Kiribati

Broadcast media

1 TV broadcast station that provides about 1 hour of local programming Monday-Friday; multi-channel TV packages provide access to Australian and US stations; 1 government-operated radio station broadcasts on AM, FM, and shortwave (2009)

Internet country code

.ki

Internet users

total: 14,649 | percent of population: 13.7% (July 2016 est.) | country comparison to the world: 204

Telephone system

general assessment: generally good quality national and international service | domestic: wireline service available on Tarawa and Kiritimati (Christmas Island); connections to outer islands by HF/VHF radiotelephone; recently formed Amalgamated Telecom Holdings Kiribati Limited is implementing the first phase of improvements with 3G and 4G upgrades on some islands | international: country code - 686; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean) (2016)

Telephones - fixed lines

total subscriptions: 1,000 | subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 1 (July 2016 est.) | country comparison to the world: 200

Telephones - mobile cellular

total: 55,000 | subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 51 (July 2016 est.) | country comparison to the world: 211

Agriculture - products

copra, breadfruit, fish

Budget

revenues: $197.9 million | expenditures: $179.9 million (2013 est.)

Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-)

10.8% of GDP (2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 3

Current account balance

$27 million (2016 est.) | $69 million (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 57

Debt - external

$13.6 million (2013 est.) | $14.1 million (2012 est.) | country comparison to the world: 200

Economy - overview

A remote country of 33 scattered coral atolls, Kiribati has few natural resources and is one of the least developed Pacific Island countries. Commercially viable phosphate deposits were exhausted by the time of independence from the United Kingdom in 1979. Earnings from fishing licenses and seafarer remittances are important sources of income, however, remittances and the number of seafarers employed declined in the global crisis, but has since improved. In 2013, fishing license revenues contributed close to half of government’s total revenue and total remittances from seafarers were equivalent to 6% of GDP. | Economic development is constrained by a shortage of skilled workers, weak infrastructure, and remoteness from international markets. The public sector dominates economic activity, with ongoing capital projects in infrastructure including road rehabilitation, water and sanitation projects, and renovations to the international airport, spurring some growth. Public debt increased from less than 10% of GDP in 2014 to 23% of GDP at the end of 2015 due to the Bonriki International Airport repair and upgrade project financed by development partner concessional loans. | Kiribati is dependent on foreign aid, which was estimated to have contributed over 43% in 2013 to the government’s finances. The country’s sovereign fund, the Revenue Equalization Reserve Fund (RERF), which is held offshore, had an estimated balance of $571 million (A$756 million) in 2015, equivalent to 344% of GDP. The RERF seeks to avoid exchange rate risk by holding investments in more than 20 currencies, including the Australian dollar, US dollar, the Japanese yen, and the Euro. Drawdowns from the RERF helped finance the government’s annual budget.

Exchange rates

Australian dollars (AUD) per US dollar - | 1.3442 (2016 est.) | 1.3383 (2015 est.) | 1.3291 (2014 est.) | 1.1094 (2013 est.) | 0.9695 (2012 est.) | note:: the Australian dollar circulates as legal tender

Exports

$84.75 million (2013 est.) | $62.31 million (2012 est.) | country comparison to the world: 198

Exports - commodities

fish, coconut products

Exports - partners

Morocco 19.8%, Fiji 17.3%, Philippines 10.2%, US 10.1%, Vietnam 7.9%, Australia 4.2% (2016)

Fiscal year

NA

GDP (official exchange rate)

$174 million (2016 est.)

GDP (purchasing power parity)

$215 million (2016 est.) | $203 million (2015 est.) | $187 million (2014 est.) | note: data are in 2016 dollars | country comparison to the world: 220

GDP - composition, by sector of origin

agriculture: 26.3% | industry: 9.2% | services: 64.5% (2012 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP)

$1,900 (2016 est.) | $1,900 (2015 est.) | $1,800 (2014 est.) | note: data are in 2016 dollars | country comparison to the world: 211

GDP - real growth rate

4.2% (2016 est.) | 7.5% (2015 est.) | 0.4% (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 89

Household income or consumption by percentage share

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

Imports

$182.2 million (2013 est.) | $172.5 million (2012 est.) | country comparison to the world: 209

Imports - commodities

food, machinery and equipment, miscellaneous manufactured goods, fuel

Imports - partners

Australia 22.9%, NZ 20.9%, Fiji 14.1%, Singapore 10.5%, Japan 8.1%, China 6.9% (2016)

Industrial production growth rate

1.1% (2012 est.) | country comparison to the world: 140

Industries

fishing, handicrafts

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

1.9% (2016 est.) | 0.6% (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 122

Labor force

39,000 | note: economically active, not including subsistence farmers (2010 est.) | country comparison to the world: 199

Labor force - by occupation

agriculture: 15% | industry: 10% | services: 75% (2010)

Market value of publicly traded shares

$NA

Population below poverty line

NA%

Public debt

26.8% of GDP (2016 est.) | 23.1% of GDP (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 170

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

$7.479 million (31 December 2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 175

Stock of direct foreign investment - at home

$NA

Taxes and other revenues

118.5% of GDP (2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 2

Unemployment rate

30.6% (2010 est.) | 6.1% (2005) | country comparison to the world: 204

Carbon dioxide emissions from consumption of energy

58,450 Mt (2012 est.) | country comparison to the world: 210

Crude oil - exports

0 bbl/day (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 147

Crude oil - imports

0 bbl/day (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 144

Crude oil - production

0 bbl/day (2016 est.) | country comparison to the world: 154

Crude oil - proved reserves

0 bbl (1 January 2017 es) | country comparison to the world: 153

Electricity - consumption

22.32 million kWh (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 212

Electricity - exports

0 kWh (2016 est.) | country comparison to the world: 155

Electricity - from fossil fuels

62.5% of total installed capacity (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 121

Electricity - from hydroelectric plants

0% of total installed capacity (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 182

Electricity - from nuclear fuels

0% of total installed capacity (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 121

Electricity - from other renewable sources

37.5% of total installed capacity (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 6

Electricity - imports

0 kWh (2016 est.) | country comparison to the world: 166

Electricity - installed generating capacity

8,000 kW (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 210

Electricity - production

24 million kWh (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 212

Electricity access

population without electricity: 43,839 | electrification - total population: 59% | electrification - urban areas: 77% | electrification - rural areas: 45% (2012)

Natural gas - consumption

0 cu m (2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 198

Natural gas - exports

0 cu m (2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 131

Natural gas - imports

0 cu m (2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 145

Natural gas - production

0 cu m (2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 154

Natural gas - proved reserves

0 cu m (1 January 2014 es) | country comparison to the world: 157

Refined petroleum products - consumption

400 bbl/day (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 212

Refined petroleum products - exports

0 bbl/day (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 168

Refined petroleum products - imports

509.6 bbl/day (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 206

Refined petroleum products - production

0 bbl/day (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 159

Area

total: 811 sq km | land: 811 sq km | water: 0 sq km | note: includes three island groups - Gilbert Islands, Line Islands, and Phoenix Islands - dispersed over about 3.5 million sq km (1.35 million sq mi) | country comparison to the world: 187

Area - comparative

four times the size of Washington, DC

Climate

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

Coastline

1,143 km

Elevation

mean elevation: 2 m | elevation extremes: lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m | highest point: unnamed elevation 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, 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

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 (2012)

Land boundaries

0 km

Land use

agricultural land: 42% | arable land 2.5%; permanent crops 39.5%; permanent pasture 0% | forest: 15% | other: 43% (2011 est.)

Location

Oceania, group of 33 coral atolls in the Pacific Ocean, straddling the Equator; the capital Tarawa is about halfway between Hawaii and Australia

Map references

Oceania

Maritime claims

territorial sea: 12 nm | exclusive economic zone: 200 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 achipelagos 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

Administrative divisions

3 geographical units: Gilbert Islands, Line Islands, Phoenix Islands; note - there are no first-order administrative divisions, but 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

name: Tarawa | geographic coordinates: 1 21 N, 173 02 E | time difference: UTC+12 (17 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time) | note: on 1 January 1995, Kiribati proclaimed that all of its territory was in the same time zone as its Gilbert Islands group (UTC +12) even though the Phoenix Islands and the Line Islands under its jurisdiction are on the other side of the International Date Line

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

The Gilbert and Ellice Islands Order in Council 1915, The Gilbert Islands Order in Council 1975 (preindependence); latest promulgated 12 July 1979 (at independence); amended 1995, 2013 (2016)

Country name

conventional long form: Republic of Kiribati | conventional short form: Kiribati | local long form: Republic of Kiribati | local short form: Kiribati | note: pronounced keer-ree-bahss | former: Gilbert Islands | etymology: the name is the local pronounciation of "Gilberts," the former designation of the islands; originally named after explorer Thomas GILBERT, who mapped many of the islands in 1788

Diplomatic representation from the US

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

Diplomatic representation in the US

none; the Kiribati Permanent Mission to the UN serves as the Embassy; it is headed by Makurita BAARO (since 21 May 2014); address: 800 Second Avenue, Suite 400A, New York, NY 10017; telephone: [1](212)867-3310; FAX: [1](212)867-3320 | note: honorary consulate in Honolulu

Executive branch

chief of state: President Taneti MAAMAU (since 11 March 2016); Vice President Kourabi NENEM (since 17 March 2016); note - the president is both chief of state and head of government | head of government: President Taneti MAAMAU (since 11 March 2016); Vice President Kourabi NENEM (since 17 March 2016) | cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president from among House of Assembly members | elections/appointments: president directly elected by simple majority popular vote following nomination of candidates from among House of Assembly members; term is 4 years (eligible for 2 additional terms); election last held on 9 March 2016 (next to be held in 2020); vice president appointed by the president | election results: Taneti MAAMAU elected president; percent of vote - Taneti MAAMAU 60%, Rimeta BENIAMINA (BTK) 38.6%, Taneti IOANE (BTK) 1.4%

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 horizontal wavy white stripes to represent the Pacific ocean; the white stripes represent the three island groups - the Gilbert, Line, and Phoenix Islands; 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, 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); note - the High Court has jurisdiction on constitutional issues | 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

description: unicameral House of Assembly or Maneaba Ni Maungatabu (46 seats; 44 members directly elected in single- and multi-seat constituencies by absolute majority vote in two-rounds if needed; 1 member appointed by the Rabi Council of Leaders - representing Banaba Island, and 1 ex officio member - the attorney general; members serve 4-year terms) | elections: legislative elections were held in two rounds - the first on 21 October 2011 and the second on 28 October 2011 (next to be held in 2015) | election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - BTK 26, KTK and MKP 19, , other 2 (includes attorney general)

National anthem

name: "Teirake kaini Kiribati" (Stand Up, Kiribati) | lyrics/music: Urium Tamuera IOTEBA | note: adopted 1979

National holiday

Independence Day, 12 July (1979)

National symbol(s)

frigatebird; national colors: red, white, blue, yellow

Political parties and leaders

Boutokaan Te Koaua Party or BTK [Anote TONG] | Kamaeuraoan Te I-Kiribati Party or KTK [Tetaua TAITAI] | Maurin Kiribati Pati or MKP [Rimeta BENIAMINA] | 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

Background

The Gilbert Islands became a British protectorate in 1892 and a colony in 1915; they were captured by the Japanese in the Pacific War in 1941. The islands of Makin and Tarawa were the sites of major US amphibious victories over entrenched Japanese garrisons in 1943. 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.

Military - note

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

Military branches

no regular military forces (establishment prevented by the constitution); Police Force (2011)

Age structure

0-14 years: 29.68% (male 16,360/female 15,734) | 15-24 years: 21.07% (male 11,282/female 11,503) | 25-54 years: 38.98% (male 20,300/female 21,860) | 55-64 years: 6.04% (male 2,942/female 3,590) | 65 years and over: 4.23% (male 1,802/female 2,772) (2017 est.)

Birth rate

21.2 births/1,000 population (2017 est.) | country comparison to the world: 76

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

14.9% (2009) | country comparison to the world: 48

Contraceptive prevalence rate

22.3% (2009)

Death rate

7 deaths/1,000 population (2017 est.) | country comparison to the world: 130

Dependency ratios

total dependency ratio: 63 | youth dependency ratio: 57 | elderly dependency ratio: 6 | potential support ratio: 16.6 (2015 est.)

Drinking water source

urban: 87.3% of population | rural: 50.6% of population | total: 66.9% of population | urban: 12.7% of population | rural: 49.4% of population | total: 33.1% of population (2015 est.)

Ethnic groups

I-Kiribati 96.2%, I-Kiribati/mixed 1.8%, Tuvaluan 0.2%, other 1.8% (2015 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths

NA

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

NA

Health expenditures

10.2% of GDP (2014) | country comparison to the world: 24

Hospital bed density

1.3 beds/1,000 population (2011)

Infant mortality rate

total: 32.1 deaths/1,000 live births | male: 33.3 deaths/1,000 live births | female: 30.9 deaths/1,000 live births (2017 est.) | country comparison to the world: 58

Languages

I-Kiribati, English (official)

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 66.5 years | male: 64 years | female: 69.1 years (2017 est.) | country comparison to the world: 174

Major urban areas - population

TARAWA (capital) 46,000 (2014)

Maternal mortality rate

90 deaths/100,000 live births (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 76

Median age

total: 24.6 years | male: 23.8 years | female: 25.5 years (2017 est.) | country comparison to the world: 158

Mother's mean age at first birth

23.1 years | note: median age at first birth among women 25-29 (2009 est.)

Nationality

noun: I-Kiribati (singular and plural) | adjective: I-Kiribati

Net migration rate

-2.9 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2017 est.) | country comparison to the world: 174

Obesity - adult prevalence rate

46% (2016) | country comparison to the world: 9

Physicians density

0.2 physicians/1,000 population (2013)

Population

108,145 (July 2017 est.) | country comparison to the world: 191

Population distribution

consists of three achipelagos 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

Population growth rate

1.13% (2017 est.) | country comparison to the world: 105

Religions

Roman Catholic 57.3%, Kiribati Uniting Church 31.3%, Mormon 5.3%, Baha'i 2.1%, Seventh Day Adventist 1.9%, other 2.1% (2015 est.)

Sanitation facility access

urban: 51.2% of population | rural: 30.6% of population | total: 39.7% of population | urban: 48.8% of population | rural: 69.4% of population | total: 60.3% of population (2015 est.)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)

total: 12 years | male: 11 years | female: 12 years (2008)

Sex ratio

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female | 0-14 years: 1.04 male(s)/female | 15-24 years: 0.99 male(s)/female | 25-54 years: 0.93 male(s)/female | 55-64 years: 0.82 male(s)/female | 65 years and over: 0.65 male(s)/female | total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2016 est.)

Total fertility rate

2.39 children born/woman (2017 est.) | country comparison to the world: 85

Unemployment, youth ages 15-24

total: 54% | male: 47.6% | female: 61.8% (2010 est.)

Urbanization

urban population: 44.6% of total population (2017) | rate of urbanization: 1.9% annual rate of change (2015-20 est.)

Disputes - international

none

Airports

19 (2013) | country comparison to the world: 138

Airports - with paved runways

total: 4 | 1,524 to 2,437 m: 4 (2017)

Airports - with unpaved runways

total: 15 | 914 to 1,523 m: 10 | under 914 m: 5 (2013)

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

T3 (2016)

Merchant marine

total: 77 | by type: bulk carrier 7, cargo 35, chemical tanker 6, passenger 1, passenger/cargo 1, petroleum tanker 12, refrigerated cargo 15 | foreign-owned: 43 (China 26, Hong Kong 2, Russia 1, Singapore 9, South Korea 1, Taiwan 2, Vietnam 2) (2010) | country comparison to the world: 58

Ports and terminals

major seaport(s): Betio (Tarawa Atoll), Canton Island, English Harbor

Roadways

total: 670 km (2011) | country comparison to the world: 192

Waterways

5 km (small network of canals in Line Islands) (2012) | country comparison to the world: 107