Kiribati

republicIndependence 12 July 1979 (from UK

Kiribati as the 1992 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 69 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

74,788 people July 1992 · 70,012 in 1990

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

3.9 children per woman 1992 · 4.3 in 1990

Infant mortalitydeaths per 1,000 live births

99 deaths per 1,000 live births 1992 · 65 in 1990

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

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Total area

717km2

Comparative area: slightly more than four times the size of Washington, DC

Coastline

1,143km

land boundaries: noneExclusive economic zone: 200 nmTerritorial sea: 12 nm

Land area

717 km2; includes three island groups - Gilbert Islands, Line Islands, Phoenix Islands

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

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

Environment

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

Note

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

People

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Population

74,788

(July 1992), growth rate 2.1% (1992)

Per 1,000 population(1992)

Birth

33Death

12Net migration

Labor force

7,870economically active

not including subsistence farmers (1985 est.)

Nationality

noun - I-Kiribati (singular and plural); adjective - I-Kiribati

Religions

Roman Catholic 52.6%, Protestant (Congregational) 40.9%, Seventh-Day Adventist, Baha'i, Church of God, Mormon 6% (1985)

Organized labor

Kiribati Trades Union Congress - 2,500 members

Government

Republic

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Long-form name

Republic of Kiribati; note - pronounced Kiribas

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 21 island councils (one for each of the inhabited islands) named Abaiang, Abemama, Aranuka, Arorae, Banaba, Beru, Butaritari, Canton, Kiritimati, Kuria, Maiana, Makin, Marakei, Nikunau, Nonouti, Onotoa, Tabiteuea, Tabuaeran, Tamana, Tarawa, Teraina

Independence

12 July 1979 (from UK; formerly Gilbert Islands)

Executive branch

president (Beretitenti), vice president (Kauoman-ni-Beretitenti), Cabinet

Legislative branch

unicameral House of Assembly (Maneaba Ni Maungatabu)

Leaders

Chief of State and Head of Government: President Teatao TEANNAKI (since 8 July 1991); Vice President Taomati IUTA (since 8 July 1991)

Political parties and leaders

National Progressive Party, Teatao TEANNAKI;
Christian Democratic Party, Teburoro TITO;
New Movement Party, leader NA;
Liberal Party, Tewareka TENTOA;
note - there is no tradition of formally organized political parties in Kiribati;
they more closely resemble factions or interest groups because they have no party headquarters, formal platforms, or party structures

Elections

President:: last held on 8 July 1991 (next to be held May 1995); results - Teatao TEANNAKI 52%, Roniti TEIWAKI 28%
House of Assembly:: last held on 8 May 1991 (next to be held May 1995);
results - percent of vote by party NA;
seats - (40 total; 39 elected) percent of seats by party NA

Member of

ACP, AsDB, C, ESCAP (associate), IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, IDA, IFC, IMF, INTERPOL, ITU, SPC, SPF, UNESCO, UPU, WHO, WTO

Diplomatic representation

Ambassador (vacant) lives in Tarawa (Kiribati); US: the ambassador to Fiji is accredited to Kiribati

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.

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Inflation, consumer prices

4.0%

(1990 est.)

Unemployment rate

(1985); considerable underemployment

External debt

$2.0million

(December 1989 est.)

Budget

Revenues

$29.9 millionExpenditures

$16.3 million

expenditures, including capital expenditures of $14.0 million (1990 est.)

The country has few national resources. Commercially viable 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, GNP increased 1% in both 1989 and 1990.

GDP

exchange rate conversion - $36.8 million, per capita $525; real growth rate 1.0% (1990 est.)

Exports

$5.8 million (f.o.b., 1990 est.)

commodities:: fish 55%, copra 42%
partners:: EC 20%, Marshall Islands 12%, US 8%, American Samoa 4% (1985)

Imports

$26.7 million (c.i.f., 1990 est.)

commodities:: foodstuffs, fuel, transportation equipment
partners:: Australia 39%, Japan 21%, NZ 6%, UK 6%, US 3% (1985)

Industrial production

growth rate 0% (1988 est.); accounts for less than 4% of GDP

Electricity

5,000 kW capacity; 13 million kWh produced, 190 kWh per capita (1990)

Industries

fishing, handicrafts

Agriculture

accounts for 30% of GDP (including fishing);
copra and fish contribute about 95% to exports;
subsistence farming predominates;
food crops - taro, breadfruit, sweet potatoes, vegetables;
not self-sufficient in food

Economic aid

Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-89), $273 million

Currency

Australian dollar (plural - dollars); 1 Australian dollar ($A) = 100 cents

Exchange rates

Australian dollars ($A) per US$1 - 1.3177 (March 1992), 1.2835 (1991), 1.2799 (1990), 1.2618 (1989), 1.2752 (1988), 1.4267 (1987), 1.4905 (1986)

Fiscal year

Communications

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Highways

640 km of motorable roads

Inland waterways

small network of canals, totaling 5 km, in Line Islands

Ports

Banaba and Betio (Tarawa)

Civil air

2 Trislanders; no major transport aircraft

Airports

21 total;
20 usable;
4 with permanent-surface runways;
none with runways over 2,439 m;
5 with runways 1,220-2,439 m

Telecommunications

1,400 telephones;
broadcast stations - 1 AM, no FM, no TV;
1 Pacific Ocean INTELSAT earth station

Defense Forces

No military force maintained; the Police Force carries out law enforcement | functions and paramilitary duties; there are small police posts on all | islands

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