Kiribati is the only country in the world to straddle both the equator and the international dateline. It is a remote nation of postcard-perfect islands that emerge imperceptibly from the sea. Seen from above, the land and the water of Kiribati are virtually indistinguishable, the lines between them muted by the action of waves and the ebb and flow of tides. For 4,000 years the intimate interplay of islands and ocean has served the Kiribati people well. Now, due to ominous changes in weather patterns and a rising sea level that are resulting from global climate change, that interaction is becoming decidedly one-sided. And the Kiribati are preparing to bid their beautiful islands farewell.