Tarawa chitsuwa chinokosha mungano netsika zveKiribati, asi upenyu hwepaSouth Tarawa hwakanga hwakasiyana zvishoma nehwepazvimwe zvitsuwa isati yasarudzwa muna 1895 senzvimbo yehurumende yekoloni yeProtectorate yeGilbert neEllice Islands. Kubva muna 1906 kusvika muna 1942, Ocean Island ndiyo yaiva dzimbahwe renyika yacho, ikazochinjwa kunzi Funafuti nemhaka yokugara kwaiita maJapan paGilbert Islands
kusvikira muna 1946, apo yakadzokera kuTarawa.