Background: Kiribati is made up of three distinct island groups -- the Gilbert Islands, the Line Islands, and the Phoenix Islands. The first Austronesian voyagers arrived in the Gilbert Islands as early as 3,000 B.C., but these islands were not widely settled until about A.D. 200 by Micronesians. Around 1300, Samoans and Tongans invaded the southern Gilbert Islands, then known as Tungaru, bringing Polynesian cultural elements with them. Later arrivals of Fijians brought Melanesian elements to the Gilbert Islands, and extensive intermarriage between the Micronesian, Polynesian, and Melanesian people led to the creation of what would become Gilbertese cultural traditions by the time Europeans spotted the islands in the 1600s. The Phoenix Islands and Line Islands were both visited by various Melanesian and Polynesian peoples, but their isolation and lack of natural resources meant that long-term settlements were not possible. Both island groups were uninhabited by the time of European contact. Kiribati experienced sustained European contact by the 1760s; all three island groups were named and charted by 1826. American whaling ships frequently passed through the islands, and the UK declared a protectorate over the Gilbert and nearby Ellice Islands in 1892, in an attempt to block growing US influence. Phosphate-rich Banaba Island was annexed to the protectorate in 1900. In 1916, the protectorate became a colony, and some Line Islands were added in 1916 and 1919, with the final ones added in 1972. The Phoenix Islands were added to the colony in 1937, and the UK agreed to share jurisdiction of some with the US because of their strategic location for aviation. During World War II, the islands were occupied by Japanese forces but were ejected by US amphibious assaults. The Ellice Islands became its own colony in 1974 and was renamed Tuvalu for “eight standing together” in 1975. The Gilbert Islands became fully self-governing in 1977 and independent in 1979 under the new name of Kiribati, the Gilbertese spelling of Gilberts. The US relinquished all claims to the sparsely inhabited Phoenix and Line Islands in a 1979 treaty of friendship. In 2012, Kiribati purchased a 22 km² (8.5 sq mi) plot of land in Fiji for potential eventual resettlement of its population because of climate change, and in 2014 Fijian Prime Minister Voreqe BAINIMARAMA said residents of Kiribati would be welcome to relocate to Fiji if their country is swamped by rising sea levels.

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

Land boundaries
Total: 0 km

Coastline: 1,143 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
Highest point: unnamed elevation on Banaba 81 m
Lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
Mean elevation: 2 m

Land use
Agricultural land: 42% (2023 est.)
Arable land: 2.5% (2023 est.)
Permanent crops: 39.5% (2023 est.)
Permanent pasture: 0% (2022 est.)
Forest: 1.3% (2023 est.)
Other: 56.7% (2023 est.)

Irrigated land: 0 km² (2022)

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
Total: 116,545 (2024 est.)
Male: 56,364
Female: 60,181
Distribution: consists of three archipelagos 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
Growth rate: 1% (2024 est.)

Languages: Gilbertese, English (official)

Religions: Roman Catholic 58.9%, Kiribati Uniting Church 21.2%, Kiribati Protestant Church 8.4%, Church of Jesus Christ 5.6%, Seventh Day Adventist 2.1%, Baha'i 2.1%, other 1.7% (2020 est.)

Age structure
0-14 years: 26.8% (male 15,895/female 15,304)
15-64 years: 67.9% (male 38,046/female 41,059)
65 years and over: 5.4% (2024 est.) (male 2,423/female 3,818)

Dependency ratios
Total dependency ratio: 47.3 (2024 est.)
Youth dependency ratio: 39.4 (2024 est.)
Elderly dependency ratio: 7.9 (2024 est.)
Potential support ratio: 12.7 (2024 est.)

Median age
Total: 27.3 years (2024 est.)
Male: 26.4 years
Female: 28.2 years

Population growth rate: 1% (2024 est.)

Birth rate: 19.7 births/1,000 population (2024 est.)

Death rate: 6.9 deaths/1,000 population (2024 est.)

Population distribution: consists of three archipelagos 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: 57.8% of total population (2023)
Rate of urbanization: 2.77% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

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

Sex ratio
At birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
0-14 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.93 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.63 male(s)/female
Total population: 0.94 male(s)/female (2024 est.)

Maternal mortality ratio: 80 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.)

Infant mortality rate
Total: 31.5 deaths/1,000 live births (2024 est.)
Male: 33.5 deaths/1,000 live births
Female: 29.4 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 68.5 years (2024 est.)
Male: 65.9 years
Female: 71.3 years

Total fertility rate: 2.15 children born/woman (2024 est.)

Drinking water source
Urban: 12.1% of population (2022 est.)
Rural: 40.5% of population (2022 est.)
Total: 24.3% of population (2022 est.)

Sanitation facility access
Urban: 27.4% of population (2022 est.)
Rural: 51.9% of population (2022 est.)
Total: 37.9% of population (2022 est.)

Children under the age of 5 years underweight: 6.9% (2018 est.)

Capital
Name: Tarawa
Geographic coordinates: 1 21 N, 173 02 E
Time difference: UTC+12 (17 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
Time zone 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+14
Etymology: the name is said to derive from the I-Kiribati words te (the) and rawa (run), referring to a channel through a nearby reef

Administrative divisions: 3 geographical units: Gilbert Islands, Line Islands, Phoenix Islands; there are no first-order administrative divisions, but the 6 districts are Banaba, Central Gilberts, Line Islands, Northern Gilberts, Southern Gilberts, Tarawa, with 21 island councils on Abaiang, Abemama, Aranuka, Arorae, Banaba, Beru, Butaritari, Kanton, Kiritimati, Kuria, Maiana, Makin, Marakei, Nikunau, Nonouti, Onotoa, Tabiteuea, Tabuaeran, Tamana, Tarawa, Teraina

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

Executive branch
Chief of state: President Taneti MAAMAU (since 11 March 2016)
Head of government: President Taneti MAAMAU (since 11 March 2016)
Cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president from among House of Assembly members
Election/appointment process: president directly elected for a 4-year term (eligible for 2 additional terms) by simple-majority popular vote, after candidates are nominated from among House of Assembly members; vice president appointed by the president
Most recent election date: 25 October 2024
Election results: 2024: Taneti MAAMAU reelected president; percent of vote - Taneti MAAMAU (TKP) 55%, Kaotitaake KOKORIA (independent) 42%, Bautaake BEIA (TKP) 3%
2020: Taneti MAAMAU reelected president; percent of vote - Taneti MAAMAU (TKP) 59.3%, Banuera BERINA (BKM) 40.7%
Expected date of next election: 2,028
Note: the president is both chief of state and head of government

Legislative branch
Legislature name: House of Assembly (Maneaba Ni Maungatabu)
Legislative structure: unicameral
Number of seats: 45 (44 directly elected; 1 appointed)
Electoral system: plurality/majority
Scope of elections: full renewal
Term in office: 4 years
Most recent election date: 8/14/2024 to 8/19/2024
Percentage of women in chamber: 11.1%
Expected date of next election: August 2,028

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 wavy horizontal white stripes to represent the Pacific Ocean

National anthem
Title: 'Teirake kaini Kiribati' (Stand Up, Kiribati)
Lyrics/music: Urium Tamuera IOTEBA
History: adopted 1979

National heritage
Total World Heritage Sites: 1 (natural)
Selected World Heritage Site locales:

Real gdp growth rate: 5.3% (2024 est.); 2.7% (2023 est.); 4.6% (2022 est.)
Note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency

Real gdp per capita: 5.3% (2024 est.); 2.7% (2023 est.); 4.6% (2022 est.)
Note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency

Gdp composition by end use
Household consumption: 101.2% (2022 est.)
Government consumption: 61.7% (2022 est.)
Investment in fixed capital: 19.1% (2022 est.)
Investment in inventories: 1.3% (2022 est.)
Exports of goods and services: 7.6% (2022 est.)
Imports of goods and services: -100.5% (2022 est.)
Note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection

Gdp composition by sector of origin
Agriculture: 27.8% (2022 est.)
Industry: 9.9% (2022 est.)
Services: 65.7% (2022 est.)

Industries: fishing, handicrafts

Industrial production growth rate: -6.2% (2022 est.)
Note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency

Budget
Revenues: $260.557 million (2023 est.)
Expenditures: $264.736 million (2023 est.)
Note: central government revenues (excluding grants) and expenditures converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated

Taxes and other revenues: 17.7% (of GDP) (2023 est.)
Note: central government tax revenue as a % of GDP

Exports: $17.099 million (2023 est.); $20.58 million (2022 est.); $10.754 million (2021 est.)
Note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars
Commodities: fish, coconut oil (2023)
Commodities note: top export commodities based on value in dollars over $500,000

Imports: $293.624 million (2023 est.); $272.004 million (2022 est.); $201.984 million (2021 est.)
Note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars
Commodities: ships, centrifuges, refined petroleum, rice, raw sugar (2023)
Commodities note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars

Electricity
Installed generating capacity: 12,000 kW (2023 est.)
Consumption: 27.388 million kWh (2023 est.)
Transmission/distribution losses: 5 million kWh (2023 est.)
Access electrification - total population: 94.4% (2022 est.)
Access electrification - urban areas: 86%
Access electrification - rural areas: 94.3% (2020 est.)
Generation sources fossil fuels: 81.5% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
Generation sources solar: 18.5% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

Petroleum
Refined petroleum consumption: 500 bbl/day (2023 est.)

Carbon dioxide emissions: 81,000 metric tonnes of CO&sub2; (2023 est.)
From petroleum and other liquids: 81,000 metric tonnes of CO&sub2; (2023 est.)

Energy consumption per capita: 8.578 million Btu/person (2023 est.)

Telephones
Fixed lines total subscriptions: 0 (2023 est.)
Fixed lines subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: (2023 est.) less than 1
Mobile cellular total subscriptions: 70,000 (2023 est.)
Mobile cellular subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 49 (2022 est.)

Internet
Users percent of population: 88% (2023 est.)

Broadband fixed subscriptions
Total: 0 (2023 est.)
Subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: (2023 est.) less than 1

Airports: 21 (2025)

Merchant marine
Total: 74 (2023)
By type: bulk carrier 2, general cargo 24, oil tanker 11, other 37