Kiribati

Republic of Kiribati

republicIndependence 12 July 1979 (from UK)

Kiribati as the 1997 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 93 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, straddling

Populationas each edition published it

82,449 people July 1997 est. · 70,012 in 1990

Population growth% a year

1.85% 1997 est. · 2.03% in 1993

Median ageyears

Not in this edition 19.7 yrs in 2003

Life expectancyyears at birth

62.35 years 1997 est. · 54.16 yrs in 1993

Fertility ratechildren per woman

3.17 children per woman 1997 est. · 4.3 in 1990

Infant mortalitydeaths per 1,000 live births

51.15 deaths per 1,000 live births 1997 est. · 65 in 1990

GDP per capitaeach edition's own dollars

$800 1996 est. · $525 in 1993

GDP real growth% a year

2.6% 1995 est. · 1% in 1993

Geography

18 fields

Land useshare of 717 sq km

permanent crops 51%forests and woodland 3%other 46% (1993 est.)arable land: NA% · permanent pastures: NA%

Area

717sq km

land: 717 sq kmwater: 0 sq kmnote: includes three island groups - Gilbert Islands, Line Islands, Phoenix Islandsfour times the size of Washington, DC

Coastline

1,143km

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

Highest point

81m

unnamed location on Banabalowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m

Location

Oceania, group of islands in the Pacific Ocean, straddling the equator, about one-half of the way from Hawaii to Australia;
note - on 1 January 1995, Kiribati unilaterally moved the International Date Line from the middle of the country to include its easternmost islands and make it the same day throughout the country

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)

Natural hazards

typhoons can occur any time, but usually November to March; occasional tornadoes

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

Environment - international agreements

party to :: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered Species, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Whaling
signed, but not ratified:: none of the selected agreements

Geography - 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

82,449

(July 1997 est.)growth rate: 1.85% (1997 est.)

Per 1,000 population(1997 est.)

Birth

26.79Death

7.71Net migration

-0.53

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
total population:: NA male(s)/female

Infant mortality rate

51.15 deaths/1,000 live births (1997 est.)

Life expectancy at birth

total population:: 62.35 years
male:: 60.56 years
female :: 64.37 years (1997 est.)

Nationality

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

Religions

Roman Catholic 53%, Protestant (Congregational) 41%, Seventh-Day Adventist, Baha'i, Church of God, Mormon 6% (1985 est.)

Government

Republic; President (Beretitenti) Teburoro TITO (since 1 October 1994); President (Beretitenti) Teburoro TITO (since 1 October 1994)

18 fields

Presidential electionpercent of vote

51.2%

Teburoro TITO 51.2%Tewareka TENTOA 18.3%Roniti TEIWAKI 16.0%Peter Taberannang TIMEON 14.5%election last held 30 September 1994 (next to be held by NA September 1998)

Legislature, 32 seatsone dot, one seat

Maneaban Te Mauri 13independents 19

Country name

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 - one for each of the inhabited islands (Abaiang, Abemama, Aranuka, Arorae, Banaba, Beru, Butaritari, Kanton, Kiritimati, Kuria, Maiana, Makin, Marakei, Nikunau, Nonouti, Onotoa, Tabiteuea, Tabuaeran, Tamana, Tarawa, Teraina

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:: President (Beretitenti) Teburoro TITO (since 1 October 1994);
Vice President (Kauoman-ni-Beretitenti) Tewareka TENTOA (since 12 October 1994);
note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government
head of government:: President (Beretitenti) Teburoro TITO (since 1 October 1994);
Vice President (Kauoman-ni-Beretitenti) Tewareka TENTOA (since 12 October 1994);
note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government
cabinet :: Cabinet appointed by the president from among the members of the House of Assembly
elections:: president elected by popular vote for a four-year term;
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 September 1998);
vice president appointed by the president
election results:: Teburoro TITO elected president; percent of vote - Teburoro TITO 51.2%, Tewareka TENTOA 18.3%, Roniti TEIWAKI 16.0%, Peter Taberannang TIMEON 14.5%

Legislative branch

unicameral House of Assembly or Maneaba Ni Maungatabu (41 seats; 39 elected by popular vote, one ex officio member, and one nominated to represent Banaba; members serve four-year terms)

elections :: last held 22 July 1994 (next to be held by NA July 1998)
election results:: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - 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, WTrO (applicant)

Diplomatic representation in the US

Kiribati does not have an embassy in the US

Diplomatic representation from the US

the US does not have an embassy in Kiribati;
the ambassador to the Marshall Islands is accredited to Kiribati;
Honolulu is a honorary consul

Flag description

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.

22 fields

Real growth rate

2.6%

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

Inflation, consumer prices

5.1%

(1994 est.)

Unemployment rate

underemployment 70% (1992 est.)

Labor force

7,870economically active

not including subsistence farmers (1985 est.)

GDP - composition by sector(1994)

agriculture 11%industry 4%services 85% (1994)

Budget

Revenues

$32.5 millionExpenditures

$54.3 million (1995 est.)

expenditures including capital expenditures of $NA

Economy - 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. Remittances from overseas I-Kiribati account for more than $5 million each year.

GDP

purchasing power parity - $62 million (1996 est.)

GDP - per capita

purchasing power parity - $800 (1996 est.)

Industries

fishing, handicrafts

Electricity - capacity

5,000 kW (1994)

Electricity - production

10 million kWh (1994)

Electricity - consumption per capita

NA kWh

Agriculture - products

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

Exports

total value:: $6.3 million (f.o.b., 1995 est.)
commodities:: copra 50%, seaweed 16%, fish 15%
partners:: Denmark, Fiji, US

Imports

total value :: $38.6 million (c.i.f., 1995 est.)
commodities:: foodstuffs, machinery and equipment, miscellaneous manufactured goods, fuel
partners:: Australia 40%, Japan 13%, Fiji 10%, NZ 6%, US 4% (1994)