1999 Edition
CIA World Factbook 1999 (Internet Archive)
Geography
Area
total: 717 sq km land: 717 sq km water: 0 sq km note: includes three island groups--Gilbert Islands, Line Islands, Phoenix Islands
Area--comparative
four times the size of Washington, DC
Climate
tropical; marine, hot and humid, moderated by trade winds
Coastline
1,143 km
Elevation extremes
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: unnamed location on Banaba 81 m
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
Environment--international agreements
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertication, Endangered Species, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geographic coordinates
1 25 N, 173 00 E
Geography--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
Irrigated land
NA sq km
Land boundaries
0 km
Land use
arable land: NA% permanent crops: 51% permanent pastures: NA% forests and woodland: 3% other: 46% (1993 est.)
Location
Oceania, group of islands in the Pacific Ocean, straddling the equator, about one-half of the way from Hawaii to Australia; note--on 1 January 1995, Kiribati unilaterally moved the International Date Line from the middle of the country to include its easternmost islands and make it the same day throughout the country
Map references
Oceania
Maritime claims
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 12 nm
Natural hazards
typhoons can occur any time, but usually November to March; occasional tornadoes
Natural resources
phosphate (production discontinued in 1979)
Terrain
mostly low-lying coral atolls surrounded by extensive reefs
People and Society
Age structure
0-14 years: NA 15-64 years: NA 65 years and over: NA
Birth rate
26.13 births/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Death rate
7.53 deaths/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Ethnic groups
Micronesian
Infant mortality rate
48.22 deaths/1,000 live births (1999 est.)
Languages
English (official), Gilbertese
Life expectancy at birth
total population: 62.88 years male: 61.02 years female: 64.98 years (1999 est.)
Literacy
NA
Nationality
noun: I-Kiribati (singular and plural) adjective: I-Kiribati
Net migration rate
-0.77 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Population
85,501 (July 1999 est.)
Population growth rate
1.78% (1999 est.)
Religions
Roman Catholic 53%, Protestant (Congregational) 41%, Seventh-Day Adventist, Baha'i, Church of God, Mormon 6% (1985 est.)
Total fertility rate
3.09 children born/woman (1999 est.)
Government
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--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)
Capital
Tarawa
Constitution
12 July 1979
Country name
conventional long form: Republic of Kiribati conventional short form: Kiribati note: pronounced kir-ih-bahss former: Gilbert Islands
Data code
KR
Executive branch
chief of state: President (Beretitenti) Teburoro TITO (since 1 October 1994); Vice President (Kauoman-ni-Beretitenti) Tewareka TENTOA (since 12 October 1994); note--the president is both the chief of state and head of government head of government: President (Beretitenti) Teburoro TITO (since 1 October 1994); Vice President (Kauoman-ni-Beretitenti) Tewareka TENTOA (since 12 October 1994); note--the president is both the chief of state and head of government cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president from among the members of the House of Assembly, includes the president, vice president, attorney general, and up to eight other ministers elections: president elected by popular vote for a four-year term; 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 27 November 1998 (next to be held by NA November 2002); vice president appointed by the president election results: Teburoro TITO reelected president; percent of vote--Teburoro TITO 52.3%, Dr. Harry TONG 45.8%, Amberoti NIKORA 1.9%, Taberannang TIMEON 0%
Flag 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
Government type
republic
Independence
12 July 1979 (from UK)
International organization participation
ACP, AsDB, C, ESCAP, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFC, IFRCS, IMF, Intelsat (nonsignatory user), Interpol, ITU, Sparteca, SPC, SPF, UNESCO, UPU, WHO, WTrO (applicant) Diplomatic representation in the US: Kiribati does not have an embassy in the US; there is an honorary consulate in Honolulu Diplomatic representation from the US: the US does not have an embassy in Kiribati; the ambassador to the Marshall Islands is accredited to Kiribati
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; 26 Magistrates' courts, judges at all levels are appointed by the president Political parties and leaders: National Progressive Party [Teatao 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
Legal system
NA
Legislative branch
unicameral House of Assembly or Maneaba Ni Maungatabu (41 seats; 39 elected by popular vote, one ex officio member, and one nominated to represent Banaba; members serve four-year terms) elections: last held 23 September 1998 (next to be held by NA September 2002) election results: percent of vote by party--NA; seats by party--Maneaban Te Mauri Party 14, National Progressive Party 11, independents 14
National holiday
Independence Day, 12 July (1979)
Suffrage
18 years of age; universal
Economy
Agriculture--products
copra, taro, breadfruit, sweet potatoes, vegetables; fish
Budget
revenues: $33.3 million expenditures: $47.7 million, including capital expenditures of $NA million (1996 est.)
Currency
1 Australian dollar ($A) = 100 cents
Debt--external
$7.2 million (1996 est.)
Economic aid--recipient
$15.5 million (1995)
Economy--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 from the UK in 1979. Copra and fish now represent the bulk of production and exports. The economy has fluctuated widely in recent years. 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 as is the expansion of private sector initiatives. Foreign financial aid, largely from the UK and Japan, is a critical supplement to GDP, equal to 25%-50% of GDP in recent years. Remittances from workers abroad account for more than $5 million each year.
Electricity--consumption
7 million kWh (1996)
Electricity--exports
0 kWh (1996)
Electricity--imports
0 kWh (1996)
Electricity--production
7 million kWh (1996)
Electricity--production by source
fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (1996)
Exchange rates
Australian dollars ($A) per US$1--1.5853 (January 1999), 1.5888 (1998), 1.3439 (1997), 1.2773 (1996), 1.3486 (1995), 1.3667 (1994)
Exports
$6.7 million (f.o.b., 1996 est.)
Exports--commodities
copra 62%, seaweed, fish
Exports--partners
US, Australia, NZ (1996)
Fiscal year
NA
GDP
purchasing power parity--$62 million (1996 est.)
GDP--composition by sector
agriculture: 14% industry: 7% services: 79% (1996 est.)
GDP--per capita
purchasing power parity?$800 (1996 est.)
GDP--real growth rate
1.9% (1996 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share
lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%
Imports
$37.4 million (c.i.f., 1996 est.)
Imports--commodities
foodstuffs, machinery and equipment, miscellaneous manufactured goods, fuel
Imports--partners
Australia 46%, Fiji, Japan, NZ, US (1996)
Industrial production growth rate
0.7% (1992 est.)
Industries
fishing, handicrafts
Inflation rate (consumer prices)
-0.6% (1996 est.)
Labor force
7,870 economically active, not including subsistence farmers (1985 est.)
Population below poverty line
NA%
Unemployment rate
2%; underemployment 70% (1992 est.)
Communications
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) note: Kiribati is being linked to the Pacific Ocean Cooperative Telecommunications Network, which should improve telephone service
Telephones
1,400 (1984 est.)
Television broadcast stations
1 (1997)
Televisions
0 (1988)
Transportation
Airports
21 (1998 est.) Airports--with paved runways: total: 4 1,524 to 2,437 m: 4 (1998 est.) Airports--with unpaved runways: total: 17 914 to 1,523 m: 12 under 914 m: 5 (1998 est.)
Highways
total: 670 km (1996 est.) paved: NA km unpaved: NA km
Merchant marine
total: 1 passenger-cargo (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 1,291 GRT/1,295 DWT (1998 est.)
Railways
0 km
Waterways
small network of canals, totaling 5 km, in Line Islands Ports and harbors: Banaba, Betio, English Harbor, Kanton
Military and Security
Military branches
no regular military forces; Police Force (carries out law enforcement functions and paramilitary duties; small police posts are on all islands)
Military expenditures--dollar figure
$NA
Military expenditures--percent of GDP
NA%
Military--note
Kiribati does not have military forces; defense assistance is provided by Australia and NZ
Transnational Issues
Disputes--international
none