2000 Edition

Background

The Gilbert Islands were granted self-rule by the UK in 1971 and complete independence in 1979 under the new name of Kiribati. The US relinquished all claims to the sparsely inhabited Phoenix and Line Island groups in a 1979 treaty of friendship with Kiribati.

Area

land

717 sq km

note

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

total

717 sq km

water

0 sq km

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

highest point

unnamed location on Banaba 81 m

lowest point

Pacific Ocean 0 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, Desertification, 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

0%

forests and woodland

3%

other

46% (1993 est.)

permanent crops

51%

permanent pastures

0%

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; low-level of some of the islands make them very sensitive to sea-level rise

Natural resources

phosphate (production discontinued in 1979)

Terrain

mostly low-lying coral atolls surrounded by extensive reefs

Age structure

0-14 years: 40.85% (male 19,027; female 18,551) 15-64 years: 56% (male 25,411; female 26,097) 65 years and over: 3.15% (male 1,239; female 1,660) (2000 est.)

Birth rate

32.43 births/1,000 population (2000 est.)

Death rate

9.01 deaths/1,000 population (2000 est.)

Ethnic groups

Micronesian

Infant mortality rate

55.36 deaths/1,000 live births (2000 est.)

Languages

English (official), Gilbertese

Life expectancy at birth

female

62.82 years (2000 est.)

male

56.89 years

total population

59.78 years

Literacy

definition

NA

female

NA%

male

NA%

total population

NA%

Nationality

adjective

I-Kiribati

noun

I-Kiribati (singular and plural)

Net migration rate

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2000 est.)

Population

91,985 (July 2000 est.)

Population growth rate

2.34% (2000 est.)

Religions

Roman Catholic 53%, Protestant (Congregational) 41%, Seventh-Day Adventist, Baha'i, Church of God, Mormon 6% (1985 est.)

Sex ratio

at birth

1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.75 male(s)/female

total population

0.99 male(s)/female (2000 est.)

Total fertility rate

4.4 children born/woman (2000 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 - 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

former

Gilbert Islands

note

pronounced kir-ih-bahss

Data code

KR

Diplomatic representation from the US

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

Diplomatic representation in the US

Kiribati does not have an embassy in the US; there is an honorary consulate in Honolulu

Executive branch

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

chief of state

President Teburoro TITO (since 1 October 1994); Vice President Tewareka TENTOA (since 12 October 1994); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government

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%

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

head of government

President Teburoro TITO (since 1 October 1994); Vice President Tewareka TENTOA (since 12 October 1994); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government

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, UN, UNESCO, UPU, WHO, WTrO (applicant)

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

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)

election results

percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - Maneaban Te Mauri Party 14, National Progressive Party 11, independents 14

elections

last held 23 September 1998 (next to be held by NA September 2002)

National holiday

Independence Day, 12 July (1979)

Political parties and leaders

Liberal Party ; Maneaban Te Mauri Party ; National Progressive Party ; New Movement Party

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

Agriculture - products

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

Budget

expenditures

$47.7 million, including capital expenditures of $NA million (1996 est.)

revenues

$33.3 million

Currency

1 Australian dollar ($A) = 100 cents

Debt - external

$7.2 million (1996 est.)

Economic aid - recipient

$15.5 million (1995), largely from UK and Japan

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. Tourism provides more than one-fifth of GDP. 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 (1998)

Electricity - exports

0 kWh (1998)

Electricity - imports

0 kWh (1998)

Electricity - production

7 million kWh (1998)

Electricity - production by source

fossil fuel

100%

hydro

0%

nuclear

0%

other

0% (1998)

Exchange rates

Australian dollars ($A) per US$1 - 1.5207 (January 2000), 1.5497 (1999), 1.5888 (1998), 1.3439 (1997), 1.2773 (1996), 1.3486 (1995)

Exports

$6 million (f.o.b., 1998)

Exports - commodities

copra 62%, seaweed, fish

Exports - partners

US, Australia, NZ (1996)

Fiscal year

NA

GDP

purchasing power parity - $74 million (1999 est.), supplemented by a nearly equal amount from external sources

GDP - composition by sector

agriculture

14%

industry

7%

services

79% (1996 est.)

GDP - per capita

purchasing power parity - $860 (1999 est.)

GDP - real growth rate

2.5% (1999 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%

Imports

$37 million (c.i.f., 1998)

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)

2% (1999 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.)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs)

NA

Radio broadcast stations

AM 1, FM 1, shortwave 1 (1998)

Radios

17,000 (1997)

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 - main lines in use

2,600 (1995)

Telephones - mobile cellular

0 (1995)

Television broadcast stations

1 (1997)

Televisions

1,000 (1997)

Airports

21 (1999 est.)

Airports - with paved runways

total

4 1,524 to 2,437 m: 4 (1999 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways

total

17 914 to 1,523 m: 12 under 914 m: 5 (1999 est.)

Highways

paved

NA km

total

670 km (1996 est.)

unpaved

NA km

Merchant marine

ships by type

passenger/cargo 1 (1999 est.)

total

1 ship (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 1,291 GRT/1,295 DWT

Ports and harbors

Banaba, Betio, English Harbor, Kanton

Railways

0 km

Waterways

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

Military - note

Kiribati does not have military forces; defense assistance is provided by Australia and NZ

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%

Area

land

120,410 sq km

total

120,540 sq km

water

130 sq km

Area - comparative

slightly smaller than Mississippi

Climate

temperate with rainfall concentrated in summer

Coastline

2,495 km

Disputes - international

none

KOREA

Elevation extremes

highest point

Paektu-san 2,744 m

lowest point

Sea of Japan 0 m

Environment - current issues

localized air pollution attributable to inadequate industrial controls; water pollution; inadequate supplies of potable water

Environment - international agreements

party to

Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Environmental Modification, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution signed, but not ratified: Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Law of the Sea

Geographic coordinates

40 00 N, 127 00 E

Geography - note

strategic location bordering China, South Korea, and Russia; mountainous interior is isolated and sparsely populated

Irrigated land

14,600 sq km (1993 est.)

Land boundaries

border countries

China 1,416 km, South Korea 238 km, Russia 19 km

total

1,673 km

Land use

arable land

14%

forests and woodland

61%

other

23% (1993 est.)

permanent crops

2%

Map references

Asia

Maritime claims

note

military boundary line 50 nm in the Sea of Japan and the exclusive economic zone limit in the Yellow Sea where all foreign vessels and aircraft without permission are banned

Natural hazards

late spring droughts often followed by severe flooding; occasional typhoons during the early fall

Natural resources

coal, lead, tungsten, zinc, graphite, magnesite, iron ore, copper, gold, pyrites, salt, fluorspar, hydropower

Terrain

mostly hills and mountains separated by deep, narrow valleys; coastal plains wide in west, discontinuous in east