2020 Edition

Background

Kiribati is made up of three distinct island groups -- the Gilbert Islands, the Line Islands, and the Phoenix Islands. The first Austronesian voyagers arrived in the Gilbert Islands as early as 3000 B.C., but these islands were not widely settled until about A.D. 200 by Micronesians. Around 1300, Samoans and Tongans invaded the southern Gilbert Islands, then known as Tungaru, bringing Polynesian cultural elements with them. Later arrivals of Fijians brought Melanesian elements to the Gilbert Islands, and extensive intermarriage between the Micronesian, Polynesian, and Melanesian people led to the creation of what would become Gilbertese cultural traditions by the time Europeans spotted the islands in the 1600s. The Phoenix Islands and Line Islands were both visited by various Melanesian and Polynesian peoples, but their isolation and lack of natural resources meant that long-term settlements were not possible. Both island groups were uninhabited by the time of European contact.   Kiribati experienced sustained European contact by the 1760s; all three island groups were named and charted by 1826. American whaling ships frequently passed through the islands, and the UK declared a protectorate over the Gilbert and nearby Ellice Islands in 1892, in an attempt to block growing US influence. Phosphate-rich Banaba Island was annexed to the protectorate in 1900. In 1916, the protectorate became a colony, and some Line Islands were added in 1916 and 1919, with the final ones added in 1972. The Phoenix Islands were added to the colony in 1937, and the UK agreed to share jurisdiction of some with the US because of their strategic location for aviation. During World War II, the islands were occupied by Japanese forces but were ejected by US amphibious assaults. The Ellice Islands became its own colony in 1974 and was renamed Tuvalu for “eight standing together” in 1975. The Gilbert Islands became fully self-governing in 1977 and independent in 1979 under the new name of Kiribati, the Gilbertese spelling of Gilberts. The US relinquished all claims to the sparsely inhabited Phoenix and Line Islands in a 1979 treaty of friendship. In 2012, Kiribati purchased a 22 sq km (8.5 sq mi) plot of land in Fiji for potential eventual resettlement of its population because of climate change, and in 2014 Fijian Prime Minister Voreqe BAINIMARAMA said residents of Kiribati would be welcome to relocate to Fiji if their country is swamped by rising sea levels.

Area

land

811 sq km

total

811 sq km

water

0 sq km

Area - comparative

four times the size of Washington, D.C.

Climate

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

Coastline

1,143 km

Elevation

highest point

unnamed elevation on Banaba 81 m

lowest point

Pacific Ocean 0 m

mean elevation

2 m

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; Kiribati is the only country in the world to fall into all four hemispheres (northern, southern, eastern, and western)

Irrigated land

0 sq km (2022)

Land boundaries

total

0 km

Land use

agricultural land

42% (2023 est.)

agricultural land: arable land

arable land: 2.5% (2023 est.)

agricultural land: permanent crops

permanent crops: 39.5% (2023 est.)

agricultural land: permanent pasture

permanent pasture: 0% (2022 est.)

forest

1.3% (2023 est.)

other

56.7% (2023 est.)

Location

Oceania, group of 32 coral atolls and one raised coral island in the Pacific Ocean, straddling the Equator; the capital Tarawa is about halfway between Hawaii and Australia

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 sensitive to changes in sea level

Natural resources

phosphate (production discontinued in 1979), coconuts (copra), fish

Population distribution

consists of three archipelagos spread out over an area roughly the size of India; the eastern Line Islands and central Phoenix Islands are sparsely populated, but the western Gilbert Islands are some of the most densely settled places on earth, with the main island of South Tarawa boasting a population density similar to Tokyo or Hong Kong

Terrain

mostly low-lying coral atolls surrounded by extensive reefs

Age structure

0-14 years

26.8% (male 15,895/female 15,304)

15-64 years

67.9% (male 38,046/female 41,059)

65 years and over

5.4% (2024 est.) (male 2,423/female 3,818)

Alcohol consumption per capita

beer

0.26 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

other alcohols

0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

spirits

0.17 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

total

0.43 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

wine

0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

Birth rate

19.4 births/1,000 population (2025 est.)

Child marriage

men married by age 18

8.6% (2019)

women married by age 15

2.4% (2019)

women married by age 18

18.4% (2019)

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

6.9% (2018 est.)

Currently married women (ages 15-49)

67.4% (2020 est.)

Death rate

6.88 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.)

Dependency ratios

elderly dependency ratio

7.9 (2024 est.)

potential support ratio

12.7 (2024 est.)

total dependency ratio

47.3 (2024 est.)

youth dependency ratio

39.4 (2024 est.)

Drinking water source

improved: rural

rural: 59.5% of population (2022 est.)

improved: total

total: 75.7% of population (2022 est.)

improved: urban

urban: 87.9% of population (2022 est.)

unimproved: rural

rural: 40.5% of population (2022 est.)

unimproved: total

total: 24.3% of population (2022 est.)

unimproved: urban

urban: 12.1% of population (2022 est.)

Education expenditure

Education expenditure (% GDP)

16.4% of GDP (2023 est.)

Education expenditure (% national budget)

20.1% national budget (2024 est.)

Ethnic groups

I-Kiribati 95.78%, I-Kiribati/mixed 3.8%, Tuvaluan 0.2%, other 1.7% (2020 est.)

Gross reproduction rate

1.04 (2025 est.)

Health expenditure

Health expenditure (as % of GDP)

14.8% of GDP (2021)

Health expenditure (as % of national budget)

9.7% of national budget (2022 est.)

Hospital bed density

1.9 beds/1,000 population (2016 est.)

Infant mortality rate

female

29.4 deaths/1,000 live births

male

33.5 deaths/1,000 live births

total

30.8 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.)

Languages

Gilbertese, English (official)

Life expectancy at birth

female

71.3 years

male

65.9 years

total population

68.5 years (2024 est.)

Literacy

female

98.9% (2020 est.)

male

98.6% (2020 est.)

total population

98.6% (2020 est.)

Major urban areas - population

64,000 TARAWA (capital) (2018)

Maternal mortality ratio

80 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.)

Median age

female

28.2 years

male

26.4 years

total

27.7 years (2025 est.)

Mother's mean age at first birth

23.1 years (2009 est.)

Nationality

adjective

Kiribati

noun

I-Kiribati (singular and plural)

Net migration rate

-2.75 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.)

Obesity - adult prevalence rate

46% (2016)

Physician density

0.2 physicians/1,000 population (2013)

Population

female

60,181

male

56,364

total

116,545 (2024 est.)

Population growth rate

0.98% (2025 est.)

Religions

Roman Catholic 58.9%, Kiribati Uniting Church 21.2%, Kiribati Protestant Church 8.4%, Church of Jesus Christ 5.6%, Seventh Day Adventist 2.1%, Baha'i 2.1%, other 1.7% (2020 est.)

Sanitation facility access

improved: rural

rural: 48.1% of population (2022 est.)

improved: total

total: 62.1% of population (2022 est.)

improved: urban

urban: 72.6% of population (2022 est.)

unimproved: rural

rural: 51.9% of population (2022 est.)

unimproved: total

total: 37.9% of population (2022 est.)

unimproved: urban

urban: 27.4% of population (2022 est.)

Sex ratio

0-14 years

1.04 male(s)/female

15-64 years

0.93 male(s)/female

65 years and over

0.63 male(s)/female

at birth

1.05 male(s)/female

total population

0.94 male(s)/female (2024 est.)

Tobacco use

female

23.6% (2025 est.)

male

48.4% (2025 est.)

total

35.4% (2025 est.)

Total fertility rate

2.13 children born/woman (2025 est.)

Urbanization

rate of urbanization

2.77% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

urban population

57.8% of total population (2023)

Administrative divisions

3 geographical units: Gilbert Islands, Line Islands, Phoenix Islands; there are no first-order administrative divisions, but the 6 districts are Banaba, Central Gilberts, Line Islands, Northern Gilberts, Southern Gilberts, Tarawa, with 21 island councils on Abaiang, Abemama, Aranuka, Arorae, Banaba, Beru, Butaritari, Kanton, Kiritimati, Kuria, Maiana, Makin, Marakei, Nikunau, Nonouti, Onotoa, Tabiteuea, Tabuaeran, Tamana, Tarawa, Teraina

Capital

etymology

the name is said to derive from the I-Kiribati words te (the) and rawa (run), referring to a channel through a nearby reef

geographic coordinates

1 21 N, 173 02 E

name

Tarawa

time difference

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

time zone note

Kiribati has three time zones: the Gilbert Islands group at UTC+12, the Phoenix Islands at UTC+13, and the Line Islands at UTC+14

Citizenship

citizenship by birth

no

citizenship by descent only

at least one parent must be a native-born citizen of Kiribati

dual citizenship recognized

no

residency requirement for naturalization

7 years

Constitution

amendment process

proposed by the House of Assembly; passage requires two-thirds majority vote by the Assembly membership; passage of amendments affecting the constitutional section on amendment procedures and parts of the constitutional chapter on citizenship requires deferral of the proposal to the next Assembly meeting where approval is required by at least two-thirds majority vote of the Assembly membership and support of the nominated or elected Banaban member of the Assembly; amendments affecting the protection of fundamental rights and freedoms also requires approval by at least two-thirds majority in a referendum

history

The Gilbert and Ellice Islands Order in Council 1915, The Gilbert Islands Order in Council 1975 (pre-independence); latest promulgated 12 July 1979 (at independence)

Country name

conventional long form

Republic of Kiribati

conventional short form

Kiribati

etymology

the name is the local pronunciation of "Gilbert," the former designation of the islands; originally named after explorer Thomas GILBERT, who mapped many of the islands in 1788

former

Gilbert Islands

local long form

Republic of Kiribati

local short form

Kiribati

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission

Ambassador Marie DAMOUR (since 6 December 2022); note - Ambassador DAMOUR is based in the US Embassy in the Republic of Fiji and is accredited to Kiribati as well as Nauru, Tonga, and Tuvalu

Diplomatic representation in the US

chancery

685 Third Avenue, Suite 1109, New York, NY 10017

chief of mission

Ambassador Teburoro TITO (since 24 January 2018); note - also Permanent Representative to the UN

email address and website

Kimission.newyork@mfa.gov.ki

FAX

[1] (212) 867-3320

telephone

[1] (212) 867-3310

Executive branch

cabinet

Cabinet appointed by the president from among House of Assembly members

chief of state

President Taneti MAAMAU (since 11 March 2016)

election results

2024: Taneti MAAMAU reelected president; percent of vote - Taneti MAAMAU (TKP) 55%, Kaotitaake KOKORIA (independent) 42%, Bautaake BEIA (TKP) 3% 2020: Taneti MAAMAU reelected president; percent of vote - Taneti MAAMAU (TKP) 59.3%, Banuera BERINA (BKM) 40.7%

election/appointment process

president directly elected for a 4-year term (eligible for 2 additional terms) by simple-majority popular vote, after candidates are nominated from among House of Assembly members; vice president appointed by the president

expected date of next election

2028

head of government

President Taneti MAAMAU (since 11 March 2016)

most recent election date

25 October 2024

Flag

description: the upper half is red with a yellow frigatebird flying over a yellow rising sun, and the lower half is blue with three wavy horizontal white stripes to represent the Pacific Ocean meaning: the white stripes represent the Gilbert, Line, and Phoenix island groups; the 17 rays of the sun represent the 16 Gilbert Islands and Banaba (formerly Ocean Island); the frigatebird symbolizes authority and freedom

Government type

presidential republic

Independence

12 July 1979 (from the UK)

International law organization participation

has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; non-party state to the ICCt

International organization participation

ABEDA, ACP, ADB, AOSIS, C, FAO, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, IOC, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), OPCW, PIF, Sparteca, SPC, UN, UNCTAD, UNDP, UNESCO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO

Judicial branch

highest court(s)

High Court (consists of a chief justice and other judges as prescribed by the president)

judge selection and term of office

chief justice appointed by the president on the advice of the cabinet in consultation with the Public Service Commission (PSC); other judges appointed by the president on the advice of the chief justice along with the PSC

subordinate courts

Court of Appeal; magistrates' courts

Legal system

English common law supplemented by customary law

Legislative branch

electoral system

plurality/majority

expected date of next election

August 2028

legislative structure

unicameral

legislature name

House of Assembly (Maneaba Ni Maungatabu)

most recent election date

8/14/2024 to 8/19/2024

number of seats

45 (44 directly elected; 1 appointed)

percentage of women in chamber

11.1%

scope of elections

full renewal

term in office

4 years

National anthem(s)

history

adopted 1979

lyrics/music

Urium Tamuera IOTEBA

title

"Teirake kaini Kiribati" (Stand Up, Kiribati)

National color(s)

red, white, blue, yellow

National heritage

selected World Heritage Site locales

Phoenix Islands Protected Area

total World Heritage Sites

1 (natural)

National holiday

Independence Day, 12 July (1979)

National symbol(s)

frigatebird

Political parties

Boutokaan Kiribati Moa Party or BKM  Kiribati Moa Party or KMP Kamanoan Kiribati Party or KKP Tobwaan Kiribati Party or TKP

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Agricultural products

coconuts, bananas, vegetables, taro, tropical fruits, pork, chicken, nuts, eggs, pork offal (2023)

Budget

expenditures

$264.736 million (2023 est.)

revenues

$260.557 million (2023 est.)

Current account balance

Current account balance 2021

$20.251 million (2021 est.)

Current account balance 2022

-$32.523 million (2022 est.)

Current account balance 2023

-$5.117 million (2023 est.)

Economic overview

lower-middle income, Pacific island economy; environmentally fragile; sizable remittances; key phosphate mining fund; tourism and fishing industries; public sector-dominated economy; recent withdrawal from Pacific Islands Forum; ongoing constitutional crisis

Exchange rates

Currency

Australian dollars (AUD) per US dollar -

Exchange rates 2020

1.453 (2020 est.)

Exchange rates 2021

1.331 (2021 est.)

Exchange rates 2022

1.442 (2022 est.)

Exchange rates 2023

1.505 (2023 est.)

Exchange rates 2024

1.515 (2024 est.)

Exports

Exports 2021

$10.754 million (2021 est.)

Exports 2022

$20.58 million (2022 est.)

Exports 2023

$17.099 million (2023 est.)

Exports - commodities

fish, coconut oil (2023)

Exports - partners

Thailand 85%, Japan 6%, Philippines 3%, UAE 2%, Fiji 1% (2023)

GDP - composition, by end use

exports of goods and services

7.6% (2022 est.)

government consumption

61.7% (2022 est.)

household consumption

101.2% (2022 est.)

imports of goods and services

-100.5% (2022 est.)

investment in fixed capital

19.1% (2022 est.)

investment in inventories

1.3% (2022 est.)

GDP - composition, by sector of origin

agriculture

27.8% (2022 est.)

industry

9.9% (2022 est.)

services

65.7% (2022 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate)

$307.863 million (2024 est.)

Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income

Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income 2019

27.8 (2019 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

highest 10%

22.8% (2019 est.)

lowest 10%

4% (2019 est.)

Imports

Imports 2021

$201.984 million (2021 est.)

Imports 2022

$272.004 million (2022 est.)

Imports 2023

$293.624 million (2023 est.)

Imports - commodities

ships, centrifuges, refined petroleum, rice, raw sugar (2023)

Imports - partners

China 24%, Australia 20%, Fiji 15%, Japan 7%, NZ 6% (2023)

Industrial production growth rate

-6.2% (2022 est.)

Industries

fishing, handicrafts

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2021

2.1% (2021 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2022

5.3% (2022 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2023

9.3% (2023 est.)

Population below poverty line

21.9% (2019 est.)

Public debt

Public debt 2016

22.9% of GDP (2016 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2022

$405.468 million (2022 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2023

$416.221 million (2023 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2024

$438.143 million (2024 est.)

Real GDP growth rate

Real GDP growth rate 2022

4.6% (2022 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2023

2.7% (2023 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2024

5.3% (2024 est.)

Real GDP per capita

Real GDP per capita 2022

$3,100 (2022 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2023

$3,100 (2023 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2024

$3,300 (2024 est.)

Remittances

Remittances 2021

4.7% of GDP (2021 est.)

Remittances 2022

10.4% of GDP (2022 est.)

Remittances 2023

4% of GDP (2023 est.)

Taxes and other revenues

17.7% (of GDP) (2023 est.)

Electricity

consumption

27.388 million kWh (2023 est.)

installed generating capacity

12,000 kW (2023 est.)

transmission/distribution losses

5 million kWh (2023 est.)

Electricity access

electrification - rural areas

94.3% (2020 est.)

electrification - total population

94.4% (2022 est.)

electrification - urban areas

86%

Electricity generation sources

fossil fuels

81.5% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

solar

18.5% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

Energy consumption per capita

Total energy consumption per capita 2023

8.578 million Btu/person (2023 est.)

Petroleum

refined petroleum consumption

500 bbl/day (2023 est.)

Broadband - fixed subscriptions

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

(2023 est.) less than 1

total

0 (2023 est.)

Broadcast media

multi-channel TV packages provide access to Australian and US stations; 1 government-operated radio station broadcasts on AM, FM, and shortwave (2017)

Internet country code

.ki

Internet users

percent of population

88% (2023 est.)

Telephones - fixed lines

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

(2023 est.) less than 1

total subscriptions

0 (2023 est.)

Telephones - mobile cellular

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

49 (2022 est.)

total subscriptions

70,000 (2023 est.)

Airports

21 (2025)

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

T3

Merchant marine

by type

bulk carrier 2, general cargo 24, oil tanker 11, other 37

total

74 (2023)

Ports

key ports

Canton Island, English Harbor, Tarawa Atoll

large

0

medium

0

ports with oil terminals

0

small

0

total ports

3 (2024)

very small

3

Military - note

Australia, NZ, and the US have provided security assistance; Kiribati has a "ship rider" agreement with the US, which allows local maritime law enforcement officers to embark on US Coast Guard (USCG) and US Navy (USN) vessels, including to board and search vessels suspected of violating laws or regulations within Kiribati's designated exclusive economic zone (EEZ) or on the high seas; ship rider agreements also enable USCG personnel and USN vessels with embarked USCG law enforcement personnel to work with host nations to protect critical regional resources (2025)

Military and security forces

Kiribati Police Service (includes Maritime Police) (2025)

Carbon dioxide emissions

from petroleum and other liquids

81,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

total emissions

81,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

Environmental issues

heavy pollution in lagoon of south Tarawa atoll due to overcrowding mixed with traditional practices such as lagoon latrines and open-pit dumping; coastal erosion

International environmental agreements

party to

Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping-London Convention, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling

signed, but not ratified

none of the selected agreements

Particulate matter emissions

8 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)

Waste and recycling

municipal solid waste generated annually

35,700 tons (2024 est.)

percent of municipal solid waste recycled

15.4% (2022 est.)