*Kiribati, Geography

Location:
  Oceania, straddling the equator in the Pacific Ocean, about halfway between
  Hawaii and Australia
Map references:
  Oceania
Area:
 total area:
  717 km2
 land area:
  717 km2
 comparative area:
  slightly more than four times the size of Washington, DC
 note:
  includes three island groups - Gilbert Islands, Line Islands, Phoenix
  Islands
Land boundaries:
  0 km
Coastline:
  1,143 km
Maritime claims:
 exclusive economic zone:
  200 nm
 territorial sea:
  12 nm
International disputes:
  none
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:
  0%
 permanent crops:
  51%
 meadows and pastures:
  0%  forest and woodland:
  3%
 other:
  46%
Irrigated land:
  NA km2
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

*Kiribati, People

Population:
  76,320 (July 1993 est.)
Population growth rate:
  2.03% (1993 est.)
Birth rate:
  32.03 births/1,000 population (1993 est.)
Death rate:
  12.31 deaths/1,000 population (1993 est.)
Net migration rate:
  0.56 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1993 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
  98.4 deaths/1,000 live births (1993 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
 total population:
  54.16 years
 male:
  52.56 years
 female:
  55.78 years (1993 est.)
Total fertility rate:
  3.82 children born/woman (1993 est.)
Nationality:
 noun:
  I-Kiribati (singular and plural)
 adjective:
  I-Kiribati
Ethnic divisions:
  Micronesian
Religions:
  Roman Catholic 52.6%, Protestant (Congregational) 40.9%, Seventh-Day
  Adventist, Baha'i, Church of God, Mormon 6% (1985)
Languages:
  English (official), Gilbertese
Literacy:
 total population:
  NA%
 male:
  NA%  female:
  NA%
Labor force:
  7,870 economically active, not including subsistence farmers (1985 est.)

*Kiribati, Government

Names:
 conventional long form:
  Republic of Kiribati
 conventional short form:
  Kiribati
 former:
  Gilbert Islands
Digraph:
  KR
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 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
Independence:
  12 July 1979 (from UK)
Constitution:
  12 July 1979
Legal system:
  NA
National holiday:
  Independence Day, 12 July (1979)
Political parties and leaders:
  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:
  18 years of age; universal
Elections:
 President:
  last held on 8 July 1991 (next to be held by NA 1996); results - Teatao
  TEANNAKI 52%, Roniti TEIWAKI 28%
 House of Assembly:
  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
Executive branch:
  president (Beretitenti), vice president (Kauoman-ni-Beretitenti), Cabinet
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 Teatao TEANNAKI (since 8 July 1991); Vice President Taomati IUTA
  (since 8 July 1991)

*Kiribati, Government

Member of:
  ACP, AsDB, C, ESCAP, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, IDA, IFC, IMF, INTERPOL, ITU,
  SPARTECA, SPC, SPF, UNESCO, UPU, WHO
Diplomatic representation in US:
 chief of mission:
  (vacant)
US diplomatic representation:
  the ambassador to Fiji is accredited to Kiribati
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

*Kiribati, 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 both 1989 and 1990.
National product:
  GDP - exchange rate conversion - $36.8 million (1990 est.)
National product real growth rate:
  1% (1990 est.)
National product per capita:
  $525 (1990 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  4.8% (1991 est.)
Unemployment rate:
  NA%
Budget:
  revenues $29.9 million; expenditures $16.3 million, including capital
  expenditures of $14.0 million (1990 est.)
Exports:
  $5.8 million (f.o.b., 1990 est.)
 commodities:
  copra 18%, fish 17%, seaweed 13%
 partners:
  EC 50%, Fiji 22%, US 18% (1990)
Imports:
  $26.7 million (c.i.f., 1990 est.)
 commodities:
  foodstuffs, machinery and equipment, miscellaneous manufactured goods, fuel
 partners:
  Australia 33%, Japan 24%, Fiji 19%, NZ 6%, US 6% (1990)
External debt:
  $2 million (December 1989 est.)
Industrial production:
  growth rate 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 15% 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 (1970-89),
  $273 million
Currency:
  1 Australian dollar ($A) = 100 cents
Exchange rates:
  Australian dollars ($A) per US$1 - 1.4837 (January 1993), 1.3600 (1992),
  1.2835 (1991), 1.2799 (1990), 1.2618 (1989), 1.2752 (1988)
Fiscal year:
  NA

*Kiribati, Communications

Highways:
  640 km of motorable roads
Inland waterways:
  small network of canals, totaling 5 km, in Line Islands
Ports:
  Banaba and Betio (Tarawa)
Airports:
 total:
  21
 useable:
  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
Telecommunications:
  1,400 telephones; broadcast stations - 1 AM, no FM, no TV; 1 Pacific Ocean
  INTELSAT earth station

*Kiribati, Defense Forces

Branches:
  Police Force (carries out law enforcement functions and paramilitary duties;
  there are small police posts on all islands); no military force is
  maintained
Manpower availability:
  NA
Defense expenditures:
  $NA, NA% of GDP