A Phosphate island like its neighbor Nauru.

Occupied by Japan 1942-45. The people were deported by the Japanese to the Gilbert Islands (now Kiribati). Since then some have gone to Rabi, a Fijian island. They have fought a long legal case to try to get compensation for the mining of phosphate from their island and its destruction as a result.

The Mining was exhausted in 1979. The Banabans are now citizens of Kiribati and Fiji.