Airports [time series]

total: 21 usable: 20 with permanent-surface runways: 4 with runways over 3,659 m: 0 with runways 2,440-3,659 m: 0 with runways 1,220-2,439 m: 5

Roadways (Highways) [time series]

total: 640 km paved: NA unpaved: NA

Waterways (Inland waterways) [time series]

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

Merchant marine [time series]

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

Ports [time series]

Banaba and Betio (Tarawa)

Telecommunication systems (Telecommunications) [time series]

1,400 telephones; broadcast stations - 1 AM, no FM, no TV; 1 Pacific Ocean INTELSAT earth station

Military and security forces (Branches) [time series]

Police Force (carries out law enforcement functions and paramilitary duties; there are small police posts on all islands); no military force is maintained

Military expenditures (Defense expenditures) [time series]

$NA, NA% of GDP

Agricultural products (Agriculture) [time series]

accounts for 23% of GDP (including fishing); copra and fish contribute about 65% to exports; subsistence farming predominates; food crops - taro, breadfruit, sweet potatoes, vegetables; not self-sufficient in food

Budget [time series]

revenues: $29.9 million expenditures: $16.3 million, including capital expenditures of $14 million (1990 est.)

Exchange rates (Currency) [time series]

1 Australian dollar ($A) = 100 cents

Economic aid [time series]

recipient: Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-89), $273 million

Electricity [time series]

capacity: 5,000 kW production: 13 million kWh consumption per capita: 190 kWh (1990)

Exchange rates [time series]

Australian dollars ($A) per US$1 - 1.4364 (January 1994), 1.4704 (1993), 1.3600 (1992), 1.2835 (1991), 1.2799 (1990), 1.2618 (1989)

Exports [time series]

$4.2 million (f.o.b., 1992 est.) commodities: copra 50%, seaweed 16%, fish 15% partners: Denmark, Fiji, US

Debt - external (External debt) [time series]

$2 million (December 1989 est.)

Fiscal year [time series]

NA

Imports [time series]

$33.1 million (c.i.f., 1992 est.) commodities: foodstuffs, machinery and equipment, miscellaneous manufactured goods, fuel partners: Australia 40%, Japan 18%, Fiji 17%, NZ 6%, US 4% (1991)

Industrial production growth rate (Industrial production) [time series]

growth rate 0.7% (1992 est.); accounts for less than 4% of GDP

Industries [time series]

fishing, handicrafts

Inflation rate (consumer prices) [time series]

4% (1992 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) (National product) [time series]

GDP - exchange rate conversion - $36.8 million (1990 est.)

Real GDP per capita (National product per capita) [time series]

$525 (1990 est.)

Real GDP growth rate (National product real growth rate) [time series]

1.5% (1992 est.)

Economic overview (Overview) [time series]

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 both 1989 and 1990.

Unemployment rate [time series]

2%; underemployment 70% (1992 est.)

Area [time series]

total area: 717 sq km land area: 717 sq km comparative area: slightly more than four times the size of Washington, DC note: includes three island groups - Gilbert Islands, Line Islands, Phoenix Islands

Climate [time series]

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

Coastline [time series]

1,143 km

Environment - current issues (Environment) [time series]

current issues: NA natural hazards: typhoons can occur any time, but usually November to March; subject to occasional tornadoes international agreements: party to - Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection; signed, but not ratified - Climate Change

Disputes - international (International disputes) [time series]

none

Irrigated land [time series]

NA sq km

Land boundaries [time series]

0 km

Land use [time series]

arable land: 0% permanent crops: 51% meadows and pastures: 0% forest and woodland: 3% other: 46%

Location [time series]

Oceania, Micronesia, straddling the equator in the Pacific Ocean, about halfway between Hawaii and Australia

Map references [time series]

Oceania

Maritime claims [time series]

exclusive economic zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 12 nm

Natural resources [time series]

phosphate (production discontinued in 1979)

Note [time series]

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

Terrain [time series]

mostly low-lying coral atolls surrounded by extensive reefs

Administrative divisions [time series]

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 21 island councils (one for each of the inhabited islands) named Abaiang, Abemama, Aranuka, Arorae, Banaba, Beru, Butaritari, Canton, Kiritimati, Kuria, Maiana, Makin, Marakei, Nikunau, Nonouti, Onotoa, Tabiteuea, Tabuaeran, Tamana, Tarawa, Teraina

Capital [time series]

Tarawa

Constitution [time series]

12 July 1979

Digraph [time series]

KR

Diplomatic representation in the US (Diplomatic representation in US) [time series]

Kiribati has no mission in the US

Executive branch [time series]

chief of state and head of government: President (Beretitenti) Teatao TEANNAKI (since 8 July 1991); Vice President (Kauoman-ni-Beretitenti) Taomati IUTA (since 8 July 1991); election last held on 8 July 1991 (next to be held by NA 1996); results - Teatao TEANNAKI 52%, Roniti TEIWAKI 28% cabinet: Cabinet; appointed by the president from an elected parliament

Flag [time series]

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

Legislative branch (House of Assembly (Maneaba Ni Maungatabu)) [time series]

elections last held on 8 May 1991 (next to be held by NA 1996); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (40 total; 39 elected) percent of seats by party NA

Independence [time series]

12 July 1979 (from UK)

Judicial branch [time series]

Court of Appeal, High Court

Legal system [time series]

NA

Legislative branch [time series]

unicameral

International organization participation (Member of) [time series]

ACP, AsDB, C, ESCAP, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, IDA, IFC, IMF, INTELSAT (nonsignatory user), INTERPOL, ITU, SPARTECA, SPC, SPF, UNESCO, UPU, WHO

Country name (Names) [time series]

conventional long form: Republic of Kiribati conventional short form: Kiribati former: Gilbert Islands

National holiday [time series]

Independence Day, 12 July (1979)

Political parties (Political parties and leaders) [time series]

National Progressive Party, Teatao TEANNAKI; Christian Democratic Party, Teburoro TITO; New Movement Party, leader NA; Liberal Party, Tewareka TENTOA; Maneaba Party, Roniti TEIWAKI 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 [time series]

18 years of age; universal

Government type (Type) [time series]

republic

Diplomatic representation from the US (US diplomatic representation) [time series]

the ambassador to Fiji is accredited to Kiribati

Birth rate [time series]

31.64 births/1,000 population (1994 est.)

Death rate [time series]

12.31 deaths/1,000 population (1994 est.)

Ethnic groups (Ethnic divisions) [time series]

Micronesian

Infant mortality rate [time series]

98.4 deaths/1,000 live births (1994 est.)

Labor force [time series]

7,870 economically active, not including subsistence farmers (1985 est.)

Languages [time series]

English (official), Gilbertese

Life expectancy at birth [time series]

total population: 54.16 years male: 52.56 years female: 55.78 years (1994 est.)

Literacy [time series]

total population: NA% male: NA% female: NA%

Nationality [time series]

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

Net migration rate [time series]

0.56 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1994 est.)

Population [time series]

77,853 (July 1994 est.)

Population growth rate [time series]

1.99% (1994 est.)

Religions [time series]

Roman Catholic 52.6%, Protestant (Congregational) 40.9%, Seventh-Day Adventist, Baha'i, Church of God, Mormon 6% (1985)

Total fertility rate [time series]

3.77 children born/woman (1994 est.)