Discovery of Kiritimati

Date: December 24, 1777 • Location: Kiritimati, Kiribati

Kiritimati, also called Christmas Island, is discovered by James Cook.

Kiritimati, also known as Christmas Island, is a Pacific Ocean atoll in the northern Line Islands. It is part of the Republic of Kiribati. The name is derived from the English word "Christmas" written in Gilbertese according to its phonology, in which the combination ti is pronounced.