Nikunau is a low coral

Coral

Corals are marine animals in class Anthozoa of phylum Cnidaria typically living in compact colonies of many identical individual "polyps". The group includes the important reef builders that inhabit tropical oceans and secrete calcium carbonate to form a hard skeleton.A coral "head" is a colony of...

 island

Island

An island or isle is any piece of sub-continental land that is surrounded by water. Very small islands such as emergent land features on atolls can be called islets, cays or keys. An island in a river or lake may be called an eyot , or holm...

 located in the Gilbert Islands

Gilbert Islands

The Gilbert Islands are a chain of sixteen atolls and coral islands in the Pacific Ocean. They are the main part of Republic of Kiribati and include Tarawa, the site of the country's capital and residence of almost half of the population.-Geography:The atolls and islands of the Gilbert Islands...

 and forms a council district of the Republic of Kiribati

Kiribati

Kiribati , officially the Republic of Kiribati, is an island nation located in the central tropical Pacific Ocean. The permanent population exceeds just over 100,000 , and is composed of 32 atolls and one raised coral island, dispersed over 3.5 million square kilometres, straddling the...

. The island consists of two parts (the larger one in the northwest) which are joined by an isthmus

Isthmus

An isthmus is a narrow strip of land connecting two larger land areas usually with waterforms on either side.Canals are often built through isthmuses where they may be particularly advantageous to create a shortcut for marine transportation...

 about 150 m wide.

There are several landlocked, hypersaline

Hypersaline lake

A hypersaline lake is a landlocked body of water that contains significant concentrations of sodium chloride or other mineral salts, with saline levels surpassing that of ocean water . Specific microbial and crustacean species thrive in these high salinity environments that are otherwise...

 lagoon

Lagoon

A lagoon is a body of shallow sea water or brackish water separated from the sea by some form of barrier. The EU's habitat directive defines lagoons as "expanses of shallow coastal salt water, of varying salinity or water volume, wholly or partially separated from the sea by sand banks or shingle,...

s located within the island, measuring about 0.3 km² in area. The island is surrounded by a narrow fringing reef

Reef

In nautical terminology, a reef is a rock, sandbar, or other feature lying beneath the surface of the water ....

. Vegetation on Nikunau is moderately dense and consists largely of coconut palms and pandanus

Pandanus

Pandanus is a genus of monocots with about 600 known species. They are numerous palmlike dioecious trees and shrubs native of the Old World tropics and subtropics. They are classified in the order Pandanales, family Pandanaceae.-Overview:...

.

The island was visited by John Byron

John Byron

Vice Admiral The Hon. John Byron, RN was a Royal Navy officer. He was known as Foul-weather Jack because of his frequent bad luck with weather.-Early career:...

 in his vessel Dolphin

HMS Dolphin (1751)

HMS Dolphin was a 24-gun sixth-rate frigate of the Royal Navy. Launched in 1751, she was used as a survey ship from 1764 and made two circumnavigations of the world under the successive commands of John Byron and Samuel Wallis. She was the first ship to circumnavigate the world twice...

 on 2nd July 1765, and was named Byron Island in his honor.

The population of the island averages about 3,000 I-Kiribati people. Typically, there are also two United States

United States

The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

 Peace Corps

Peace Corps

The Peace Corps is an American volunteer program run by the United States Government, as well as a government agency of the same name. The mission of the Peace Corps includes three goals: providing technical assistance, helping people outside the United States to understand US culture, and helping...

 volunteers stationed here.

Surf on Nikunau ranges depending on location, but averages 2 ft to 8 ft in height. The tip of Nikunau, located near the airstrip, has the largest waves on the island. This is the point where two tides meet, clashing one wave with another, thus creating strong tides, waves, and currents.

Air

Nikunau Airport

Nikunau Airport

Marakei Airport is the airport serving Nikunau, Kiribati. It is located on the western tip of the atoll.The airport is served by Air Kiribati from Beru Island Airport on Beru Island, from which you can transfer to fly to Bonriki International Airport in Tarawa.-Airlines and destinations:...

 is served by Air Kiribati

Air Kiribati

Air Kiribati Limited is the national airline of Kiribati operating passenger services within the Gilbert Islands of Kiribati, and to Fiji. It also operates charters, medical evacuation and search and rescue services. Its main base is Bonriki International Airport, Tarawa Atoll.Until 2008, it was...

 from Beru Island Airport

Beru Island Airport

Beru Island Airport is the airport serving Beru Island. The island is located in the Kingsmill Group of the South Gilbert Islands in the Pacific Ocean and is part of the Republic of Kiribati....

 on Beru Island

Beru Island

Beru Island is an island located in the Kingsmill Group of the South Gilbert Islands in the Pacific Ocean and is part of the Republic of Kiribati. Beru was previously known as Eliza, Francis Island, Maria, Peroat, Peru Island or Sunday.- Geography :...

 (from which the same airline flies to Tabiteuea North Airport, Tabiteuea

Tabiteuea

Tabiteuea is an atoll in the Gilbert Islands, Kiribati, south of Tarawa. The atoll consists of two main islands: Eanikai in the north, Nuguti in the south, and several smaller islets in between along the eastern rim of the atoll. The atoll has a total land area of 38 km², while the lagoon measures...

, and from there, next to Beru, to Arorae

Arorae

Arorae is an atoll in Kiribati located near the equator.- Geography :The atoll's area is 9,5 km² and has a population of about 1,225 inhabitants most of which are Protestants. The largest villages on the atoll are Roreti, Tamaroa and Taribo.The atoll is a low and flat coralline island with an...

 (with the way back via Tamana), Nonouti

Nonouti

Nonouti is an atoll and district of Kiribati. The atoll is located in the South Gilbert Islands, 38 km north of Tabiteuea, and 250 km south of Tarawa. The eastern side of the atoll is the primary permanent landmass. There is an islet on the northwest side of the atoll called Noumatong. Noumatong...

, Tabiteuea South, Tamana

Tamana

Tamana is the smallest island in the Gilbert Islands. It is accessible both by boat and by air with Air Kiribati and Coral Sun Airways -References:* from the Navy Art Gallery...

 (way there via Arorae) and Bonriki International Airport

Bonriki International Airport

-See also:* USAAF in the Central Pacific...

, Tarawa) at Mondays.