Article Summary:

The Pacific Island nation of Kiribati has distinguished itself on the global conservation map with the declaration that it is creating the third largest marine protected area in the world, conserving an archipelago of some of the planet’s most pristine coral reefs, the Phoenix Islands. Located near the equator in the Central Pacific between Hawaii and Fiji, the Phoenix Islands form an archipelago several hundred miles long. Conservation efforts in the region are supported by the New England Aquarium and Conservation International.