Map of Kiribati | Geography | People | Government | Economy | Energy | Communication
Military | Transportation | Transnational Issues | Year: Guide1989199019911992199319941995199619971998199920002001200220032004200520062007200820092010201120122013201420152016201720182019202020212022202320242025 | More stats

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Background: The Gilbert Islands were granted self-rule by the UK in 1971 and complete independence in 1979 under the new name of Kiribati. The US relinquished all claims to the sparsely inhabited Phoenix and Line Island groups in a 1979 treaty of friendship with Kiribati.


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Location

Geographic coordinates

Map reference

Area

Land boundaries: none

Coastline: 1,143 km

Maritime claims

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

Terrain: mostly low-lying coral atolls surrounded by extensive reefs

Elevation

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

Irrigated land

Major rivers

Major watersheds area km²

Total water withdrawal

Total renewable water resources

Natural hazards

Geography
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)


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Population: 70,012 (July 1990), growth rate 1.7% (1990)

Nationality: noun--Kiribatian(s; adjective--Kiribati

Ethnic groups: Micronesian

Languages: English (official), Gilbertese

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

Demographic profile

Age structure

Dependency ratios

Median age

Population growth rate

Birth rate: 34 births/1000 population (1990)

Death rate: 13 deaths/1000 population (1990)

Net migration rate: - 5 migrants/1000 population (1990)

Population distribution

Urbanization

Major urban areas

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

Air pollutants

Sex ratio

Mothers mean age at first birth

Maternal mortality ratio

Infant mortality rate: 65 deaths/1000 live births (1990)

Life expectancy at birth: 52 years male, 57 years female (1990)

Total fertility rate: 4.3 children born/woman (1990)

Contraceptive prevalence rate

Drinking water source

Current health expenditure

Physicians density

Hospital bed density

Sanitation facility access

Hiv/Aids

Major infectious diseases

Obesity adult prevalence rate

Alcohol consumption

Tobacco use

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

Education expenditures

Literacy: 90%

School life expectancy primary to tertiary education

Youth unemployment


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Country name: conventional long form: Republic of Kiribati

Government type: republic

Capital: Tarawa

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

Dependent areas

Independence: 12 July 1979 (from UK; formerly Gilbert Islands)

National holiday: Independence Day, 12 July (1979)

Constitution: 12 July 1979

Legal system

International law organization participation

Citizenship

Suffrage: universal at age 18

Executive branch: Chief of State and Head of Government--President Ieremia T. TABAI (since 12 July 1979; Vice President Teatao TEANNAKI (since 20 July 1979)

Legislative branch: NA

Judicial branch: Court of Appeal, High Court

Political parties and leaders

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

Diplomatic representation
In the us: Ambassador (vacant) lives in Tarawa (Kiribati; US--none

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

National symbols

National anthem

National heritage


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Economy overview: 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.

Real gdp purchasing power parity

Real gdp growth rate

Real gdp per capita

Gross national saving

Gdp composition by end use

Gdp composition by sector of origin

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

Industries: fishing, handicrafts

Industrial production growth rate: NA%

Labor force: 7,870 economically active (1985 est.)

Unemployment rate: 2% (1985; considerable underemployment

Youth unemployment

Population below poverty line

Gini index

Household income or consumption by percentage share

Distribution of family income gini index

Budget: revenues $22.0 million; expenditures $12.7 million, including capital expenditures of $9.7 million (1988)

Taxes and other revenues

Public debt

Revenue

Fiscal year: NA

Inflation rate consumer prices

Central bank discount rate

Commercial bank prime lending rate

Stock of narrow money

Stock of broad money

Stock of domestic credit

Market value of publicly traded shares

Current account balance

Exports: $5.1 million (f.o.b., 1988)
Commodities: fish 55%, copra 42%
Partners: EC 20%, Marshall Islands 12%, US 8%, American Samoa 4% (1985)

Imports: $21.5 million (c.i.f., 1988)
Commodities: foodstuffs, fuel, transportation equipment
Partners: Australia 39%, Japan 21%, NZ 6%, UK 6%, US 3% (1985)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

Debt external: $2.0 million (December 1987 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment at home

Stock of direct foreign investment abroad

Exchange rates: Australian dollars ($A) per US$1--1.2784 (January 1990), 1.2618 (1989), 1.2752 (1988), 1.4267 (1987), 1.4905 (1986), 1.4269 (1985)


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Electricity
Capacity: 5,000 kW capacity; 13 million kWh produced, 190 kWh per capita (1989)

Coal

Petroleum

Crude oil

Refined petroleum

Natural gas

Carbon dioxide emissions

Energy consumption per capita


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Telephones

Telephone system

Broadcast media

Internet

Broadband fixed subscriptions


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Military expenditures
Percent of gdp: NA

Military and security forces

Military service age and obligation

Space program

Terrorist groups


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National air transport system

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

Airports: 22 total; 21 usable; 4 with permanent-surface runways; none with runways over 2,439 m; 5 with runways 1,220-2,439 m

Heliports

Pipelines

Railways

Roadways

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

Merchant marine

Ports and terminals


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Disputes international

Refugees and internally displaced persons

Illicit drugs