GILBERT (KINGSMILL) ISLANDS  , an extensive archipelago belonging to Great Britain in the mid-western Pacific Ocean, lying N. and S. of the equator, and between 1700 and 18o° E . There are sixteen islands, all coral reefs or atolls, extending in crescent form over about five degrees of latitude . The principal is Taputenea or Drummond Island . The soil, mostly of coral sand, is productive of little else than the coco-nut palm, and the chief source of food supply is the sea . The population of these islands presents a remarkable phenomenon; in spite of adverse conditions of environment and complete barbarism it is exceedingly dense, in strong contradistinction to that of many other more favoured islands . The land area of the group is only 166 m., yet the population is about 30,000 . The Gilbert islanders are a dark and coarse type of the Polynesian race, and show signs of much crossing . They are tall and stout, with an average height of 5 ft . 8 in., and are of a vigorous, energetic temperament . They are nearly always naked, but wear a conical hat of pandanus leaf . In war they have an armour of plaited coco-nut fibres . They are fierce fighters, their chief weapon being a sword armed with sharks' teeth .

Their canoes are well made of coco-nut

wood boards sewn neatly together and fastened on frames . British and American missionary work has been prosecuted with some success . The large population led to the introduction of natives from these islands into Hawaii as labourers in 1878-1884, but they were not found satisfactory . The islands were discovered by John Byron in 1765 (one of them bearing his name); Captains Gilbert and Marshall visited them in 1788; and they were annexed by Great Britain in 1892 .