3 November 1903 (from Colombia; became independent from Spain 28 November 1821)
Religions
Roman Catholic 52%, Protestant (Congregational) 40%, other (includes Seventh-Day Adventist, Muslim, Baha'i, Latter-day Saints, Church of God) 8% (1999)
Roman Catholic 85%, Protestant 15%
Languages
I-Kiribati, English (official)
Spanish (official), English 14%; note - many Panamanians bilingual
Exports
bananas, shrimp, sugar, coffee, clothing
External Debt
$13,340,000,000 US
Exchange Rate
balboas (PAB) per US dollar - 1 (2008 est.), 1 (2007), 1 (2006), 1 (2005), 1 (2004) note: the US dollar is the legal currency
Military Budget as percentage of GDP
1.000%
Beijing Olympics Medal Count
0
1
Location
Oceania, group of 33 coral atolls in the Pacific Ocean, straddling the Equator; the capital Tarawa is about half way between Hawaii and Australia; note - on 1 January 1995, Kiribati proclaimed that all of its territory lies in the same time zone as its Gilbert Islands group (UTC +12) even though the Phoenix Islands and the Line Islands under its jurisdiction lie on the other side of the International Date Line
Central America, bordering both the Caribbean Sea and the North Pacific Ocean, between Colombia and Costa Rica
Area
811 km sq
75,420 km sq
Coastline
1,143 km
2,490 km
Climate
tropical; marine, hot and humid, moderated by trade winds
tropical maritime; hot, humid, cloudy; prolonged rainy season (May to January), short dry season (January to May)
