A
referendum on separating from the Gilbert Islands was held in the
Ellice Islands (then administered together as the
Gilbert and Ellice Islands) between July and September 1974. The result was 92.8% of voters in favour of separation. In October the following year the islands were officially separated, and four years after the referendum, the islands became the independent nation of
Tuvalu, whilst the Gilbert Islands became
Kiribati. Voter turnout was 88.4%.