) | a group of islands in the central Pacific Ocean, S of the Hawaiian Islands: eight belong to the Republic of Kiribati, three are U.S. dependencies. 4800; 193 sq. mi. (500 sq. km). |
Line Islands  (līn) A group of islands in the central Pacific Ocean south of Hawaii and astride the equator. First visited by American sailors in 1798, they were formerly part of the British Gilbert and Ellice Islands colony and are now part of Kiribati. |