Have you ever wondered which country is the first to see the sun rise each day? Well, wonder no more! The answer is Kiribati – a small island nation located in the Pacific Ocean. While New Zealand is often thought of as the first country to see the sun, Kiribati actually observes the earliest sunrise due to its location on the International Date Line. In this blog post, we will take a closer look at Kiribati and how it became known as the “land of the rising sun”.
Location and Time Zone
Kiribati is a country located in the central Pacific Ocean, occupying a total area of 811 square kilometers. The country consists of 32 coral atolls, grouped into three island chains: the Gilbert Islands, the Line Islands, and the Phoenix Islands. It has a population of approximately 120,000 people.
Most of the country sits to the east of the International Date Line, giving it a UTC+12:00 time zone when observing standard time. However, to the east of the country, the International Date Line curves around the Line Islands chain, resulting in the islands of Kiritimati and Tabuaeran observing UTC−10:00 time zone, putting them 24 hours ahead of the rest of the country.
Rise to Fame
Due to its location on the International Date Line, Kiribati is often referred to as the “land of the rising sun”. This nickname was popularized in the 1980s when Kiribati gained its independence from the United Kingdom. To celebrate the occasion, the country’s government introduced a new flag depicting a sun rising over the ocean, which quickly became one of the most recognizable national flags in the world.
In addition to its unique time zone, Kiribati is also known for its beautiful beaches, coral reefs and rich culture. The country is home to several traditional dance and music forms, such as the Te Kuria Dance, which is performed during the annual Kiribati Day celebrations.
Visiting Kiribati
Kiribati isn’t the easiest destination to reach, due to its isolated location in the Pacific Ocean. The best way to get there is by flying to the capital, Tarawa, from Fiji or Australia.
Tourist attractions in Kiribati include swimming, scuba diving and exploring the various coral atolls. One of the most popular tourist destinations in the country is the island of Kiritimati, which is renowned for its pristine beaches and crystal-clear waters.
Conclusion
In conclusion, Kiribati is the first country to see the sunrise every day, due to its unique location on the International Date Line. While New Zealand is often thought to be the first country to see the sun, it is actually Kiribati that holds this distinction. Despite being a relatively small and isolated country, Kiribati is well-known for its rich culture, beautiful beaches and coral reefs. If you’re looking for a unique and off-the-beaten-path travel destination, Kiribati is definitely worth considering.
FAQ
Which country has last sunrise in the world?
If we talk about the country or place where the sunrise occurs last in the world, then we need to understand the concept of time zones that exist around the world. The 24-hour time zone system is followed globally, which divides the earth into 24 different time zones.
The time zones are primarily based on the earth’s rotation, and each zone is approximately 15 degrees apart from the neighboring zone. As a result, countries located at the easternmost end of the globe experience the sunrise first, whereas the countries at the westernmost end experience the sunrise last.
However, the earth’s axial tilt of 23.4 degrees causes the day and night cycle to change according to the seasonal variation, which means that the sunrise time is not the same throughout the year. So the last country to see the sunrise may vary depending on the time of year.
During the winter solstice (around December 21-22), the northern hemisphere tilts away from the sun, giving rise to shorter days and longer nights. As a result, the sunrise time is delayed, and the days are shorter in areas that are located near the North Pole.
According to this phenomena, during the winter time, Alaska in the United States sees the sunrise last in the world. This is because Alaska sits at the western end of the UTC-9 time zone, which is just one hour ahead of the International Date Line. Therefore, during the winter time, the sun rises later in northern Alaska than it does in places located to the east of it like American Samoa.
During the winter season, Alaska in the United States experiences the last sunrise in the world. However, this answer may vary during other times of the year due to the seasonal variation in the sunrise cycle and the 24-hour timezone system followed across the globe.
Why is sunrise later in Texas?
The state of Texas is considered a part of the Central Time Zone of the United States. The time zone is divided roughly along the longitude of 90° West, with the eastern part of the country falling under the Eastern Time Zone, and the western part falling under the Mountain Time Zone. Texas lies almost entirely within this zone, with only a small portion of the westernmost portion of the territory falling under the Mountain Time Zone. Due to the position of Texas within this time zone, the sunrise is later compared to the eastern states of the country.
The reason for this can be attributed to the rotation of the earth around its axis that causes the sun to rise in the east and set in the west. As a result, the eastern part of a time zone will experience sunrise earlier than the western part. For every 70 miles you travel west within a standard time zone, sunrise will be about four minutes later than the eastern part of the same time zone. This means that if you live in Dallas, Texas, which is approximately 930 miles west of Miami, Florida (which is towards the eastern end of the Eastern Time Zone), you would expect sunrise in Dallas to be about 53 minutes later than in Miami.
However, this time difference can vary somewhat depending on the latitude of the region. This is because the earth is not a perfect sphere but bulges somewhat around the equator. Therefore, regions closer to the equator experience less variation in daylight hours throughout the year compared to regions closer to the poles. Texas is located closer to the equator than some of the states in the northern part of the country, and as a result, the time difference between sunrise and sunset is somewhat smaller compared to those states.
Sunrise is later in Texas compared to the eastern states of the US due to the position of the state within the Central Time Zone. For every 70 miles you travel west within your time zone, sunrise will be about four minutes later. This time decreases somewhat the further you move from the Equator, though.