2007 Edition

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)

Age structure

0-14 years: 38.6% (male 20,608/female 20,060) 15-64 years: 58.1% (male 30,216/female 31,004) 65 years and over: 3.4% (male 1,517/female 2,027) (2006 est.)

Agriculture - products

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

Airports

19 (2006)

Airports - with paved runways

total

3 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 (2006)

Airports - with unpaved runways

total

16 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 11

under 914 m

4 (2006)

Area

land

811 sq km

note

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

total

811 sq km

water

0 sq km

Area - comparative

four times the size of Washington, DC

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. Geography Kiribati

Birth rate

30.65 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Budget

expenditures

$59.71 million; including capital expenditures of $NA (FY05)

revenues

$55.52 million

Capital

geographic coordinates

1 25 N, 173 00 E

name

Tarawa

time difference

UTC+12 (17 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

Climate

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

Coastline

1,143 km

Constitution

12 July 1979

Country name

conventional long form

Republic of Kiribati

conventional short form

Kiribati

former

Gilbert Islands

local long form

Republic of Kiribati

local short form

Kiribati

note

pronounced keer-ree-bahss

Currency (code)

Australian dollar (AUD)

Currency code

AUD

Current account balance

$-19.87 million (2004)

Death rate

8.26 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Debt - external

$10 million (1999 est.)

Diplomatic representation from the US

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

Diplomatic representation in the US

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

Disputes - international

none This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

Economic aid - recipient

$16.7 million largely from UK and Japan (2004)

Economy - overview

A remote country of 33 scattered coral atolls, Kiribati has few natural 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 from UK, Japan, Australia, New Zealand, and China equals more than 10% of GDP. Remittances from seamen on merchant ships abroad account for more than $5 million each year. Kiribati receives around $15 million annually for the government budget from an Australian trust fund.

Electricity - consumption

12.09 million kWh (2004)

Electricity - exports

0 kWh (2004)

Electricity - imports

0 kWh (2004)

Electricity - production

13 million kWh (2004)

Electricity - production by source

fossil fuel

100%

hydro

0%

nuclear

0%

other

0% (2001)

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, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Whaling

signed, but not ratified

none of the selected agreements

Ethnic groups

Micronesian 98.8%, other 1.2% (2000 census)

Exchange rates

Australian dollars per US dollar - 1.3095 (2005), 1.3598 (2004), 1.5419 (2003), 1.8406 (2002)

Executive branch

cabinet

12-member cabinet appointed by the president from among the members of the House of Parliament

chief of state

President Anote TONG (since 10 July 2003); Vice President Teima ONORIO; note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government

election results

Anote TONG 47.4%, Harry TONG 43.5%, Banuera BERINA 9.1%

elections

the House of Parliament chooses the presidential candidates from among its members and then those candidates compete in a general election; president is elected by popular vote for a four-year term (eligible for two more terms); election last held 4 July 2003 (next to be held not later than July 2007); vice president appointed by the president

head of government

President Anote TONG (since 10 July 2003); Vice President Teima ONORIO

Exports

$17 million f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Exports - commodities

copra 62%, coconuts, seaweed, fish

Exports - partners

US 22.8%, Belgium 21.5%, Japan 14.3%, Samoa 7.8%, Australia 7.5%, Malaysia 6.7%, Taiwan 5.6%, Denmark 4.6% (2005)

Fiscal year

NA Communications Kiribati

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 Economy Kiribati

GDP - composition by sector

agriculture

8.9%

industry

24.2%

services

66.8% (2004)

GDP - per capita (PPP)

$2,700 (2004 est.)

GDP - real growth rate

0.3% (2005)

GDP (official exchange rate)

$76.4 million (2005 est.)

GDP (purchasing power parity)

$206.4 million (2004 est.)

Geographic coordinates

1 25 N, 173 00 E

Geography - note

21 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 People Kiribati

Government type

republic

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths

NA

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

NA

Household income or consumption by percentage share

highest 10%

NA%

lowest 10%

NA%

Imports

$62 million c.i.f. (2004 est.)

Imports - commodities

foodstuffs, machinery and equipment, miscellaneous manufactured goods, fuel

Imports - partners

Australia 33%, Fiji 27.1%, Japan 18.1%, NZ 6.9% (2005)

Independence

12 July 1979 (from UK)

Industrial production growth rate

0.7% (1991 est.)

Industries

fishing, handicrafts

Infant mortality rate

female

41.95 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

male

52.34 deaths/1,000 live births

total

47.27 deaths/1,000 live births

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

0.5% (2005 est.)

International organization participation

ACP, AsDB, C, FAO, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, IOC, ITU, ITUC, OPCW, PIF, Sparteca, SPC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UPU, WHO, WMO

Internet country code

.ki

Internet hosts

42 (2006)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs)

1 (2000)

Internet users

2,000 (2004) Transportation Kiribati

Irrigated land

NA

Judicial branch

Court of Appeal; High Court; 26 Magistrates' courts; judges at all levels are appointed by the president

Labor force

7,870 economically active, not including subsistence farmers (2001 est.)

Labor force - by occupation

agriculture

2.7%

industry

32%

services

65.3%

Land boundaries

0 km

Land use

arable land

2.74%

other

49.31% (2005)

permanent crops

47.95%

Languages

I-Kiribati, English (official)

Legal system

NA

Legislative branch

unicameral House of Parliament or Maneaba Ni Maungatabu (42 seats; 39 elected by popular vote, 1 ex officio member - the attorney general, 1 appointed to represent Banaba, and 1 other; members serve four-year terms)

election results

percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - BTK 17, MTM 16, independents 7, other 2 (includes attorney general)

elections

legislative elections were held in two rounds - the first round on 9 May 2003 and the second round on 14 May 2003 (next to be held by November 2006)

Life expectancy at birth

female

65.24 years (2006 est.)

male

59.06 years

total population

62.08 years

Literacy

definition

NA

female

NA Government Kiribati

male

NA

total population

NA

Location

Oceania, group of 33 coral atolls in the Pacific Ocean, straddling the Equator; the capital Tarawa is about one-half of the way from Hawaii to Australia; note - on 1 January 1995, Kiribati proclaimed that all of its territory lies in the same time zone as its Gilbert Islands group (GMT +12) even though the Phoenix Islands and the Line Islands under its jurisdiction lie on the other side of the International Date Line

Manpower available for military service

males age 18-49

21,938 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service

males age 18-49

14,231 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually

males age 18-49

1,128 (2005 est.)

Map references

Oceania

Maritime claims

exclusive economic zone

200 nm

territorial sea

12 nm

Median age

female

20.8 years (2006 est.)

male

19.8 years

total

20.2 years

Merchant marine

by type

cargo 1, passenger/cargo 1

foreign-owned

1 (UAE 1) (2006)

total

2 ships (1000 GRT or over) 2,749 GRT/3,911 DWT

Military - note

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

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

National holiday

Independence Day, 12 July (1979)

Nationality

adjective

I-Kiribati

noun

I-Kiribati (singular and plural)

Natural gas - consumption

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - production

0 cu m (2004 est.)

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 changes in sea level

Natural resources

phosphate (production discontinued in 1979)

Net migration rate

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Oil - consumption

200 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - exports

NA bbl/day (2001)

Oil - imports

NA bbl/day (2001)

Oil - production

0 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Political parties and leaders

Boutokaan Te Koaua Party or BTK [Taberannang TIMEON]; Maneaban Te Mauri Party or MTM [Teburoro TITO]; Maurin Kiribati Pati or MKP; National Progressive Party or NPP [Dr. Harry TONG]

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

Political pressure groups and leaders

NA

Population

105,432 (July 2006 est.)

Population below poverty line

NA%

Population growth rate

2.24% (2006 est.)

Ports and terminals

Betio Military Kiribati

Radio broadcast stations

AM 1, FM 2, shortwave 1

note

the shortwave station may be inactive (2002)

Radios

17,000 (1997)

Religions

Roman Catholic 52%, Protestant (Congregational) 40%, some Seventh-Day Adventist, Muslim, Baha'i, Latter-day Saints, Church of God (1999)

Roadways

total

670 km (1999)

Sex ratio

at birth

1.05 male(s)/female

total population

0.99 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

under 15 years

1.03 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.75 male(s)/female

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Telephone system

domestic

wire line service available on Tarawa and Kiritimati (Christmas Island); connections to outer islands by HF/VHF radiotelephone; wireless service available in Tarawa since 1999

general assessment

generally good quality national and international service

international

country code - 686; Kiribati is being linked to the Pacific Ocean Cooperative Telecommunications Network, which should improve telephone service; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)

Telephones - main lines in use

4,500 (2002)

Telephones - mobile cellular

600 (2004)

Television broadcast stations

1 (not reported to be active) (2002)

Televisions

1,000 (1997)

Terrain

mostly low-lying coral atolls surrounded by extensive reefs

Total fertility rate

4.16 children born/woman (2006 est.)

Unemployment rate

2% official rate; underemployment 70% (1992 est.)

Waterways

5 km (small network of canals in Line Islands) (2003)