KIRIBATI
GEOGRAPHY
Total area: 717 km2; land area: 717 km2; includes three island
groups--Gilbert Islands, Line Islands, Phoenix Islands
Comparative area: slightly more than four times the size of
Washington, DC
Land boundaries: none
Coastline: 1,143 km
Maritime claims:
Exclusive economic zone: 200 nm;
Territorial sea: 12 nm
Climate: tropical; marine, hot and humid, moderated by trade winds
Terrain: mostly low-lying coral atolls surrounded by extensive
reefs
Natural resources: phosphate (production discontinued in 1979)
Land use: arable land NEGL%; permanent crops 51%; meadows and
pastures 0%; forest and woodland 3%; other 46%
Environment: typhoons can occur any time, but usually November to
March; 20 of the 33 islands are inhabited
Note: 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
Population: 71,137 (July 1991), growth rate 1.6% (1991)
Birth rate: 33 births/1,000 population (1991)
Death rate: 12 deaths/1,000 population (1991)
Net migration rate: - 5 migrants/1,000 population (1991)
Infant mortality rate: 63 deaths/1,000 live births (1991)
Life expectancy at birth: 52 years male, 58 years female (1991)
Total fertility rate: 4.2 children born/woman (1991)
Religion: Roman Catholic 52.6%, Protestant (Congregational) 40.9%,
Seventh-Day Adventist, Baha'i, Church of God, Mormon 6% (1985)
Language: English (official), Gilbertese
Literacy: NA% (male NA%, female NA%)
Labor force: 7,870 economically active (1985 est.)
Organized labor: Kiribati Trades Union Congress--2,500 members
GOVERNMENT
Long-form name: Republic of Kiribati; note--pronounced Kiribas
Type: republic
Capital: Tarawa
Administrative divisions: 3 units; Gilbert Islands, Line Islands,
Phoenix Islands; note--a new administrative structure of 6 districts
(Banaba, Central Gilberts, Line Islands, Northern Gilberts, Southern
Gilberts, Tarawa) may have been changed to 20 island councils (one for
each of the inhabited islands) named Abaiang, Abemama, Aranuka, Arorae,
Banaba, Beru, Butaritari, Kiritimati, Kuria, Maiana, Makin, Marakei,
Nikunau, Nonouti, Onotoa, Tabiteuea, Tabuaeran, Tamana, Tarawa, Teraina
Independence: 12 July 1979 (from UK; formerly Gilbert Islands)
Constitution: 12 July 1979
National holiday: Independence Day, 12 July (1979)
Legislative branch: unicameral House of Assembly (Maneaba Ni
Maungatabu)
Judicial branch: Court of Appeal, High Court
Leaders:
Chief of State and Head of Government--President Ieremia TABAI
(since 12 July 1979); Vice President Teatao TEANNAKI (since 20 July 1979)
Political parties and leaders:
Gilbertese National Party;
Christian Democratic Party, Teburoro TITO, secretary;
essentially not organized on the basis of political parties
Suffrage: universal at age 18
Elections:
President--last held on 12 May 1987 (next to be held May 1991);
results--Ieremia TABAI 50.1%, Tebruroro TITO 42.7%, Tetao
TEANNAKI 7.2%;
House of Assembly--last held on 19 March l987 (next to be held
May 1991); results--percent of vote by party NA;
seats--(40 total; 39 elected) percent of seats by party NA
Member of: ACP, AsDB, C, ESCAP (associate), IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU,
IDA, IFC, IMF, INTERPOL, ITU, SPC, SPF, UNESCO, UPU, WHO
Diplomatic representation: Ambassador (vacant) lives in Tarawa
(Kiribati);
US--none
Flag: 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
Overview: The country has few national resources. Commercially
viable phosphate deposits were exhausted at the time of independence
in 1979. Copra and fish now represent the bulk of production and exports.
The economy has fluctuated widely in recent years. Real GDP declined
about 8% in 1987, as the fish catch fell sharply to only one-fourth the
level of 1986 and copra production was hampered by repeated rains. Output
rebounded strongly in 1988, with real GDP growing by 17%. The upturn in
economic growth came from an increase in copra production and a good fish
catch. Following the strong surge in output in 1988, GNP increased 1%
in 1989 and again in 1990.
GDP: $36.8 million, per capita $525; real growth rate 1.0% (1990
est.)
partners--Australia 39%, Japan 21%, NZ 6%, UK 6%, US 3% (1985)
External debt: $2.0 million (December 1989 est.)
Industrial production: growth rate 0.0% (1988 est.); accounts
for less than 4% of GDP
Electricity: 5,000 kW capacity; 13 million kWh produced,
190 kWh per capita (1990)
Industries: fishing, handicrafts
Agriculture: accounts for 30% of GDP (including fishing); copra
and fish contribute about 95% to exports; subsistence farming
predominates; food crops--taro, breadfruit, sweet potatoes, vegetables;
not self-sufficient in food
Economic aid: Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral
commitments (1970-88), $258 million
Currency: Australian dollar (plural--dollars);
1 Australian dollar ($A) = 100 cents
COMMUNICATIONS
Highways: 640 km of motorable roads
Inland waterways: small network of canals, totaling 5 km, in Line
Islands
Ports: Banaba and Betio (Tarawa)
Civil air: 2 Trislanders; no major transport aircraft
Airports: 22 total; 21 usable; 4 with permanent-surface runways;
none with runways over 2,439 m; 5 with runways 1,220-2,439 m
Telecommunications: 1,400 telephones; stations--1 AM, no FM, no TV;
1 Pacific Ocean INTELSAT earth station
DEFENSE FORCES
Branches: no military force maintained; the Police Force carries
out law enforcement functions and paramilitary duties; there are small
police posts on all islands
