If you were to travel due south from Hawaii, what is the first island nation whose territory you would encounter?

Kiribati

Explanation:

If someone travels south of the Hawaii Islands the first nation that will be encountered is the island nation of Kiribati. Kiribati is known as the nation from which the time starts, as it is the nation that borders the International Date Line. This is nation consisted of numerous small islands, and even though the borders of the nation make it seem very large, the majority of it is ocean water, while the land mass is only 800 square km in size. The population is only around 110,000 people. Kiribati was British mandate until very recently, and the nation only became independent in 1979, and the independence was done in a peaceful manner through negotiations.