Background: The Gilbert Islands became a British protectorate in 1892 and a colony in 1915; they were captured by the Japanese in the Pacific War in 1941. The islands of Makin and Tarawa were the sites of major US amphibious victories over entrenched Japanese garrisons in 1943. 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. Kiribati joined the UN in 1999 and has been an active participant in international efforts to combat climate change.

Geographic coordinates: 1 25 N, 173 00 E

Map reference: Oceania

Area
Total: note: includes three island groups - Gilbert Islands, Line Islands, and Phoenix Islands - dispersed over about 3.5 million km² (1.35 million sq mi)
Land: 811 km²
Water: 0 km²
Rank: 187
Comparative: four times the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 1143 km

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

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

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

Elevation
Mean elevation: 2 m
Lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
Highest point: unnamed elevation on Banaba 81 m m

Natural resources: phosphate (production discontinued in 1979), coconuts (copra), fish

Land use
Agricultural land: 42% (2011 est.)
Forest: 15% (2011 est.)
Other: 43% (2011 est.)

Irrigated land: 0 km² (2012)

Natural hazards: typhoons can occur any time, but usually November to March; occasional tornadoes; low level of some of the islands make them sensitive to changes in sea level

Geography
Note: 21 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; Kiribati is the only country in the world to fall into all four hemispheres (northern, southern, eastern, and western)

Population
Distribution: consists of three achipelagos spread out over an area roughly the size of India; the eastern Line Islands and central Phoenix Islands are sparsely populated, but the western Gilbert Islands are some of the most densely settled places on earth, with the main island of South Tarawa boasting a population density similar to Tokyo or Hong Kong: 109,367 (July 2018 est.)
Rank: 191
Growth rate: 1.12% (2018 est.)
Growth rate rank: 96
Below poverty line note: NA

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

Ethnic groups: I-Kiribati 96.2%, I-Kiribati/mixed 1.8%, Tuvaluan 0.2%, other 1.8% (2015 est.)

Languages: I-Kiribati, English (official)

Religions: Roman Catholic 57.3%, Kiribati Uniting Church 31.3%, Mormon 5.3%, Baha'i 2.1%, Seventh Day Adventist 1.9%, other 2.1% (2015 est.)

Age structure
0-14 years: 29.27% (male 16,316 /female 15,693)
15-24 years: 20.74% (male 11,213 /female 11,466)
25-54 years: 39.43% (male 20,756 /female 22,363)
55-64 years: 6.23% (male 3,071 /female 3,747)
65 years and over: 4.34% (male 1863 /female 2,879) (2018 est.)

Dependency ratios
Total dependency ratio: 63 (2015 est.)
Youth dependency ratio: 57 (2015 est.)
Elderly dependency ratio: 6 (2015 est.)
Potential support ratio: 16.6 (2015 est.)

Median age
Total: 25 years (2018 est.)
Male: 24.1 years
Female: 25.8 years
Rank: 157

Population growth rate: 1.12% (2018 est.)
Rank: 96

Birth rate: 21 births/1000 population (2018 est.)
Rank: 75

Death rate: 7 deaths/1000 population (2018 est.)
Rank: 129

Net migration rate: -2.8 migrant(s)/1000 population (2018 est.)
Rank: 175

Population distribution: consists of three achipelagos spread out over an area roughly the size of India; the eastern Line Islands and central Phoenix Islands are sparsely populated, but the western Gilbert Islands are some of the most densely settled places on earth, with the main island of South Tarawa boasting a population density similar to Tokyo or Hong Kong

Urbanization
Urban population: 54.8% of total population
Note: (2015-20 est.)
Rate of urbanization: 3.19% annual rate of change

Major urban areas
Population: 64,000 TARAWA (capital) (2018)

Environment
Current issues: heavy pollution in lagoon of south Tarawa atoll due to overcrowding mixed with traditional practices such as lagoon latrines and open-pit dumping; ground water at risk; potential for water shortages, disease; coastal erosion
International agreements party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Whaling
International agreements signed but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Sex ratio
At birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
0-14 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-24 years: 0.98 male(s)/female
25-54 years: 0.93 male(s)/female
55-64 years: 0.82 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.65 male(s)/female
Total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2018 est.)

Mothers mean age at first birth:

Infant mortality rate
Total: 31.1 deaths/1000 live births (2018 est.)
Male: 32.3 deaths/1000 live births
Female: 29.9 deaths/1000 live births
Rank: 58

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 66.9 years (2018 est.)
Male: 64.3 years
Female: 69.5 years
Rank: 174

Total fertility rate: 2.34 children born/woman (2018 est.)
Rank: 86

Contraceptive prevalence rate: 22.3% (2009)

Drinking water source
Urban: 12.7% of population
Rural: 49.4% of population
Total: 33.1% of population (2015 est.)

Current health expenditure: 11.9% (2016)

Physicians density: 0.2 physicians/1000 population (2013)

Hospital bed density: 1.9 beds/1000 population (2015)

Sanitation facility access
Urban: 48.8% of population (2015 est.)
Rural: 69.4% of population (2015 est.)
Total: 60.3% of population (2015 est.)

Hivaids
Adult prevalence rate note: NA
People living with hivaids note: NA
Deaths note: NA

Obesity adult prevalence rate: 46% (2016)
Rank: 9

Children under the age of 5 years underweight: 14.9% (2009)
Rank: 43

Education expenditures
Note: NA

School life expectancy primary to tertiary education
Total: 12 years
Male: 11 years
Female: 12 years (2008)

Country name
Conventional long form: Republic of Kiribati
Conventional short form: Kiribati
Local long form: Republic of Kiribati
Local short form: Kiribati
Former: Gilbert Islands
Etymology: the name is the local pronunciation of Gilberts, the former designation of the islands; originally named after explorer Thomas GILBERT, who mapped many of the islands in 1788: note: pronounced keer-ree-bahss

Government type: presidential republic

Capital
Name: Tarawa
Geographic coordinates: 1 21 N, 173 02 E
Time difference: UTC+12 (17 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time): note: Kiribati has three time zones: the Gilbert Islands group at UTC+12, the Phoenix Islands at UTC+13, and the Line Islands at UTC+14etymology: in Kiribati creation mythology, 'tarawa' was what the spider Nareau named the land to distinguish it from 'karawa' (the sky) and 'marawa' (the ocean)

Administrative divisions: 3 geographical units: Gilbert Islands, Line Islands, Phoenix Islands; note - there are no first-order administrative divisions, but 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 the UK)

National holiday: Independence Day, 12 July (1979)

Constitution
History: The Gilbert and Ellice Islands Order in Council 1915, The Gilbert Islands Order in Council 1975 (preindependence); latest promulgated 12 July 1979 (at independence)
Amendments: proposed by the House of Assembly; passage requires two-thirds majority vote by the Assembly membership; passage of amendments affecting the constitutional section on amendment procedures and parts of the constitutional chapter on citizenship requires deferral of the proposal to the next Assembly meeting where approval is required by at least two-thirds majority vote of the Assembly membership and support of the nominated or elected Banaban member of the Assembly; amendments affecting the protection of fundamental rights and freedoms also requires approval by at least two-thirds majority in a referendum; amended 1995, 2013 (2017)

Legal system: English common law supplemented by customary law

International law organization participation: has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; non-party state to the ICCt

Citizenship
Citizenship by birth: no
Citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a native-born citizen of Kiribati
Dual citizenship recognized: no
Residency requirement for naturalization: 7 years

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch
Chief of state: President Taneti MAAMAU (since 11 March 2016); Vice President Kourabi NENEM (since 17 March 2016); note - the president is both chief of state and head of government
Head of government: President Taneti MAAMAU (since 11 March 2016); Vice President Kourabi NENEM (since 17 March 2016)
Cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president from among House of Assembly members
Electionsappointments: president directly elected by simple majority popular vote following nomination of candidates from among House of Assembly members; term is 4 years (eligible for 2 additional terms); election last held on 9 March 2016 (next to be held in 2020); vice president appointed by the president
Election results: Taneti MAAMAU elected president; percent of vote - Taneti MAAMAU 60%, Rimeta BENIAMINA (BTK) 38.6%, Taneti IOANE (BTK) 1.4%

Legislative branch
Description: unicameral House of Assembly or Maneaba Ni Maungatabu (46 seats; 44 members directly elected in single- and multi-seat constituencies by absolute majority vote in two-rounds if needed; 1 member appointed by the Rabi Council of Leaders - representing Banaba Island, and 1 ex officio member - the attorney general; members serve 4-year terms)
Elections: legislative elections were held in two rounds - the first on 30 December 2015 and the second on 7 January 2016 (next to be held in 2019)
Election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - BTK 26, KTK and MKP 19, other 2 (includes attorney general); composition - men 43, women 3, percent of women 6.5%

Judicial branch
Highest courts: High Court (consists of a chief justice and other judges as prescribed by the president); note - the High Court has jurisdiction on constitutional issues
Judge selection and term of office: chief justice appointed by the president on the advice of the cabinet in consultation with the Public Service Commission (PSC); other judges appointed by the president on the advice of the chief justice along with the PSC
Subordinate courts: Court of Appeal; magistrates courts

Political parties and leaders:

International organization participation: ABEDA, ACP, ADB, AOSIS, C, FAO, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, IOC, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), OPCW, PIF, Sparteca, SPC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO

Diplomatic representation
In the us: none; the Kiribati Permanent Mission to the UN serves as the embassy; it is headed by Teburoro TITO (since 13 September 2017); address: 800 Second Avenue, Suite 400A, New York, NY 10,017; telephone: [1](212)867-3,310; FAX: [1](212)867-3,320
From the us: the US does not have an embassy in Kiribati; the US Ambassador to Fiji is accredited to Kiribati

Flag description: the upper half is red with a yellow frigatebird flying over a yellow rising sun, and the lower half is blue with three horizontal wavy white stripes to represent the Pacific ocean; the white stripes represent the three island groups - the Gilbert, Line, and Phoenix Islands; the 17 rays of the sun represent the 16 Gilbert Islands and Banaba (formerly Ocean Island); the frigatebird symbolizes authority and freedom

National symbols: frigatebird; national colors: red, white, blue, yellow

National anthem
Name: Teirake kaini Kiribati (Stand Up, Kiribati)
Lyricsmusic: Urium Tamuera IOTEBA: note: adopted 1979

Economy overview: A remote country of 33 scattered coral atolls, Kiribati has few natural resources and is one of the least developed Pacific Island countries. Commercially viable phosphate deposits were exhausted by the time of independence from the United Kingdom in 1979. Earnings from fishing licenses and seafarer remittances are important sources of income. Although the number of seafarers employed declined due to changes in global shipping demands, remittances are expected to improve with more overseas temporary and seasonal work opportunities for Kiribati nationals.Economic development is constrained by a shortage of skilled workers, weak infrastructure, and remoteness from international markets. The public sector dominates economic activity, with ongoing capital projects in infrastructure including road rehabilitation, water and sanitation projects, and renovations to the international airport, spurring some growth. Public debt increased from 23% of GDP at the end of 2015 to 25.8% in 2016.Kiribati is dependent on foreign aid, which was estimated to have contributed over 32.7% in 2016 to the government’s finances. The country’s sovereign fund, the Revenue Equalization Reserve Fund (RERF), which is held offshore, had an estimated balance of $855.5 million in late July 2016. The RERF seeks to avoid exchange rate risk by holding investments in more than 20 currencies, including the Australian dollar, US dollar, the Japanese yen, and the Euro. Drawdowns from the RERF helped finance the government’s annual budget.

Real gdp purchasing power parity:
Rank: 219

Real gdp growth rate:
Rank: 108

Real gdp per capita:
Rank: 210

Gdp composition by sector of origin
Agriculture: 23% (2016 est.)
Industry: 7% (2016 est.)
Services: 70% (2016 est.)

Agriculture products: copra, breadfruit, fish

Industries: fishing, handicrafts

Industrial production growth rate: 1.1% (2012 est.)
Rank: 153

Labor force:
Rank: 198
By occupation agriculture: 15%
By occupation industry: 10%
By occupation services: 75% (2010)

Unemployment rate:
Rank: 209

Population below poverty line
Note: NA

Budget
Revenues: 151.2 million (2017 est.)
Expenditures: 277.5 million (2017 est.)
Surplus or deficit: -64.1% (of GDP) (2017 est.)
Surplus or deficit rank: 221

Taxes and other revenues: 76.8% (of GDP) (2017 est.)
Rank: 4

Public debt:
Rank: 172

Fiscal year: NA

Inflation rate consumer prices:
Rank: 24

Market value of publicly traded shares: NA

Current account balance:
Rank: 62

Exports:
Rank: 199
Partners: Philippines 50.8%, Malaysia 17.2%, US 11.4%, Bangladesh 5.8%, Fiji 5.4% (2017)
Commodities: fish, coconut products

Imports:
Rank: 215
Commodities: food, machinery and equipment, miscellaneous manufactured goods, fuel
Partners: Australia 29.3%, Fiji 17.3%, NZ 10.7%, China 5.8%, US 5.8%, Singapore 5.1%, Japan 4.6%, Thailand 4.1% (2017)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
Rank: 192

Debt external:
Rank: 196

Stock of direct foreign investment at home: NA

Exchange rates:

Electricity
Access electrification total population: 84.9% (2016)
Access electrification urban areas: 88.4% (2016)
Access electrification rural areas: 82.2% (2016)
Production: 29 million kWh (2016 est.)
Production rank: 210
Consumption: 26.97 million kWh (2016 est.)
Consumption rank: 210
Exports: 0 kWh (2016 est.)
Exports rank: 153
Imports: 0 kWh (2016 est.)
Imports rank: 164
Installed generating capacity: 11,000 kW (2016 est.)
Installed generating capacity rank: 209
Generation sources fossil fuels: 73% of total installed capacity (2016 est.)
Generation sources fossil fuels rank: 99
Generation sources nuclear: 0% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)
Generation sources nuclear rank: 119
Generation sources hydroelectricity: 0% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)
Generation sources hydroelectricity rank: 181
Generation sources other renewable sources: 27% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)
Generation sources other renewable sources rank: 25

Petroleum
Petroleum total petroleum production: 0 bbl/day (2018 est.)
Petroleum total petroleum production rank: 155
Crude oil exports: 0 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Crude oil exports rank: 146
Crude oil imports: 0 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Crude oil imports rank: 146
Crude oil proven reserves: 0 bbl (1 January 2018 est.)
Crude oil proven reserves rank: 151

Refined petroleum
Products production: 0 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Products production rank: 160
Products consumption: 400 bbl/day (2016 est.)
Products consumption rank: 211
Products exports: 0 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Products exports rank: 167
Products imports: 420 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Products imports rank: 207

Natural gas
Production: 0 m³ (2017 est.)
Production rank: 151
Consumption: 0 m³ (2017 est.)
Consumption rank: 162
Exports: 0 m³ (2017 est.)
Exports rank: 129
Imports: 0 m³ (2017 est.)
Imports rank: 143
Proven reserves: 0 m³ (1 January 2014 est.)
Proven reserves rank: 152

Carbon dioxide emissions
From consumption of energy: 58,850 Mt (2017 est.)
From consumption of energy rank: 209

Telephones
Fixed lines total subscriptions: 765
Fixed lines subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 1 (2017 est.)
Fixed lines rank: 216
Mobile cellular total subscriptions: 46,123
Mobile cellular subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 43 (2017 est.)
Mobile cellular rank: 202

Telephone system
General assessment: generally good quality national and international service; wireline service available on Tarawa and Kiritimati (Christmas Island); connections to outer islands by HF/VHF radiotelephone; recently formed mobile network operator (MNO) is implementing the first phase of improvements with 3G and 4G upgrades on some islands; islands are connected to each other and the rest of the world via satellite
Domestic: fixed-line 1 per 100 and mobile-cellular 43 per 100 subscriptions
International: country code - 686; landing point for the Southern Cross NEXT submarine cable system from Australia, 7 Pacific Ocean island countries to the US; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean) (2019)

Broadcast media: multi-channel TV packages provide access to Australian and US stations; 1 government-operated radio station broadcasts on AM, FM, and shortwave (2017)

Internet
Country code: .ki
Users total: 14,649
Users percent of population: 13.7% (July 2016 est.)
Users rank: 208

Broadband fixed subscriptions
Total: 76 (2017 est.)
Rank: 197

Military and security forces: no regular military forces (establishment prevented by the constitution); Police Force (2011)

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix: T3 (2016)

Airports: 19 (2013)
Rank: 137
With paved runways total: 4 (2017)
With paved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 4 (2017)
With unpaved runways total: 15 (2013)
With unpaved runways 914 to 1523 m: 10 (2013)
With unpaved runways under 914 m: 5 (2013)

Roadways
Total: 670 km (2017)
Rank: 184

Waterways: 5 km
Note: (small network of canals in Line Islands) (2012)
Rank: 107

Merchant marine
Total: 111
By type: bulk carrier 3, general cargo 46, oil tanker 16, other 46 (2018)
Rank: 80

Ports and terminals
Major seaport: Betio (Tarawa Atoll), Canton Island, English Harbor

Disputes international: none