1993 Edition
CIA World Factbook 1993 (Project Gutenberg)
Geography
Area
total area: 717 km2 land area: 717 km2 comparative area: slightly more than four times the size of Washington, DC note: includes three island groups - Gilbert Islands, Line Islands, Phoenix Islands
Climate
tropical; marine, hot and humid, moderated by trade winds
Coastline
1,143 km
Environment
typhoons can occur any time, but usually November to March; 20 of the 33 islands are inhabited
International disputes
none
Irrigated land
NA km2
Land boundaries
0 km
Land use
arable land: 0% permanent crops: 51% meadows and pastures: 0% forest and woodland: 3% other: 46%
Location
Oceania, straddling the equator in the Pacific Ocean, about halfway between Hawaii and Australia
Map references
Oceania
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
People and Society
Birth rate
32.03 births/1,000 population (1993 est.)
Death rate
12.31 deaths/1,000 population (1993 est.)
Ethnic divisions
Micronesian
Infant mortality rate
98.4 deaths/1,000 live births (1993 est.)
Labor force
7,870 economically active, not including subsistence farmers (1985 est.)
Languages
English (official), Gilbertese
Life expectancy at birth
total population: 54.16 years male: 52.56 years female: 55.78 years (1993 est.)
Literacy
total population: NA% male:
NA% female
NA%
Nationality
noun: I-Kiribati (singular and plural) adjective: I-Kiribati
Net migration rate
0.56 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1993 est.)
Population
76,320 (July 1993 est.)
Population growth rate
2.03% (1993 est.)
Religions
Roman Catholic 52.6%, Protestant (Congregational) 40.9%, Seventh-Day Adventist, Baha'i, Church of God, Mormon 6% (1985)
Total fertility rate
3.82 children born/woman (1993 est.)
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 21 island councils (one for each of the inhabited islands) named Abaiang, Abemama, Aranuka, Arorae, Banaba, Beru, Butaritari, Canton, Kiritimati, Kuria, Maiana, Makin, Marakei, Nikunau, Nonouti, Onotoa, Tabiteuea, Tabuaeran, Tamana, Tarawa, Teraina
Capital
Tarawa
Chief of State and Head of Government
President Teatao TEANNAKI (since 8 July 1991); Vice President Taomati IUTA (since 8 July 1991)
Constitution
12 July 1979
Digraph
KR
Diplomatic representation in US
chief of mission: (vacant)
Executive branch
president (Beretitenti), vice president (Kauoman-ni-Beretitenti), 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
House of Assembly
last held on 8 May 1991 (next to be held by NA 1996); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (40 total; 39 elected) percent of seats by party NA
Independence
12 July 1979 (from UK)
Judicial branch
Court of Appeal, High Court
Legal system
NA
Legislative branch
unicameral House of Assembly (Maneaba Ni Maungatabu)
Member of
ACP, AsDB, C, ESCAP, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, IDA, IFC, IMF, INTERPOL, ITU, SPARTECA, SPC, SPF, UNESCO, UPU, WHO
Names
conventional long form: Republic of Kiribati conventional short form: Kiribati former: Gilbert Islands
National holiday
Independence Day, 12 July (1979)
Political parties and leaders
National Progressive Party, Teatao TEANNAKI; Christian Democratic Party, Teburoro TITO; New Movement Party, leader NA; Liberal Party, Tewareka TENTOA; Maneaba Party, Roniti TEIWAKI note: there is no tradition of formally organized political parties in Kiribati; they more closely resemble factions or interest groups because they have no party headquarters, formal platforms, or party structures
President
last held on 8 July 1991 (next to be held by NA 1996); results - Teatao TEANNAKI 52%, Roniti TEIWAKI 28%
Suffrage
18 years of age; universal
Type
republic
US diplomatic representation
the ambassador to Fiji is accredited to Kiribati
Economy
Agriculture
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
Budget
revenues $29.9 million; expenditures $16.3 million, including capital expenditures of $14.0 million (1990 est.)
Currency
1 Australian dollar ($A) = 100 cents
Economic aid
Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-89), $273 million
Electricity
5,000 kW capacity; 13 million kWh produced, 190 kWh per capita (1990)
Exchange rates
Australian dollars ($A) per US$1 - 1.4837 (January 1993), 1.3600 (1992), 1.2835 (1991), 1.2799 (1990), 1.2618 (1989), 1.2752 (1988)
Exports
$5.8 million (f.o.b., 1990 est.) commodities: copra 18%, fish 17%, seaweed 13% partners: EC 50%, Fiji 22%, US 18% (1990)
External debt
$2 million (December 1989 est.)
Fiscal year
NA
Imports
$26.7 million (c.i.f., 1990 est.) commodities: foodstuffs, machinery and equipment, miscellaneous manufactured goods, fuel partners: Australia 33%, Japan 24%, Fiji 19%, NZ 6%, US 6% (1990)
Industrial production
growth rate 0% (1988 est.); accounts for less than 4% of GDP
Industries
fishing, handicrafts
Inflation rate (consumer prices)
4.8% (1991 est.)
National product
GDP - exchange rate conversion - $36.8 million (1990 est.)
National product per capita
$525 (1990 est.)
National product real growth rate
1% (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 both 1989 and 1990.
Unemployment rate
NA%
Communications
Airports
total: 21 useable: 20 with permanent-surface runways: 4 with runways over 3,659 m : with runways 2,440-3,659 m: 0 with runways 1,220-2,439 m: 5
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; broadcast stations - 1 AM, no FM, no TV; 1 Pacific Ocean INTELSAT earth station
Military and Security
Branches
Police Force (carries out law enforcement functions and paramilitary duties; there are small police posts on all islands); no military force is maintained
Defense expenditures
$NA, NA% of GDP
Manpower availability
NA