1991 Edition
CIA World Factbook 1991 (Project Gutenberg)
Geography
Climate
tropical; marine, hot and humid, moderated by trade winds
Coastline
1,143 km
Comparative area
slightly more than four times the size of Washington, DC
Environment
typhoons can occur any time, but usually November to March; 20 of the 33 islands are inhabited
Land boundaries
none
Land use
arable land NEGL%; permanent crops 51%; meadows and pastures 0%; forest and woodland 3%; other 46%
Maritime claims
Exclusive economic zone: 200 nm; Territorial sea: 12 nm
Natural resources
phosphate (production discontinued in 1979)
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
Terrain
mostly low-lying coral atolls surrounded by extensive reefs
Total area
717 km2; land area: 717 km2; includes three island groups--Gilbert Islands, Line Islands, Phoenix Islands
People and Society
Birth rate
33 births/1,000 population (1991)
Death rate
12 deaths/1,000 population (1991)
Ethnic divisions
Micronesian
Infant mortality rate
63 deaths/1,000 live births (1991)
Labor force
7,870 economically active (1985 est.)
Language
English (official), Gilbertese
Life expectancy at birth
52 years male, 58 years female (1991)
Literacy
NA% (male NA%, female NA%)
Nationality
noun--I-Kiribati (sing., pl.); adjective--I-Kiribati
Net migration rate
- 5 migrants/1,000 population (1991)
Organized labor
Kiribati Trades Union Congress--2,500 members
Population
71,137 (July 1991), growth rate 1.6% (1991)
Religion
Roman Catholic 52.6%, Protestant (Congregational) 40.9%, Seventh-Day Adventist, Baha'i, Church of God, Mormon 6% (1985)
Total fertility rate
4.2 children born/woman (1991)
Government
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
Capital
Tarawa
Constitution
12 July 1979
Diplomatic representation
Ambassador (vacant) lives in Tarawa (Kiribati); US--none
Elections
President--last held on 12 May 1987 (next to be held May 1991); results--Ieremia TABAI 50.1%, Tebruroro TITO 42.7%, Tetao TEANNAKI 7.2%; House of Assembly--last held on 19 March l987 (next to be held May 1991); results--percent of vote by party NA; seats--(40 total; 39 elected) percent of seats by party NA
Executive branch
president, vice president, Cabinet
Flag
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
Independence
12 July 1979 (from UK; formerly Gilbert Islands)
Judicial branch
Court of Appeal, High Court
Leaders
Chief of State and Head of Government--President Ieremia TABAI (since 12 July 1979); Vice President Teatao TEANNAKI (since 20 July 1979)
Legislative branch
unicameral House of Assembly (Maneaba Ni Maungatabu)
Long-form name
Republic of Kiribati; note--pronounced Kiribas
Member of
ACP, AsDB, C, ESCAP (associate), IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, IDA, IFC, IMF, INTERPOL, ITU, SPC, SPF, UNESCO, UPU, WHO
National holiday
Independence Day, 12 July (1979)
Political parties and leaders
Gilbertese National Party; Christian Democratic Party, Teburoro TITO, secretary; essentially not organized on the basis of political parties
Suffrage
universal at age 18
Type
republic
Economy
Agriculture
accounts for 30% 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
Budget
revenues $29.9 million; expenditures $16.3 million, including capital expenditures of $14.0 million (1990 est.)
Currency
Australian dollar (plural--dollars); 1 Australian dollar ($A) = 100 cents
Economic aid
Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-88), $258 million
Electricity
5,000 kW capacity; 13 million kWh produced, 190 kWh per capita (1990)
Exchange rates
Australian dollars ($A) per US$1--1.2834 (January 1991), 1.2799 (1990), 1.2618 (1989), 1.2752 (1988), 1.4267 (1987), 1.4905 (1986), 1.4269 (1985)
Exports
$5.8 million (f.o.b., 1990 est.); commodities--fish 55%, copra 42%; partners--EC 20%, Marshall Islands 12%, US 8%, American Samoa 4% (1985)
External debt
$2.0 million (December 1989 est.)
Fiscal year
NA
GDP
$36.8 million, per capita $525; real growth rate 1.0% (1990 est.)
Imports
$26.7 million (c.i.f., 1990 est.); commodities--foodstuffs, fuel, transportation equipment; partners--Australia 39%, Japan 21%, NZ 6%, UK 6%, US 3% (1985)
Industrial production
growth rate 0.0% (1988 est.); accounts for less than 4% of GDP
Industries
fishing, handicrafts
Inflation rate (consumer prices)
4.0% (1990 est.)
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 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, GNP increased 1% in 1989 and again in 1990.
Unemployment rate
2% (1985); considerable underemployment
Communications
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
Civil air
2 Trislanders; no major transport aircraft
Highways
640 km of motorable roads
Inland waterways
small network of canals, totaling 5 km, in Line Islands
Ports
Banaba and Betio (Tarawa)
Telecommunications
1,400 telephones; stations--1 AM, no FM, no TV; 1 Pacific Ocean INTELSAT earth station
Military and Security
Branches
no military force maintained; the Police Force carries out law enforcement functions and paramilitary duties; there are small police posts on all islands
Defense expenditures
$NA, NA% of GDP _%_
Manpower availability
NA