Phoenix Islands Protected Area, Kiribati

Abstract

The Phoenix Islands Protected Area is an expanse of marine and terrestrial habitats in the South Pacific. The protected area represents one of the three island groups of the Republic of Kiribati. It is one of the largest marine protected areas in the world and the largest and deepest World Heritage site. The greater part of the marine protected area is comprised of ocean floor with a water column averaging more than 4000 m deep with a maximum of 6147 m. It is also is the largest marine conservation effort of its kind by a least developed country (LDC). The protected area has one of the world’s largest oceanic coral ecosystems and 14 underwater seamounts which probably are extinct volcanos. It also offers important habitats for seabird nesting.