Beru (atoll)

Beru is an atoll in the Southern Gilbert Islands in the Pacific Ocean, part of the Republic of Kiribati. Beru was previously known as Eliza, Francis Island, Maria, Peroat, Peru Island or Sunday. It's part of a larger reef with the Nuka Lagoon at its center, and the nearest island is Nikunau. The Tabiang Lagoon is present in the north. Beru is home to 2,051 inhabitants (2015 census). Due to sea surges, the atoll is experiencing coastal erosion along with damages to seawalls.

Beru means gecko in Gilbertese and its pronunciation is similar to Peru, with a P (there is no P sound in Gilbertese).

Beru is part of a larger reef, some long (NW SE) and wide at the widest point (NE SW). The center of the reef is a shallow depression called Nuka Lagoon. The land mass occupies fully a third or more of the shallow reef structure and is positioned mostly towards the northeast edge of the reef. In maximum dimension the islet is long, and varies in width between and
Extensive spit development has created the nearly enclosed Tabiang Lagoon at the north end where mangroves are present. A small lagoon or barachois at the northern tip is surrounded by man made fishponds to hold Milkfish, as is a similar feature at the south end of the islet. A long barachois with extensive mangroves occupies the interior south of Nuka Lagoon. A causeway is present across the inlet mouth and a landing strip is present on the interior flats. The Nuka Lagoon, has a broad passage entering it. and Return to the Islands (1957), which was republished by Eland, London in 2011, He also wrote Tungaru Traditions: writings on the atoll culture of the Gilbert Islands, University of Hawaii Press, Honolulu, 1989, .|group=Note

Beru Post Office opened around 1911.

The island has the one Christian senior high school, Hiram Bingham High School.