HTML | work=Oceandots.com | url=http://www.oceandots.com/pacific/line/caroline.htm | accessdate=2006-06-11}}</ref><ref name="ARB">{{cite journal | first = A.K. | last = Kepler | authorlink = | coauthors = C.B. Kepler | year = 1994 | month = February | title = The natural history of the Caroline Atoll, Southern Line Islands | journal = Atoll Research Bulletin | volume = 397–398 | url = http://www.botany.hawaii.edu/faculty/duffy/arb/397-398/ }}</ref> <!-- Lagoon --> The central lagoon, roughly 6&nbsp;km by 0.5&nbsp;km (3.5&nbsp;miles by 0.3&nbsp;miles), is shallow &ndash; at most 5–7&nbsp;m (15–25&nbsp;ft) in depth &ndash; and is crossed repeatedly by narrow coral heads and patch reefs. Reef flats generally extend about 500&nbsp;m (1600&nbsp;ft) from shore &mdash; although some sources report them to extend more than a kilometer from land &mdash; and make boat landings perilous except at high tide.<ref name="oceandots">{{cite web | title=Line Islands - Millennium | format=HTML | work=Oceandots.com | url=http://www.oceandots.com/pacific/line/caroline.htm | accessdate=2006-06-11}}</ref> There are no natural landings, anchorages, or deep water openings into the central lagoon; water which spills into the lagoon over shallow channels at high tide is contained within the surrounding reef and remains stable despite ocean tides. Most landings are generally made at a small break in the reef at the northwest corner of South Islet (visible on the satellite photo above).<ref name="ARB">{{cite journal | first = A.K. | last = Kepler | authorlink = | coauthors = C.B. Kepler | year = 1994 | month = February | title = The natural history of the Caroline Atoll, Southern Line Islands | journal = Atoll Research Bulletin | volume = 397–398 | url = http://www.botany.hawaii.edu/faculty/duffy/arb/397-398/ }}</ref> [[Image:Kiribati-Caroline-highlighted.PNG|right|thumb|300px|Caroline (''circled, lower right'') is the easternmost island in the central Pacific republic of [[Kiribati]].]] <!-- Hydrology and Soils --> There is no standing fresh water on Caroline Island, although the Nake and South Islets harbor underground [[aquifer|freshwater aquifers]] (or [[Ghyben-Herzberg lens]]es),<ref name="LA">{{cite web | title=Millennium Atoll | work=Living Archipelagos | url=http://www.livingarchipelagos.org/sitepage.asp?name=Millenium%20Atoll | accessdate=2006-06-10}} </ref> and wells have been built to tap drinking water for temporary settlements.<ref name="Resture">{{cite book | last = Bryan | first = E.H. | authorlink = | coauthors = | year = 1942 | title = American Polynesia and the Hawaiian Chain | publisher = Tongg Publishing Company | location = Honolulu | id = }}</ref> Soils on Caroline are similarly poor, dominated by coral gravel and sand, with significant organic content present only within stable, forested island centers. Guano deposits make island soil, where it does exist, [[nitrogen]]-rich; but even in the oldest and most vegetated regions of the atoll, soils are only a few centimeters (one or two inches) thick.<ref name="ARB">{{cite journal | first = A.K. | last = Kepler | authorlink = | coauthors = C.B. Kepler | year = 1994 | month = February | title = The natural history of the Caroline Atoll, Southern Line Islands | journal = Atoll Research Bulletin | volume = 397–398 | url = http://www.botany.hawaii.edu/faculty/duffy/arb/397-398/ }}</ref> <!-- Climate and Seas--> Like the rest of Kiribati, Caroline Island enjoys a tropical maritime climate &ndash; consistently hot and humid. Meteorological records are sparse, but temperatures generally range between 28 and 32 degrees Celsius (82 and 90 degrees Fahrenheit) year-round.<ref name="atlapedia">{{cite web | title=Republic of Kiribati | format=HTML | work=Atlapedia Online | url=http://www.atlapedia.com/online/countries/kiribati.htm | accessdate=2006-07-12}}</ref> Caroline lies within a region of highly variable precipitation, but is estimated to receive an average of 1500&nbsp;mm (60&nbsp;in) of rain annually. [[Tide]]s are on the order of 0.5&nbsp;m (1.5&nbsp;ft) and trade winds, generally from the northeast, mean that corner of the island experiences the roughest seas.<ref name="ARB">{{cite journal | first = A.K. | last = Kepler | authorlink = | coauthors = C.B. Kepler | year = 1994 | month = February | title = The natural history of the Caroline Atoll, Southern Line Islands | journal = Atoll Research Bulletin | volume = 397–398 | url = http://www.botany.hawaii.edu/faculty/duffy/arb/397-398/ }}</ref> <!-- Isolation --> Caroline Island is among the most remote islands on earth<ref name="isolated">{{cite web | title=More Isolated Islands | format=HTML | work=U.N. Earthwatch Island Directory Tables | url=http://islands.unep.ch/Tisolat.htm | accessdate=2006-06-12}}</ref>&ndash;230&nbsp;km (140&nbsp;mi) from the closest land at [[Flint Island]], 1500&nbsp;km (930&nbsp;mi) from the nearest permanent settlement on [[Kiritimati]], 4200&nbsp;km (2600&nbsp;mi) from the Kiribati capital of [[Tarawa]], and 5100&nbsp;km (3200&nbsp;mi) from the nearest continental land in [[North America]]. ==Flora and fauna== {{see also|List of species on Caroline Island}} [[Image:Cococrb2.jpg|left|thumb|Although it remains unclear whether the [[coconut crab]] is [[endangered species|endangered]], Caroline Island hosts a substantial population of this arthropod.]] Despite more than three centuries of occasional human impact on Caroline, it is considered to be one of very few remaining "near-pristine tropical islands."<ref name="LA">{{cite web | title=Millennium Atoll | work=Living Archipelagos | url=http://www.livingarchipelagos.org/sitepage.asp?name=Millennium%20Atoll | accessdate=2006-06-10}} </ref> and has been rated as one of the most unspoiled Pacific atolls.<ref name="unspoiled">{{cite web | title=Islands by Human Impact Index | format=HTML | work=U.N. Earthwatch Island Directory Tables | url=http://islands.unep.ch/Tisolat.htm | accessdate=2006-07-05}}</ref> Its relatively undisturbed state has led to Caroline being considered for designation as a [[World Heritage Site]] and as a [[Biosphere Reserve]]. Ecological surveys documenting the island's flora and fauna have been made intermittently through the later 20th century: Caroline was visited in 1965 by the Pacific Ocean Biological Survey Program, in 1974 by the Line Island Expedition, and in 1988 and 1991 by the [[United Nations Environment Programme]] Wildlife Conservation Unit.<ref name="Teataata">{{cite book | author = Scott, D.A. (ed) | authorlink = | coauthors = | year = 1993 | title = A Directory of Wetlands in Ocenia | publisher = International Waterfowl and Wetlands Research Bureau | location = Slimbridge, UK | id = ISBN 0-9505731-2-4 }}</ref> <!-- Vegetation --> Caroline Island is heavily vegetated, and most islets possess three ringed zones of vegetation: an outermost herb mat, typically comprised largely of ''[[Heliotropium]] anomalum''; an inward zone of shrub, primarily ''Tournefortia argentea''; and a central forested region, typically dominated by groves of ''[[Pisonia grandis]]'' trees. [[Coconut palm]]s have also been introduced and exist in substantial quantities on the larger islets. This pattern of vegetation is consistent across the larger islets, with smaller islets lacking the central forest and the smallest vegetated solely by low herbs.<ref name="ARB">{{cite journal | first = A.K. | last = Kepler | authorlink = | coauthors = C.B. Kepler | year = 1994 | month = February | title = The natural history of the Caroline Atoll, Southern Line Islands | journal = Atoll Research Bulletin | volume = 397–398 | url = http://www.botany.hawaii.edu/faculty/duffy/arb/397-398/ }}</ref> Other common plants include ''Messerschmidia argentea'', ''Suriana'', and ''[[Morinda citrifolia]]''.<ref name="Teataata">{{cite web | author=Teataata, Aobure | year=1998| title=Caroline Atoll | format=HTML | work=Protected Areas and World Heritage Programme Profiles | url=http://www.unep-wcmc.org/index.html?http://sea.unep-wcmc.org/sites/wetlands/caroline.htm~main}}</ref> <!-- Fauna --> Caroline Island is an important breeding site for a number of species of seabirds, most notably the [[Sooty Tern]] (''Onychoprion fuscata''), numbering around 500,000 &ndash; a colony of Sooty Terns dominates the eastern islets &ndash; and the [[Great Frigatebird]] (''Fregata minor''), numbering over 10,000. Caroline Island and its neighbor, [[Flint Island]], also host some of the world's largest populations of the [[coconut crab]]. (''Birgus latro'').<ref name="oceandots">{{cite web | title=Line Islands - Millennium | format=HTML | work=Oceansdots.com | url=http://www.oceandots.com/pacific/line/caroline.htm | accessdate=2006-06-11}}</ref> Other native animals include the ''[[Tridacna]]'' clam, which is abundant in the central lagoon, [[hermit crab]]s, and multiple species of lizards.<ref name="Teataata">{{cite web | author=Teataata, Aobure | year=1998| title=Caroline Atoll | format=HTML | work=Protected Areas and World Heritage Programme Profiles | url=http://www.unep-wcmc.org/index.html?http://sea.unep-wcmc.org/sites/wetlands/caroline.htm~main}}</ref> <!-- Engangered species --> The [[endangered species|endangered]] [[green sea turtle]] (''Chelonia mydas'') nests on the beaches of Caroline Island, but there have been reports of poaching by recent homesteaders.<ref name="Teataata">{{cite web | author=Teataata, Aobure | year=1998| title=Caroline Atoll | format=HTML | work=Protected Areas and World Heritage Programme Profiles|url=http://www.unep-wcmc.org/index.html?http://sea.unep-wcmc.org/sites/wetlands/caroline.htm~main}}</ref> The [[Bristle-thighed Curlew]] (''Numenius tahitiensis''), a migrant visitor from [[Alaska]], is also classified as [[Conservation status (TNC)|vulnerable]].<ref name="LA">{{cite web | title=Millennium Atoll | work=Living Archipelagos | url=http://www.livingarchipelagos.org/sitepage.asp?name=Millenium%20Atoll | accessdate=2006-06-10}} </ref> <!-- Introduced species --> Around twenty non-native species of flora have been introduced to Caroline Island via human contact. Among these are the ''Ipomea tuba'' vine, which has begun to proliferate. Domestic [[cat]]s and [[dog]]s introduced alongside a small homestead have driven the seabird population away from the islet of Monu Ata-Ata.<ref name="LA">{{cite web | title=Millennium Atoll | work=Living Archipelagos | url=http://www.livingarchipelagos.org/sitepage.asp?name=Millenium%20Atoll | accessdate=2006-06-10}} </ref> ==History== ===Prehistory=== <!-- Geologic origin --> Caroline Island is believed to have originated from a [[hotspot (geology)|volcanic hotspot]] which eroded and then become home to a coral reef which grew above the ocean surface. Although these geological processes are poorly understood, the orientation of the Line Islands (roughly north-south) suggests that they were formed more than 40 million years ago, before the [[Pacific Plate]] changed its direction of travel. The same hotspot more recently gave rise to the [[Tuamotu Archipelago]].<ref name="oceandots2">{{cite web | title=Pacific Ocean - Line Islands | format=HTML | work=Oceandots.com | url=http://www.oceandots.com/pacific/line/ | accessdate=2006-06-11}}</ref> <!-- Polynesian settlement --> There is evidence of settlement by [[Polynesian culture|Polynesian]] peoples on the largest islets from before European contact.<ref name="ARB">{{cite journal | first = A.K. | last = Kepler | authorlink = | coauthors = C.B. Kepler | year = 1994 | month = February | title = The natural history of the Caroline Atoll, Southern Line Islands | journal = Atoll Research Bulletin | volume = 397–398|url = http://www.botany.hawaii.edu/faculty/duffy/arb/397-398/ }}</ref> Graves and template platforms were uncovered by early expeditions to the island, and a large [[marae]] exists on the west side of Nake Islet.<ref name="Resture">{{cite book | last = Bryan | first = E.H. | authorlink = | coauthors = | year = 1942 | title = American Polynesia and the Hawaiian Chain | publisher = Tongg Publishing Company | location = Honolulu | id = }}}</ref> To date, these artifacts have not been surveyed by archaeologists. ===17th to 19th century=== [[Image:Caroline-Island-1883-Eclipse.jpg|thumb|right|French and American expeditions converged on Caroline Island in May 1883 to observe an unusually long [[solar eclipse|total solar eclipse]]. An expedition member made this drawing.]] <!-- Early sightings and accounts --> The first recorded sighting of Caroline Island by Europeans was on [[February 21]] [[1606]], by [[Pedro Fernández de Quirós]], a [[Portugal|Portuguese]] explorer sailing on behalf of [[Spanish Empire|Spain]]; his account names the island "San Bernardo."<ref name="ARB">{{cite journal | first = A.K. | last = Kepler | authorlink = | coauthors = C.B. Kepler | year = 1994 | month = February | title = The natural history of the Caroline Atoll, Southern Line Islands | journal = Atoll Research Bulletin | volume = 397–398 | url = http://www.botany.hawaii.edu/faculty/duffy/arb/397-398/ }}</ref> The atoll was "rediscovered" on [[December 16]] [[1795]] by Captain William Robert Broughton of [[HMS Providence|HMS ''Providence'']], who gave the atoll the name Carolina (which later became "[[Caroline]]") "in compliment to the daughter of Sir [[Philip Stephens|P. Stephens]] of the [[Admiralty]]."<ref name="ARB">{{cite journal | first = A.K. | last = Kepler | authorlink = | coauthors = C.B. Kepler | year = 1994 | month = February | title = The natural history of the Caroline Atoll, Southern Line Islands | journal = Atoll Research Bulletin | volume = 397–398|url = http://www.botany.hawaii.edu/faculty/duffy/arb/397-398/ }}</ref> Caroline was again sighted in 1821 by the English [[whaling]] ship ''Supply'' and was then named "Thornton Island" for the ship's captain. Other early names for the atoll include Hirst Island, Clark Island, and Independence Island. Among other early visits which left behind accounts of the island are that of the [[USS Dolphin (1821)|USS ''Dolphin'']] in 1825 (recorded by Lieutenant [[Hiram Paulding]]), and of a whaling ship in 1835 (recorded by Frederick Debell Bennett in his ''Narrative of a Whaling Voyage Round the Globe From the Year 1833–1836''). <!-- First stock/copra colony --> In 1846, the Tahitian firm of Collie and Lucett attempted to establish a small stock-raising and [[copra]] (coconut meat) community on the island, an operation which met with limited financial success. In 1868, Caroline was claimed by the British vessel [[HMS Reindeer (1866)|HMS ''Reindeer'']], which noted 27 residents in a settlement on South Islet. This settlement lasted until 1904, when the 6 remaining Polynesians were relocated to [[Niue]].<ref name= "ARB">{{cite journal | first = A.K. | last = Kepler | authorlink = | coauthors = C.B. Kepler | year = 1994 | month = February | title = The natural history of the Caroline Atoll, Southern Line Islands | journal = Atoll Research Bulletin | volume = 397–398 | url = http://www.botany.hawaii.edu/faculty/duffy/arb/397-398/ }}</ref> <!-- Guano mining --> In 1872, the island was leased by the British government to Houlder Brothers, who conducted minimal [[guano]] mining on the island. In 1881, the lease was later taken over by the mining operation's manager, John T. Arundel (for whom one of the islets is named).<ref name="Resture">{{cite book | last = Bryan | first = E.H. | authorlink = | coauthors = | year = 1942 | title = American Polynesia and the Hawaiian Chain | publisher = Tongg Publishing Company | location = Honolulu | id = }}</ref> Guano mining, which began in 1874, supplied a total of about 10,000 tons of [[phosphate]] until supplies were exhausted around 1895.<ref name="ARB">{{cite journal | first = A.K. | last = Kepler | authorlink = | coauthors = C.B. Kepler | year = 1994 | month = February | title = The natural history of the Caroline Atoll, Southern Line Islands | journal = Atoll Research Bulletin | volume = 397–398 | url = http://www.botany.hawaii.edu/faculty/duffy/arb/397-398/ }}</ref> <!-- Eclipse expedition --> In 1883, an expedition of [[United States|American]] astronomers traveled from [[Peru]] to Caroline Island aboard the ''[[USS Hartford]]'' to observe a total [[solar eclipse]] on May 6. A French expedition also observed the eclipse from Caroline, and the [[United States Navy]] mapped the atoll.<ref name="Resture">{{cite book | last = Bryan | first = E.H. | authorlink = | coauthors = | year = 1942 | title = American Polynesia and the Hawaiian Chain | publisher = Tongg Publishing Company | location = Honolulu | id = }}</ref> [[Johann Palisa]], a member of the expedition, discovered an asteroid later that year which he named [[235 Carolina|Carolina]] "in remembrance of his visit to [the] island."<ref name="planet">{{cite book | first=L.D. | last=Schmadel | year=2000 | title=Dictionary of Minor Planet Names | edition=4th | publisher=Springer-Verlag Telos |location=Berlin | id=3540662928 }}</ref> ===20th century=== <!-- Second copra settlement --> Leased to S.R. Maxwell and Company, a new settlement was established in 1916, this time built entirely upon [[copra]] export. Much of the South islet was deforested to make way for coconut palms, a non-indigenous plant.<ref name="ARB">{{cite journal | first = A.K. | last = Kepler | authorlink = | coauthors = C.B. Kepler | year = 1994 | month = February | title = The natural history of the Caroline Atoll, Southern Line Islands | journal = Atoll Research Bulletin | volume = 397–398 | url = http://www.botany.hawaii.edu/faculty/duffy/arb/397-398/ }}</ref> The business venture, however, went into debt, and the island's settlement slowly decreased in population. By 1926, it was down to only ten residents and by 1936, the settlement consisted of only two [[Tahiti]]an families before abandonment sometime in the late 1930s.<ref name="Resture">{{cite book | last = Bryan | first = E.H. | authorlink = | coauthors = | year = 1942 | title = American Polynesia and the Hawaiian Chain | publisher = Tongg Publishing Company | location = Honolulu | id = }}</ref> <!-- Transfers of jurisdiction --> Caroline Island remained uninhabited and undisturbed through [[World War II]] and afterwards. It remained under British jurisdiction, repossessed by the British Western Pacific High Commission in 1943 and governed as part of the [[Central and Southern Line Islands]]. In January 1972, the Central and Southern Line Islands, including Caroline, were joined with the British colony of the [[Gilbert and Ellice Islands]], which had become autonomous in 1971 as part of British [[decolonization]] efforts.<ref name="Statoids">{{cite web | author= Gwillim Law| year=2005| title=Island Groups of Kiribati| format=HTML | work= Statoids| url=http://www.statoids.com/uki.html}}</ref> <!-- Status within Kiribati --> In 1979, the Gilbert Islands became the independent nation of Kiribati; Caroline Island was then and continues to be Kiribati's easternmost point. The entire island is presently owned by the government of the Republic of Kiribati, overseen by the Ministry of Line and [[Phoenix Islands|Phoenix]] Groups, which is headquartered on [[Kiritimati]]. Competing claims to sovereignty over the island by the United States (under the [[Guano Islands Act]]) were relinquished in the 1979 ''[[Treaty of Tarawa]]'', ratified by the [[United States Senate|U.S. Senate]] in 1983.<ref name="Trussel">{{cite web | author= | year=1979| title=Treaty of Friendship Between the United States of America and the Republic of Kiribati | format=HTML | work= | url=http://www.trussel.com/kir/treaty.htm}}</ref> <!-- Falconers --> The island was briefly inhabited again from 1987 to 1991 by Ron Falconer, his wife Anne, and their two children, who developed a largely self-sufficient settlement on the atoll. Following a transfer of ownership, Falconer was evicted from the island by the Kiribati government. A book, ''Together Alone'' (ISBN 1-86325-428-5), written by Falconer, documents the story of their residence on Caroline Island.<ref name="Falconer">{{cite book | first=Ron | last=Falconer | title=Together Alone | publisher=Bantam Books | location=Australia | year=2004 | id=ISBN 1-86325-428-5}}</ref> Jim Phillips of Hawaii and Sally Seesay of the Gambia inhabited the island for 5 months in last half of 1992, rejuvenating Falconer's homesite while staying on their yacht "Satisfaction" most of the time. That story is yet to be written.{{Fact|date=September 2007}} <!-- Present status --> In the 1990s, the island was leased to Urima Felix, a [[French Polynesia]]n entrepreneur; he established a small homestead on one of the islets and reportedly had plans for development of the atoll. The island is also occasionally visited by Polynesian [[copra]] gatherers under agreements with the Kiribati government in [[Tarawa Atoll|Tarawa]].<ref name="Teataata">{{cite web | author=Teataata, Aobure | year=1998| title=Caroline Atoll | format=HTML | work=Protected Areas and World Heritage Programme Profiles | url=http://www.unep-wcmc.org/index.html?http://sea.unep-wcmc.org/sites/wetlands/caroline.htm~main}}</ref> ===Time zone realignment=== [[Image:DateLine-with-Caroline-Island.PNG|thumb|300px|right|Following a 1995 time zone realignment, Caroline Island (''red dot at far east of map'') became the easternmost land west of the International Date line.]] <!-- Time zone --> On [[December 23]] [[1994]], the Republic of Kiribati announced a change of [[time zone]] for the Line Islands, to take effect [[January 1]] [[1995]]. This adjustment effectively moved the International Date Line over 1000 kilometers (600&nbsp;mi) to the east within Kiribati, placing all of Kiribati on the Asian or western side of the date line, despite the fact that Caroline's longitude of 150 degrees west corresponds to [[UTC-10|UTC−10]] rather than its official time zone of [[UTC+14]]. Caroline Island now is at the same time as the Hawaiian Islands ([[Hawaii-Aleutian Standard Time Zone]]), but one day later.<ref name="Harris">{{cite news | first = Aimee |last = Harris |url = http://www.trussel.com/kir/dateline.htm |title = Date Line Politics | publisher = Honolulu Magazine | pages = p. 20 |date = August 1999 |accessdate = 2006-06-10}}</ref> This move made Caroline Island both the easternmost land in the earliest time zone (by some definitions, the [[Extreme points of the world|easternmost point on Earth]]), and one of the first points of land which would see sunrise on [[January 1]] [[2000]] — at 5:43 a.m., as measured by local time. <!-- Controversy over realignment --> The stated reason for the move was a campaign promise of Kiribati President [[Teburoro Tito]] to eliminate the confusion of Kiribati straddling the Date Line and therefore being constantly in two different days. However, Kiribati officials were not reluctant to attempt to capitalize on the nation's new status as owners of the first land to see sunrise in 2000.<ref name="Kristof">{{cite news | first = Nicholas D. | last = Kristof |url = http://www.trussel.com/kir/kirnews1.htm |title = Tiny Island's Date-Line Jog in Race for Millennium|publisher = New York Times |date = [[March 23]] [[1997]] |accessdate = 2006-06-10}}</ref> Other Pacific nations, including [[Tonga]] and [[New Zealand]]'s [[Chatham Islands]], protested the move, objecting that it infringed on their claims to be the first land to see dawn in the year 2000.<ref name= "Letts">{{cite news | first = Quentin |last = Letts |url = http://www.trussel.com/kir/kirnews2.htm |title = Pacific braces for millennium storm over matter of degrees | publisher = The Times |date = [[January 25]] [[1996]] | accessdate = 2006-06-10}}</ref> <!-- Renaming and celebration --> In 1999, in order to further capitalize upon the massive public interest in celebrations marking [[3rd millennium|the arrival of the year 2000]], Caroline Island was officially renamed Millennium Island. Although uninhabited, a special celebration was held on the island, featuring performances by Kiribati native entertainers and attended by Kiribati president Tito.<ref name="AP">{{cite news | author=Associated Press | title=2000 greeted with song, dance | date=[[January 1]] [[2000]] | publisher=Japan Times | url=http://www.trussel.com/kir/millen.htm }}</ref> Over 70 Kiribati singers and dancers traveled to Caroline from the capital [[South Tarawa|Tarawa]],<ref name="warmly">{{cite news | author = Associated Press |url = http://www.climateark.org/articles/1999/milislgr.htm |title = Millennium Island greets Y2K warmly | publisher = ClimateArk.org |date = [[December 30]] [[1999]] |accessdate = 2006-06-11}}</ref> accompanied by approximately 25 journalists. The celebration, broadcast by satellite worldwide, had an estimated audience of up to one billion viewers.<ref name="AP">{{cite news | author=Associated Press | title=2000 greeted with song, dance | date=[[January 1]] [[2000]] | publisher=Japan Times | url=http://www.trussel.com/kir/millen.htm }}</ref> <!-- Actual status of first sunrise --> Despite many media and government claims to the contrary, Caroline Island was not the first point of land to see sunrise on [[January 1]], [[2000]] (local time); that distinction belongs to a point of land between Dibble Glacier and Victor Bay on the coast of [[East Antarctica]], at {{coor dm |66|03|S|135|53|E|}}, where the sun rose 35 minutes earlier.<ref name="naval">{{cite web | author=U.S. Naval Observatory | year=2003 | title=First Sunrise of the New Millennium | format=HTML | work=Astronomical Applications Department | url=http://aa.usno.navy.mil/faq/docs/first_sunrise.html}}</ref> As this point is close to the [[Antarctic Circle]], and the area beyond the Antarctic Circle is affected by the [[Midnight sun|continuous sunlight]] in December, the definition of the exact point becomes a question of distinguishing between a sunset and an immediate sunrise in view of [[atmospheric refraction]] effects. ===21st century and future=== <!-- Sea level rise --> As Caroline Island only extends six meters above sea level, it is in danger as [[sea level rise|sea levels rise]]. The Kiribati government estimates that the island may be reclaimed by the sea as soon as 2025,<ref name="warmly">{{cite news | last = Associated Press |url = http://www.climateark.org/articles/1999/milislgr.htm |title = Millennium Island greets Y2K warmly|publisher = ClimateArk.org |date = 1999-12-30 |accessdate = 2006-06-11}}</ref> and the [[United Nations]] has rated Caroline Island as among those most in danger from sea level rise.<REF NAME="islands">{{cite web | title=Islands of Kiribati | url=http://islands.unep.ch/IKQ.htm#Caroline | work=U.N. Earthwatch Islands Directory | accessdate=2006-06-11}}</REF> ==Footnotes== {{reflist|2}} ==References== * {{cite book | last = Bennett | first = Frederick Debell | authorlink = | coauthors = | year = 1970 | title = Narrative of a Whaling Voyage Round the Globe From the Year 1833–1836 | publisher = Da Capo Press | location = New York | id =ISBN 90-6072-037-7 }} * {{cite book | last = Bryan | first = E.H. | authorlink = | coauthors = | year = 1942 | title = American Polynesia and the Hawaiian Chain | publisher = Tongg Publishing Company | location = Honolulu | id = }} (Text of "Caroline Island" chapter online at: {{cite web | title=Caroline Island (Millennium Island), Line Islands, Republic of Kiribati | format=HTML | work=Jane's Oceania Home Page | url=http://www.janeresture.com/kiribati_line/caroline.htm}}) * {{cite book | last = Falconer | first = Ron | authorlink = | coauthors = | year = 2004 | title = Together Alone | publisher = Bantam Books | location = Australia | id = ISBN 1-86325-428-5 }} * {{cite journal | first = A.K. | last = Kepler | authorlink = | coauthors = C.B. Kepler | year = 1994 | month = February | title = The natural history of the Caroline Atoll, Southern Line Islands | journal = Atoll Research Bulletin | volume = 397–398 | url = http://www.botany.hawaii.edu/faculty/duffy/arb/397-398/ }} * {{cite book | last = Scott | first = D.A. | authorlink = | coauthors = | year = 1993 | title = A Directory of Wetlands in Oceania | publisher = International Waterfowl and Wetlands Research Bureau | location = Slimbridge, UK | id = ISBN 0-9505731-2-4 }} (Text of "Caroline Island" profile online at: {{cite web | title=Caroline Atoll | format=HTML | work=Protected Areas and World Heritage Programme Profiles | url=http://sea.unep-wcmc.org/sites/wetlands/caroline.htm}}) ==External links== * [http://www.unep-wcmc.org/index.html?http://sea.unep-wcmc.org/sites/wetlands/caroline.htm~main UNEP Protected Areas Program Profile] * [http://www.livingarchipelagos.org/sitepage.asp?name=Millenium%20Atoll Living Archipelagos Profile] * [http://www.oceandots.com/pacific/line/caroline.htm Oceandots: Caroline Island] * [http://www.oceandots.com/pacific/line/caroline3.htm High-resolution photo map of Caroline Island] * [http://www.janeresture.com/kirimwaie/index.htm Millennium Celebrations on Millennium Island] at Jane's Oceania Home Page * [http://www.pdbooksonline.com/free_books/Young_Folks'_Library_Volume_XI_(of_20)_by_Various/page_25.php An Astronomer's Voyage to Fairy-Land], from ''The Young Folks' Library'', Volume XI, by Prof. E.S. Holden. * [http://www.theoceanadventure.com/NemoIE03/DAY20Nemo.html The Looking for Nemo Expedition], by Wayne and Karen Brown. * [http://www.waterwingsnovel.net/Waterwingsnovel/Free%20online%20romance%20novels.html Waterwings - an erotic/romantic mystery by Mike C. Sloan, set mostly on Caroline Atoll. ''Fiction''] {{Kiribati}} [[Category:Uninhabited islands]] [[Category:Line Islands]] [[Category:Atolls of Kiribati]] [[Category:Islands claimed under the Guano Islands Act]] [[de:Caroline-Atoll]] [[el:Καρολίνα Νήσος]] [[es:Isla Caroline]] [[fr:Île du Millénaire]] [[gl:Illa Caroline]] [[he:אטול קרוליין]] [[lt:Karolinos sala]] [[ja:カロリン島]] [[ru:Каролайн]]