Bonriki

Bonriki, at the eastern end of South Tarawa, is home to the country's main gateway, Bonriki International Airport, and to the freshwater lens that supplies much of the capital's drinking water. The islet is a critical piece of national infrastructure, and its low elevation makes both the runway and the aquifer highly vulnerable to sea-level rise and saltwater intrusion. For most visitors it is their first point of contact with Kiribati. Beyond the airport, its role in the water security of a crowded atoll makes it a place of real strategic.