Kiribati

republicIndependence 12 July 1979 (from UK

Kiribati as the 1990 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 66 fields, one of 36 editions from 1990 to 2025.

field in that editiontext changed from the edition beforenot in that editionthe open editionEach field below ends in its editions, 1990 to 2025. Point at a year above to follow it down.

CapitalTarawa

Area717 km2

Populationas each edition published it

70,012 people July 1990 · 116,545 in 2025

Population growth% a year

Not in this edition 2.03% in 1993

Median ageyears

Not in this edition 19.7 yrs in 2003

Life expectancyyears at birth

Not in this edition 54.16 yrs in 1993

Fertility ratechildren per woman

4.3 children per woman 1990 · 2.13 in 2025

Infant mortalitydeaths per 1,000 live births

65 deaths per 1,000 live births 1990 · 30.8 in 2025

GDP per capitaeach edition's own dollars

Not in this edition $525 in 1993

GDP real growth% a year

Not in this edition 1% in 1993

Geography

12 fields

Total area

717km2

land area: 717 km2; includes three island groups--Gilbert Islands, Line Islands, Phoenix IslandsComparative area: slightly more than four times the size of Washington, DC

Coastline

1,143km

land boundaries: noneTerritorial sea: 12 nm

Climate

tropical; marine, hot and humid, moderated by trade winds

Terrain

mostly low-lying coral atolls surrounded by extensive reefs

Natural resources

phosphate (production discontinued in 1979)

Land use

NEGL% arable land;
51% permanent crops;
0% meadows and pastures;
3% forest and woodland;
46% other

Environment

typhoons can occur any time, but usually November to March; 20 of the 33 islands are inhabited

Note

Banaba or Ocean Island is one of the three great phosphate rock islands in the Pacific (the others are Makatea in French Polynesia and Nauru)

People

14 fields

Population

70,012

(July 1990), growth rate 1.7% (1990)

Per 1,000 population(1990)

Birth

34Death

Religion

Roman Catholic 48%Protestant (Congregational) 45%some Seventh-Day Adventist and Baha'i

Labor force

7,870economically active

(1985 est.)

Literacy

90%

Nationality

noun--Kiribatian(s); adjective--Kiribati

Organized labor

Kiribati Trades Union Congress--2,500 members

Government

Republic

15 fields

Presidential electionpercent of vote

50.1%

Ieremia T. Tabai 50.1%Tebruroro Tito 42.7%Tetao Tannaki 7.2%12 May 1987 (next to be held May 1991)

Administrative divisions

3 units;
Gilbert Islands, Line Islands, Phoenix Islands;
note--a new administrative structure of 6 districts (Banaba, Central Gilberts, Line Islands, Northern Gilberts, Southern Gilberts, Tarawa) may have been changed to 20 island councils (one for each of the inhabited islands) named Abaiang, Abemama, Aranuka, Arorae, Banaba, Beru, Butaritari, Kiritimati, Kuria, Maiana, Makin, Marakei, Nikunau, Nonouti, Onotoa, Tabiteuea, Tabuaeran, Tamana, Tarawa, Teraina

Independence

12 July 1979 (from UK; formerly Gilbert Islands)

Legislative branch

unicameral House of Assembly (Maneaba Ni Maungatabu)

Judicial branch

Court of Appeal, High Court Chief of State and Head of Government--President Ieremia T. TABAI (since 12 July 1979);
Vice President Teatao TEANNAKI (since 20 July 1979)

Political parties and leaders

Gilbertese National Party;
Christian Democratic Party, Teburoro Tito, secretary;
essentially not organized on basis of political parties

Suffrage

universal at age 18 President--last held on 12 May 1987 (next to be held May 1991);
results--Ieremia T. Tabai 50.1%, Tebruroro Tito 42.7%, Tetao Tannaki 7.2%;
National Assembly--last held on 19 March l987 (next to be held March 1991);
results--percent of vote by party NA;
seats--(40 total; 39 elected) percent of seats by party NA

Member of

ACP, ADB, Commonwealth, ESCAP (associate member), GATT (de facto), ICAO, IMF, SPF, WHO

Diplomatic representation

Ambassador (vacant) lives in Tarawa (Kiribati); US--none

Flag

the upper half is red with a yellow frigate bird flying over a yellow rising sun and the lower half is blue with three horizontal wavy white stripes to represent the ocean

Economy

The country has few national resources.

16 fields

GDP, purchasing power parity

$34million

per capita $500; real growth rate 0% (1989)

Inflation, consumer prices

3.1%

(1988)

Unemployment rate

(1985); considerable underemployment

External debt

$2.0million

(December 1987 est.)

Exports $5.1 million (f.o.b., 1988)commodities, where a share is given

fish

55%copra

42%

; partners--EC 20%, Marshall Islands 12%, US 8%, American Samoa 4% (1985)

Budget

Revenues

$22.0 millionExpenditures

$12.7 million

expenditures, including capital expenditures of $9.7 million (1988)

The country has few national resources. Phosphate deposits were exhausted at the time of independence in 1979. Copra and fish now represent the bulk of production and exports. The economy has fluctuated widely in recent years. Real GDP declined about 8% in 1987, as the fish catch fell sharply to only one-fourth the level of 1986 and copra production was hampered by repeated rains.

Output rebounded strongly in 1988, with real GDP growing by 17%. The upturn in economic growth came from an increase in copra production and a good fish catch. Following the strong surge in output in 1988, GDP remained about the same in 1989.