Kanton Postal Codes: KI0201 | Phoenix Islands

Key Facts

Kanton, also known as Canton Island or Abariringa, is the largest and most significant atoll in the Phoenix Islands group of Kiribati. Located in the central Pacific Ocean, Kanton lies approximately 1,600 kilometers south of the equator and serves as the administrative center for the entire Phoenix Islands Protected Area. This coral atoll is roughly crescent-shaped, enclosing a large, deep lagoon that covers an area of about 50 square kilometers, while the total land area of its islets is only around 9.2 square kilometers. Historically, Kanton played a vital role as a refueling stop for trans-Pacific aviation and was jointly administered by the United Kingdom and the United States under the Canton and Enderbury Islands condominium from 1939 until Kiribati's independence in 1979. Today, the island is largely uninhabited except for a small, rotating conservation team, as the entire Phoenix group was designated a UNESCO World Heritage site in 2010 due to its pristine marine ecosystem. Kanton itself contains no further administrative subdivisions, being a single, remote island unit. For detailed geographical and administrative information about this unique Pacific location, including access to specific data for its conservation zones, further resources are available.