Kiribati

Republic of Kiribati

republicIndependence 12 July 1979 (from UK)

Kiribati as the 1996 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 84 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

Position1 25 N, 173 00 E

Area717 sq km

LocationOceania, group of islands in the Pacific Ocean,

Populationas each edition published it

80,919 people July 1996 est. · 70,012 in 1990

Population growth% a year

1.89% 1996 est. · 2.03% in 1993

Median ageyears

Not in this edition 19.7 yrs in 2003

Life expectancyyears at birth

62.02 years 1996 est. · 54.16 yrs in 1993

Fertility ratechildren per woman

3.21 children per woman 1996 est. · 4.3 in 1990

Infant mortalitydeaths per 1,000 live births

52.9 deaths per 1,000 live births 1996 est. · 65 in 1990

GDP per capitaeach edition's own dollars

$860 1995 est. · $525 in 1993

GDP real growth% a year

2.6% 1995 est. · 1% in 1993

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

15 fields

Land useshare of 717 sq km

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

Area

717sq km

land area: 717 sq kmcomparative area: four times the size of Washington, DCnote: includes three island groups - Gilbert Islands, Line Islands, Phoenix Islands

Coastline

1,143km

land boundaries: 0 kmexclusive economic zone: 200 nmterritorial sea: 12 nm

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

Climate

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

Terrain

mostly low-lying coral atolls surrounded by extensive reefs

lowest point:: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point:: unnamed location on Banaba 81 m

Natural resources

phosphate (production discontinued in 1979)

Environment

current issues:: heavy pollution in lagoon of south Tarawa atoll due to heavy migration mixed with traditional practices such as lagoon latrines and open-pit dumping; ground water at risk
natural hazards:: typhoons can occur any time, but usually November to March; occasional tornadoes
international agreements:: party to - Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered Species, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Whaling

Geographic 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 fields

Population

80,919

(July 1996 est.)growth rate: 1.89% (1996 est.)

Per 1,000 population(1996 est.)

Birth

27.13Death

7.9Net migration

-0.31

Age structure

0-14 years:: NA
15-64 years:: NA
65 years and over:: NA

Sex ratio

at birth:: NA male(s)/female
under 15 years:: NA male(s)/female
15-64 years:: NA male(s)/female
65 years and over:: NA male(s)/female
all ages:: NA male(s)/female

Infant mortality rate

52.9 deaths/1,000 live births (1996 est.)

Life expectancy at birth

total population:: 62.02 years
male:: 60.25 years
female:: 64.03 years (1996 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)

Government

Republic

19 fields

Legislature, 32 seatsone dot, one seat

(40 total, 39 elected) Maneaban Te Mauri 13independents 19

Name of country

conventional long form:: Republic of Kiribati
conventional short form:: Kiribati

note: pronounced kiribas

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)

Independence

12 July 1979 (from UK)

National holiday

Independence Day, 12 July (1979)

Constitution

12 July 1979

Legal system

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch

chief of state and head of government:: President (Beretitenti) Teburoro TITO (since 1 October 1994) was elected by popular vote;
note - the House of Assembly chooses the presidential candidates from among their members and then those candidates compete in a general election;
election last held 30 September 1994 (next to be held by NA 1999);
results - Teburoro TITO 51.2%, Tewareka TENTOA 18.3%, Roniti TEIWAKI 16.0%, Peter Taberannang TIMEON 14.5%;
Vice President (Kauoman-ni-Beretitenti) Tewareka TENTOA (since 12 October 1994) was appointed by the president
cabinet:: Cabinet was appointed by the president from among the members of the House of Assembly

Legislative branch

unicameral

House of Assembly (Maneaba Ni Maungatabu)

elections last held 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

Judicial branch

Court of Appeal, judges at all levels are appointed by the president; High Court, judges at all levels are appointed by the president

Political parties and leaders

National Progressive Party, Teatao TEANNAKI;
Christian Democratic Party, Teburoro TITO;
New Movement Party, leader NA;
Liberal Party, Tewareka TENTOA;
Maneaban Te Mauri Party, Roniti TEIWAKI

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

International organization participation

ACP, AsDB, C, ESCAP, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, IDA, IFC, IMF, Intelsat (nonsignatory user), Interpol, ITU, Sparteca, SPC, SPF, UNESCO, UPU, WHO

Diplomatic representation in US

Kiribati does not have an embassy in the US

US diplomatic representation

the US does not have an embassy in Kiribati; 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

A remote country of 33 scattered coral atolls, | Kiribati has few national resources.

20 fields

GDP per capita, PPP

$860

(1995 est.)

Real growth rate

2.6%

(1995 est.)industrial production growth: 0.7% (1992 est.)

Inflation, consumer prices

5.5%

(1994 est.)

Unemployment rate

underemployment 70% (1992 est.)

Budget

Revenues

$32.5 millionExpenditures

$54.3 million (1995 est.)

expenditures including capital expenditures of $NA

Installed generating capacity, 5,000 kW

Electricity production

13 millionElectricity consumption per capita

131 (1993)

Economic 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 growth has declined from about 10% in 1988 to about 2.6% in 1995. Economic development is constrained by a shortage of skilled workers, weak infrastructure, and remoteness from international markets. The financial sector is at an early stage of development. Foreign financial aid, largely from the UK and Japan, is a critical supplement to GDP, equal in amount to 25%-50% of GDP in recent years.

GDP

purchasing power parity - $68 million (1995 est.)

GDP composition by sector

agriculture:: NA%
industry:: NA%
services:: NA%

Labor force

7,870 economically active, not including subsistence farmers (1985 est.)

Industries

fishing, handicrafts

Agriculture

copra, taro, breadfruit, sweet potatoes, vegetables; fish

Exports

$6.3 million (f.o.b., 1995 est.)

commodities:: copra 50%, seaweed 16%, fish 15%
partners:: Denmark, Fiji, US

Imports

$38.6 million (c.i.f., 1995 est.)

commodities:: foodstuffs, machinery and equipment, miscellaneous manufactured goods, fuel
partners:: Australia 40%, Japan 18%, Fiji 17%, NZ 6%, US 4% (1991)