Kiribati's 22 islands constitute the first administrative level in the country's two-tier governance structure. These islands serve as the primary territorial divisions for organizing local administration, public services, and government functions across the nation's widely dispersed geography. As the highest sub-national administrative units, the islands function as jurisdictional boundaries for implementing national policies, coordinating regional development programs, and delivering essential services such as healthcare, education, and infrastructure maintenance. This administrative framework reflects Kiribati's unique geographic reality as an island nation scattered across a vast expanse of the central Pacific Ocean, where each island division requires distinct administrative oversight to manage its local affairs while maintaining coordination with the national government.