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.

Area
Total: 717 km²
Land: 717 km²
Comparative: slightly more than four times the size of Washington, DC
Comparative note: Includes three island groups_Gilbert Islands, Line Islands, Phoenix Islands

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 1,143 km

Maritime claims
Exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
Territorial sea: 12 nm

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

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

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

Natural resources: Phosphate (production discontinued in 1979)

Land use
Arable land: 0%
Permanent crops: 51%
Permanent pastures: 0%
Forests and woodland: 3%
Other: 46%

Irrigated land: NA

Population:
Growth rate:

Nationality
Noun: I-Kiribati (singular and plural)
Adjective: I-Kiribati

Ethnic groups: Micronesian

Languages: English (official), Gilbertese

Religions:

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

Population growth rate:

Birth rate:

Death rate:

Net migration rate: -0.31 migrant(s)/1000 population (1996 est.)
0.56 migrants/1000 population 1995 est. Infant Mortality Rate:

Environment
Current issues: NA
Current issues 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
International agreements 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

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 62.02 years (1996 est.), 54.16 years (1995 est.)
Male: 60.25 years (1996 est.), 52.56 years (1995 est.)
Female: 64.03 years (1996 est.), 55.78 years (1995 est.)

Total fertility rate:

Literacy: definition:NA

Country name
Conventional 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
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 U.K.)

National holiday: Independence Day, 12 July (1979)

Constitution: 12 July 1979

Legal system: NA

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; appointed by the president from an elected parliament

Legislative branch: Unicameral 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

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

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

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 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.

Real gdp growth rate:

Real gdp per capita:

Agriculture products: 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

Industries:

Industrial production growth rate: Growth rate 0.7% (1992 est.), accounts for less than 4% of GDP

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

Unemployment rate: 2%; underemployment 70% (1992 est.)

Budget
Revenues: $32.5 million (1995 est.), $29.6 million (1993 est.)
Expenditures: $54.3 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1995 est.), $32.8 million, including capital expenditures of $14 million (1993 est.)

Fiscal year: NA

Exports:
Commodities:
Partners:

Debt external: $2 million (December 1989 est.)

Exchange rates: Australian dollars ($A) per US$1: 1.3477 (January 1996), 1.3486 (1995), 1.3667 (1994), 1.4704 (1993), 1.3600 (1992), 1.2835 (1991), 1.2799 (1990)

Electricity
Capacity: 5,000 kW
Production: 13 million kWh
Consumption per capita: 131 kWh (1993)

Telephone system: 1,400 telephones
Local: NA
Intercity: NA
International: 1 INTELSAT (Pacific Ocean) earth station

Airports: 20
15-24 to 2437 m: 4
Under 914 m: 5
914 to 1523 m: 11 (1995 est.)

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

Merchant marine
Total: 2 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 3,248 GRT/4,496 DWT
Ships by type: oil tanker 1, short-sea passenger 1 (1995 est.)