1996 Edition

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

Location

1 25 N, 173 00 E -- Oceania, group of islands in the Pacific Ocean, straddling the equator and the International Date Line, about one-half of the way from Hawaii to Australia Flag ----

Area

comparative area

four times the size of Washington, DC

land area

717 sq km

note

includes three island groups - Gilbert Islands, Line Islands, Phoenix Islands

total area

717 sq km

Climate

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

Coastline

1,143 km

Environment

current issues

heavy pollution in lagoon of south Tarawa atoll due to heavy migration mixed with traditional practices such as lagoon latrines and open-pit dumping; ground water at risk

international agreements

party to - Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered Species, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Whaling

natural hazards

typhoons can occur any time, but usually November to March; occasional tornadoes

Geographic coordinates

1 25 N, 173 00 E

Geographic 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

International disputes

none

Irrigated land

NA sq km

Land boundaries

0 km

Land use

arable land

0%

forest and woodland

3%

meadows and pastures

0%

other

46%

permanent crops

51%

Location

Oceania, group of islands in the Pacific Ocean, straddling the equator and the International Date Line, about one-half of the way from Hawaii to Australia

Map references

Oceania

Maritime claims

exclusive economic zone

200 nm

territorial sea

12 nm

Natural resources

phosphate (production discontinued in 1979)

Terrain

mostly low-lying coral atolls surrounded by extensive reefs

highest point

unnamed location on Banaba 81 m

lowest point

Pacific Ocean 0 m

Age structure

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

Birth rate

27.13 births/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Death rate

7.9 deaths/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Ethnic divisions

Micronesian

Infant mortality rate

52.9 deaths/1,000 live births (1996 est.)

Languages

English (official), Gilbertese

Life expectancy at birth

female

64.03 years (1996 est.)

male

60.25 years

total population

62.02 years

Literacy

NA

Nationality

adjective

I-Kiribati

noun

I-Kiribati (singular and plural)

Net migration rate

-0.31 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Population

80,919 (July 1996 est.)

Population growth rate

1.89% (1996 est.)

Religions

Roman Catholic 52.6%, Protestant (Congregational) 40.9%, Seventh-Day Adventist, Baha'i, Church of God, Mormon 6% (1985)

Sex ratio

all ages

NA male(s)/female

at birth

NA male(s)/female

under 15 years

NA male(s)/female 15-64 years: NA male(s)/female 65 years and over: NA male(s)/female

Total fertility rate

3.21 children born/woman (1996 est.)

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)

Capital

Tarawa

Constitution

12 July 1979

Data code

KR

Diplomatic representation in US

Kiribati does not have an embassy in the US

Executive branch

cabinet

Cabinet was appointed by the president from among the members of the House of Assembly

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

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 (Maneaba Ni Maungatabu)

elections last held 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

Independence

12 July 1979 (from UK)

International organization participation

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

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

Legal system

NA

Legislative branch

unicameral

Name of country

conventional long form

Republic of Kiribati

conventional short form

Kiribati

former

Gilbert Islands

note

pronounced kiribas

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; Maneaban Te Mauri 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

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Type of government

republic

US diplomatic representation

the US does not have an embassy in Kiribati; the ambassador to Fiji is accredited to Kiribati

Agriculture

copra, taro, breadfruit, sweet potatoes, vegetables; fish

Budget

expenditures

$54.3 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1995 est.)

revenues

$32.5 million

Currency

1 Australian dollar ($A) = 100 cents

Economic aid

recipient

ODA, $NA

Economic 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.

Electricity

capacity

5,000 kW

consumption per capita

131 kWh (1993)

production

13 million kWh

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)

Exports

$6.3 million (f.o.b., 1995 est.)

commodities

copra 50%, seaweed 16%, fish 15%

partners

Denmark, Fiji, US

External debt

$2 million (December 1989 est.)

Fiscal year

NA

GDP

purchasing power parity - $68 million (1995 est.)

GDP composition by sector

agriculture

NA%

industry

NA%

services

NA%

GDP per capita

$860 (1995 est.)

GDP real growth rate

2.6% (1995 est.)

Imports

$38.6 million (c.i.f., 1995 est.)

commodities

foodstuffs, machinery and equipment, miscellaneous manufactured goods, fuel

partners

Australia 40%, Japan 18%, Fiji 17%, NZ 6%, US 4% (1991)

Industrial production growth rate

0.7% (1992 est.)

Industries

fishing, handicrafts

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

5.5% (1994 est.)

Labor force

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

Unemployment rate

2%; underemployment 70% (1992 est.)

Branches

no regular military forces; Police Force (carries out law enforcement functions and paramilitary duties; small police posts are on all islands)

Defense expenditures

$NA, NA% of GDP

Manpower availability

males age 15-49

NA

males fit for military service

NA

Radio broadcast stations

AM 1, FM 0, shortwave 0

Radios

15,000 (1992 est.)

Telephone system

domestic

NA

international

satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)

Telephones

1,400 (1984 est.)

Television broadcast stations

0 (1988 est.)

Televisions

0 (1988 est.) Defense

Airports

total

20

with paved runways 1 524 to 2 437 m

4

with paved runways under 914 m

5

with unpaved runways 914 to 1 523 m

11 (1995 est.)

Highways

paved

NA km

total

640 km (1987 est.)

unpaved

NA km

Merchant marine

ships by type

oil tanker 1, short-sea passenger 1 (1995 est.)

total

2 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 3,248 GRT/4,496 DWT

Ports

Banaba, Betio, English Harbor, Kanton

Railways

0 km

Waterways

small network of canals, totaling 5 km, in Line Islands