Aggregate mining and the removal of coral boulders is exacerbating coastal erosion.
The causeways have also resulted to reduced flushing of the lagoon that has resulted in low levels of oxygen, therefore causing damage to fish stocks in the lagoon and causes other biological problems. The erosion problems are identified as being linked to aggregate mining, land reclamation and the construction of causeways that is thought to change the currents along the shoreline. Seepage of saltwater into the pits in which babai ( Cyrtosperma merkusii or giant swamp taro) is grown is the major concern of islanders. There is a village on the larger Bikati (2 by 0.5 km). (Narrow islets are somewhat characteristic of Kiribati atolls running east–west.) īikati and Bikatieta islets occupy a corner of the reef at the extreme northwest tip of the atoll, bordering a small lagoon to the north of the main lagoon. Mangrove swamps appear well developed in these latter areas as well as all along the southern lagoon shore. These islets are mostly between 0.2 km (0.1 mi) and 0.5 km (0.3 mi) across, but widen in the areas where the reef changes directions. The south and southeast portion of the atoll comprises a nearly continuous islet, broken only by a single, broad section of interislet reef. The lagoon is deep and can accommodate large ships, though the entrance passages are relatively narrow. Thus, the lagoon of Butaritari is very open to exchange with the ocean. In the northeast corner, the reef is some 1.75 km (1.09 mi) across and with only scattered small islet development. The atoll reef is continuous but almost without islets along the north side. Small islets are found on reef sections between these channels. The reef is more submerged and broken into several broad channels along the west side. The atoll is roughly four-sided and nearly 30 km (19 mi) across in the east–west direction, and averages about 15 km (9 mi) north to south. Butaritari has also previously been known as Pitt Island, Taritari Island, or Touching Island. Now that Butaritari has become the preferred name for the larger atoll, speakers tend to drop the qualifier for Makin. military, and present-day Makin was then known as Makin Meang (Northern Makin) or Little Makin to distinguish it. Butaritari was called Makin Atoll by the U.S. The causeway connecting Tanimaiaki and Keueaīutaritari is the second most northerly of the Gilbert Islands 3 kilometres (1.6 nmi 1.9 mi) to the northeast is Makin. These two atolls share a dialect of the Gilbertese language. Locally, Makin is the name of a separate but closest atoll, 3 kilometres (1.6 nmi 1.9 mi) to the northeast of Butaritari, but close enough to be seen. During World War II, Butaritari was known by United States Armed Forces as Makin Atoll, and was the site of the Battle of Makin. Butaritari atoll has a land area of 13.49 km 2 (5.21 sq mi) and a population of 3,224 as of 2015. It is the most fertile of the Gilbert Islands, with relatively good soils (for an atoll) and high rainfall.
The lagoon of Butaritari is deep and can accommodate large ships, though the entrance passages are relatively narrow. Small islets are found on reef sections between channels on the west side. Bikati and Bikatieta islets occupy a corner of the reef at the extreme northwest tip of the atoll. The south and southeast portion of the atoll comprises a nearly continuous islet. Butaritari is an atoll in the Pacific Ocean island nation of Kiribati.
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