Kiribati
Republic of Kiribati
republicIndependence 12 July 1979 (from UK)
Kiribati as the 1995 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 77 fields, one of 36 editions from 1990 to 2025.
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Geography
Oceania, group of islands in the Pacific Ocean, straddling | the equator and the International Date Line, about one-half of the way | from Hawaii to Australia
14 fieldsLand useshare of 717 sq km
Location
Oceania, group of islands in the Pacific Ocean, straddling the equator and the International Date Line, about one-half of the way from Hawaii to Australia
Environment
- current issues:
- NA
- natural hazards:
- typhoons can occur any time, but usually November to March; occasional tornadoes
- international agreements:
- party to - Biodiversity, Endangered Species, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection; signed, but not ratified - Climate Change
Note
20 of the 33 islands are inhabited; 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
15 fieldsPer 1,000 population(1995 est.)
Religions
Roman Catholic 52.6%, Protestant (Congregational) 40.9%, Seventh-Day Adventist, Baha'i, Church of God, Mormon 6% (1985)
Government
Republic
19 fieldsNames
- conventional long form:
- Republic of Kiribati
- conventional short form:
- Kiribati
- former:
- Gilbert Islands
Administrative divisions
3 units; Gilbert Islands, Line Islands, Phoenix Islands
note: in addition, there are 6 districts (Banaba, Central Gilberts, Line Islands, Northern Gilberts, Southern Gilberts, Tarawa) and 21 island councils (Abaiang, Abemama, Aranuka, Arorae, Banaba, Beru, Butaritari, Kanton, Kiritimati, Kuria, Maiana, Makin, Marakei, Nikunau, Nonouti, Onotoa, Tabiteuea, Tabuaeran, Tamana, Tarawa, Teraina; note - one council for each of the inhabited islands)
Executive branch
- chief of state and head of government:
- President (Beretitenti) Teburoro TITO (since 1 October 1994);
- Vice President (Kauoman-ni-Beretitenti) Tewareka TENTOA (since 12 October 1994);
- election last held on 30 September 1994 (next to be held by NA 1999)
- cabinet:
- Cabinet; appointed by the president from an elected parliament
House of Assembly (Maneaba Ni Maungatabu)
- elections last held on 22 July 1994 (next to be held by NA 1999);
- results - percent of vote by party NA;
- seats - (40 total; 39 elected) Maneaban Te Mauri 13, National Progressive Party 7, independents 19
Political parties and leaders
- National Progressive Party, Teatao TEANNAKI;
- Christian Democratic Party, Teburoro TITO;
- New Movement Party, leader NA;
- Liberal Party, Tewareka TENTOA;
- Maneaba Party, Roniti TEIWAKI;
- Maneaban Te Mauri, leader NA
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
Member of
ACP, AsDB, C, ESCAP, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, IDA, IFC, IFRCS (associate), IMF, INTELSAT (nonsignatory user), INTERPOL, ITU, SPARTECA, SPC, SPF, UNESCO, UPU, WHO
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
A remote country of 33 scattered coral atolls, Kiribati has | few national resources.
18 fieldsInstalled generating capacity, 5,000 kW
Overview
A remote country of 33 scattered coral atolls, Kiribati 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 5% 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 10%. The upturn in economic growth came from an increase in copra production and a good fish catch.
GDP then fell by 2.2% in 1989 and by 2.9% in 1990, but has risen by about 3% annually in 1991-93. Foreign financial aid, largely from the UK and Japan, is a critical supplement to GDP, amounting to 25%-50% of GDP in recent years.
Exports
$4.2 million (f.o.b., 1992 est.)
- commodities:
- copra 50%, seaweed 16%, fish 15%
- partners:
- Denmark, Fiji, US
Imports
$33.1 million (c.i.f., 1992 est.)
- commodities:
- foodstuffs, machinery and equipment, miscellaneous manufactured goods, fuel
- partners:
- Australia 40%, Japan 18%, Fiji 17%, NZ 6%, US 4% (1991)
Agriculture
- accounts for 23% of GDP (including fishing);
- copra and fish contribute about 65% to exports;
- subsistence farming predominates;
- food crops - taro, breadfruit, sweet potatoes, vegetables;
- not self-sufficient in food
Economic aid
recipient: Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-89), $273 million
Exchange rates
Australian dollars ($A) per US$1 - 1.3058 (January 1995), 1.3667 (1994), 1.4704 (1993), 1.3600 (1992), 1.2835 (1991), 1.2799 (1990)
Transportation
6 fieldsAirports by runway lengthpaved left, unpaved right · 21 in all
Networkskm
Communications
3 fieldsTelephone system
1,400 telephones
- local:
- NA
- intercity:
- NA
- international:
- 1 INTELSAT (Pacific Ocean) earth station
Defense Forces
Police Force (carries out law enforcement functions and | paramilitary duties; there are small police posts on all islands); no | military force is maintained
2 fieldsBranches
Police Force (carries out law enforcement functions and paramilitary duties; there are small police posts on all islands); no military force is maintained
Cite this entry
Central Intelligence Agency. “Kiribati.” The World Factbook 1995. Archived by The Factbook, thefactbook.org/kiribati/1995.