1979 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
became an independent country. Kingstown
became the country’s capital.
..More to explore
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
Kinshasa
Population
(1998
estimate), city,
4,787,000;
(2004
estimate), urban
area,
7,273,950
Kinshasa is the capital of the Democratic
Republic of the Congo, a country
in central Africa. It is one of Africa’s
largest cities. Kinshasa is a center of education
and culture.
Kinshasa is a major port on the Congo
River. Much of the Democratic Republic
of the Congo’s business and industry
is based in the city. Factories there make
A tailor sews in his shop in Kinshasa,
Democratic Republic of the Congo.
BRITANNICA STUDENT ENCYCLOPEDIA Kinshasa 69
fabrics and process foods, drinks, and
chemicals.
People have lived along the Congo River
for thousands of years. In 1881 the
explorer Sir Henry Morton Stanley
established a trading post there. He
named it Leopoldville after King
Leopold II of Belgium.
Belgium soon took over the area.
Leopoldville grew into a town. In 1923
it became the capital of a colony called
the Belgian Congo. The country became
independent in 1960. Leopoldville was
its capital. The city was renamed Kinshasa
in 1966.
Some of the Democratic Republic of the
Congo’s government offices were moved
to the city of Lubumbashi in 2000. Kinshasa
remained the home of the country’s
president.
#More to explore
Congo, Democratic Republic of the
Kiowa
The Kiowa are a Native American
people who probably first lived in what
is now Montana. In the 1700s they
moved to the Great Plains. The Kiowa
were powerful warriors. They defended
their land from U.S. settlers and troops
longer than most other Plains Indian
tribes did.
After arriving on the plains the Kiowa
were introduced to horses. On horseback
Kiowa hunters followed roaming
herds of bison (buffalo). Bison meat
became their major source of food. They
used bison hides to make clothing and
covers for their tepees. The Kiowa did
not farm.
The Kiowa formed alliances with other
Native American tribes. The Kiowa and
their allies attacked travelers, traders,
and settlers who entered their lands.
They also raided settlements in Texas
and Mexico. But U.S. settlers started
taking over Kiowa land anyway. In 1867
some Kiowa leaders agreed to give up all
their land except for a small reservation
in what is now Oklahoma. Many Kiowa,
however, continued to fight U.S. troops.
They were defeated in 1875. Then most
Kiowa moved to the reservation. At the
end of the 20th century there were
about 9,000 Kiowa.
#More to explore
Native Americans
Directly across
the Congo
River from
Kinshasa is
Brazzaville.
Brazzaville is
the capital city
of the Republic
of the Congo.
Elk Tongue of the Kiowa poses with his
daughter in about 1891.
70 Kiowa BRITANNICA STUDENT ENCYCLOPEDIA
Kiribati
The Republic of Kiribati consists of 33
islands in the central Pacific Ocean. It is
part of the region called Oceania. Most
of the islands are low atolls, or coral reefs
surrounding a lagoon. The capital is
Bairiki, on Tarawa Atoll.
Geography
Kiribati includes three island groups—
the Gilbert Islands, the Phoenix Islands,
and most of the Line Islands—and
Banaba Island. The islands are spread
over about 2 million square miles (5
million square kilometers). Kiritimati
(Christmas Island), in the Line Islands,
is the world’s largest coral atoll. It
makes up nearly half of the country’s
land area. Kiribati has hot weather yearround.
Plants and Animals
Coconut palms are among the few
plants that grow in Kiribati. Breadfruit
trees and pandanus palms also grow on
some of the islands. Kiribati’s animals
include seabirds and a variety of fish.
People
Almost all the people of Kiribati are
Micronesians. Nearly everyone is Christian.
Most people speak Gilbertese, but
English is common on Tarawa Atoll.
Most of the population lives in the Gilbert
Islands. People usually live in huts.
Economy
Most people in Kiribati are farmers or
fishers. The main crops are coconuts,
taro, bananas, breadfruit, and papayas.
Kiribati sells copra (dried coconut meat)
and fish to other countries.
History
Great Britain took over the Gilbert
Islands in 1892. Japan occupied Kiribati
during WorldWar II. The United States
and Britain tested nuclear weapons on
Kiritimati in the 1960s. Kiribati gained
independence from Britain in 1979.
..More to explore
Bairiki • Oceania
Men farm seaweed in the shallow waters
off the coast of Tabiteuea, Kiribati.
Facts About
KIRIBATI
Population
(2008 estimate)
97,200
Area
313 sq mi (811
sq km)
Capital
Bairiki
Form of
government
Republic
Major villages
Betio, Bikenibeu,
Teaoraereke,
Bairiki
BRITANNICA STUDENT ENCYCLOPEDIA Kiribati 71
Kite
Kites are popular toys on windy days. A
kite is made of paper, plastic, or cloth
stretched across a light, often wooden
frame. They fly high in the air at the
ends of long strings.
Kites come in many sizes and shapes.
Many simple kites are flat and shaped
like diamonds. More complex kites
might be shaped like boxes or even like
animals.
Flying a Kite
Getting a kite into the air can take two
people. One person holds the kite facing
the wind. Another person stands some
