Statistical information Kiribati 1993

Kiribati in the World
top of pageBackground: 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.
top of pageLocation: Oceania, straddling the equator in the Pacific Ocean, about halfway between Hawaii and Australia
Geographic coordinatesMap referenceAreaTotal: 717 km²
Land: 717 km²
Land boundaries: 0 km
Coastline: 1,143 km
Exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
Territorial sea: 12 nm
Maritime claimsClimate: tropical; marine, hot and humid, moderated by trade winds
Terrain: mostly low-lying coral atolls surrounded by extensive reefs
ElevationNatural resources: phosphate (production discontinued in 1979)
Land useArable land: 0%
Permanent crops: 51%
Meadows and pastures: 0%
Forest and woodland: 3%
Other: 46%
Irrigated land: NA km²
Major riversMajor watersheds area km²Total water withdrawalTotal renewable water resourcesNatural hazardsGeographytop of pagePopulation: 76,320 (July 1993 est.)
Growth rate: 2.03% (1993 est.)
NationalityNoun: I-Kiribati (singular and plural)
Adjective: I-Kiribati
Ethnic groups: Micronesian
Languages: English (official), Gilbertese
Total population: NA%
Male: NA%
Female: NA%
Religions:
Roman Catholic 52.6%, Protestant (Congregational) 40.9%,
Seventh-Day Adventist, Baha'i, Church of God, Mormon 6% (1985)
Demographic profileAge structureDependency ratiosMedian agePopulation growth rate: 2.03% (1993 est.)
Birth rate: 32.03 births/1000 population (1993 est.)
Death rate: 12.31 deaths/1000 population (1993 est.)
Net migration ratePopulation distributionUrbanizationMajor urban areasEnvironmentCurrent issues: typhoons can occur any time, but usually November to March; 20 of the 33 islands are inhabited
Current issues 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
Air pollutantsSex ratioMothers mean age at first birthMaternal mortality ratioInfant mortality rate: 98.4 deaths/1000 live births (1993 est.)
Life expectancy at birthTotal population: 54.16 years
Male: 52.56 years
Female: 55.78 years (1993 est.)
Total fertility rate: 3.82 children born/woman (1993 est.)
Contraceptive prevalence rateDrinking water sourceCurrent health expenditurePhysicians densityHospital bed densitySanitation facility accessHiv/AidsMajor infectious diseasesObesity adult prevalence rateAlcohol consumptionTobacco useChildren under the age of 5 years underweightEducation expendituresLiteracySchool life expectancy primary to tertiary educationYouth unemploymenttop of pageCountry nameConventional long form: Republic of Kiribati
Conventional short form: Kiribati
Former: Gilbert Islands
Government type: republic
Capital: Tarawa
Administrative divisions:
3 units; Gilbert Islands, Line Islands, Phoenix
Islands
Dependent areasIndependenceNational holiday: Independence Day, 12 July (1979)
Constitution: 12 July 1979
Legal system: NA
International law organization participationCitizenshipSuffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch: president (Beretitenti), vice president (Kauoman-ni-Beretitenti), Cabinet
Legislative branch: unicameral House of Assembly (Maneaba Ni Maungatabu)
Judicial branch: Court of Appeal, High Court
Political parties and leadersInternational organization participation:
ACP, AsDB, C, ESCAP, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, IDA, IFC, IMF,
INTERPOL, ITU, SPARTECA, SPC, SPF, UNESCO, UPU, WHO
Diplomatic representationIn the us: chief of mission: (vacant)
From the us:the ambassador to Fiji is accredited to
Kiribati
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 symbolsNational anthemNational heritagetop of pageEconomy overview: 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 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.
Real gdp purchasing power parityReal gdp growth rate: 1% (1990 est.)
Real gdp per capita: $525 (1990 est.)
Gross national savingGdp composition by sector of origin
Gdp composition by end useGdp composition by sector of originAgriculture products: accounts for 15% 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
Industries: fishing, handicrafts
Industrial production growth rate: growth rate 0% (1988 est.), accounts for less than 4% of GDP
Labor force: 7,870 economically active, not including subsistence farmers (1985 est.)
Unemployment rate: NA%
Youth unemploymentPopulation below poverty lineGini indexHousehold income or consumption by percentage shareDistribution of family income gini indexBudget: revenues $29.9 million; expenditures $16.3 million, including capital expenditures of $14.0 million (1990 est.)
Taxes and other revenuesPublic debtRevenueFiscal year: NA
Inflation rate consumer pricesCentral bank discount rateCommercial bank prime lending rateStock of narrow moneyStock of broad moneyStock of domestic creditMarket value of publicly traded sharesCurrent account balanceExports: $5.8 million (f.o.b., 1990 est.)
Commodoties: copra 18%, fish 17%, seaweed 13%
Partners: EC 50%, Fiji 22%, US 18% (1990)
Imports: $26.7 million (c.i.f., 1990 est.)
Commodoties: foodstuffs, machinery and equipment, miscellaneous manufactured goods, fuel
Partners: Australia 33%, Japan 24%, Fiji 19%, NZ 6%, US 6% (1990)
Reserves of foreign exchange and goldDebt externalStock of direct foreign investment at homeStock of direct foreign investment abroadExchange rates: Australian dollars ($A) per US$1 - 1.4837 (January 1993), 1.3600 (1992), 1.2835 (1991), 1.2799 (1990), 1.2618 (1989), 1.2752 (1988)
top of pageElectricityProduction: 5,000 kW capacity; 13 million kWh produced, 190 kWh per capita (1990)
CoalPetroleumCrude oilRefined petroleumNatural gasCarbon dioxide emissionsEnergy consumption per capitatop of pageTelephonesTelephone systemBroadcast mediaInternetBroadband fixed subscriptionstop of pageMilitary expendituresPercent of gdp: $NA, NA% of GDP
Military and security forcesMilitary service age and obligationSpace programTerrorist groupstop of pageNational air transport systemCivil aircraft registration country code prefixAirports: 21
Usable: 20
With permanentsurface runways: 4
With runways over 3659 m: 0
With runways 2440-3659 m: 0
With runways 1220-2439 m: 5
HeliportsPipelinesRailwaysRoadwaysWaterways: small network of canals, totaling 5 km, in Line Islands
Merchant marinePorts and terminalstop of pageDisputes international: none
Refugees and internally displaced personsIllicit drugs