when did it get its independence?
1979
Kiribati
Kiribati gained its independence from the United Kingdom, becoming a sovereign state in 1979. 
when was caroline island sighted for the first time? 1606 who did that? Europeans what is the island's location? It is the easternmost of the uninhabited coral atolls which comprise the southern Line Islands in the central Pacific Ocean of Kiribati. is the mentioned place a country? Yes, an independent country.
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Kiribati [SEP] Introduction
Kiribati is one of the few countries in the world to be situated in all four hemispheres. Kiribati gained its independence from the United Kingdom, becoming a sovereign state in 1979. The capital, South Tarawa, now the most populated area, consists of a number of islets, connected by a series of causeways. These comprise about half the area of Tarawa atoll.