Poland, Kiribati

Poland is a village in Kiribati, located on the westernmost part of the island of Kiritimati, within the archipelago of Line Islands.

History

The town was most likely founded in 1916.

Name

The origin of the name is unclear. One version states that Poland was named in honor of Polish mechanic Stanisław Pełczyński, who greatly improved the island's coconut plantation by introducing a modified irrigation system that could effectively water palm trees during the dry season. Scholars however consider it a legend; some other explanations exist, but none have been fully confirmed.

Demographics

In 2015, Poland was inhabited by 351 people.

Infrastructure

Poland has a kindergarten, a primary school, and a Catholic church.

Climate

In 2013, the Ministry of Environment in Warsaw, Poland produced a video featuring the village to highlight its sea level rise problem. The video was shown at the COP19. The video caused some controversy for possibly wasteful use of funds; however, it has been related to an ongoing Polish initiative providing the village with aid.