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| Introduction | Kiribati |
| Background: | 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. |
| People | Kiribati |
| Population: | 100,798 (July 2004 est.) |
| Age structure: | 0-14 years: 39.3% (male 20,087; female 19,566) 15-64 years: 57.3% (male 28,523; female 29,280) 65 years and over: 3.3% (male 1,434; female 1,908) (2004 est.) |
| Median age: | total: 19.8 years male: 19.4 years female: 20.3 years (2004 est.) |
| Population growth rate: | 2.25% (2004 est.) |
| Birth rate: | 30.99 births/1,000 population (2004 est.) |
| Death rate: | 8.49 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.) |
| Net migration rate: | 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.) |
| Sex ratio: | at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.75 male(s)/female total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2004 est.) |
| Infant mortality rate: | total: 49.9 deaths/1,000 live births female: 44.49 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.) male: 55.04 deaths/1,000 live births |
| Life expectancy at birth: | total population: 61.32 years male: 58.34 years female: 64.44 years (2004 est.) |
| Total fertility rate: | 4.24 children born/woman (2004 est.) |
| HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: | NA |
| HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: | NA |
| HIV/AIDS - deaths: | NA |
| Nationality: | noun: I-Kiribati (singular and plural) adjective: I-Kiribati |
| Ethnic groups: | predominantly Micronesian with some Polynesian |
| Religions: | Roman Catholic 52%, Protestant (Congregational) 40%, some Seventh-Day Adventist, Muslim, Baha'i, Latter-day Saints, and Church of God (1999) |
| Languages: | I-Kiribati, English (official) |
| Literacy: | definition: NA total population: NA male: NA female: NA |
| Government | Kiribati |
| Country name: | conventional long form: Republic of Kiribati conventional short form: Kiribati former: Gilbert Islands note: pronounced keer-ree-bahss |
| Government type: | republic |
| Capital: | Tarawa |
| Administrative divisions: | 3 units; Gilbert Islands, Line Islands, Phoenix Islands; note - in addition, 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) |
| Independence: | 12 July 1979 (from UK) |
| National holiday: | Independence Day, 12 July (1979) |
| Constitution: | 12 July 1979 |
| Legal system: | NA |
| Suffrage: | 18 years of age; universal |
| Executive branch: | chief of state: President Anote TONG (since 10 July 2003); Vice President Teima ONORIO; note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government elections: the House of Parliament chooses the presidential candidates from among their members and then those candidates compete in a general election; president is elected by popular vote for a four-year term; election last held 4 July 2003 (next to be held not later than July 2007); vice president appointed by the president election results: Anote TONG 47.4%, Harry TONG 43.5%, Banuera BERINA 9.1% cabinet: 12-member Cabinet appointed by the president from among the members of the House of Parliament head of government: President Anote TONG (since 10 July 2003); Vice President Teima ONORIO; note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government |
| Legislative branch: | unicameral House of Parliament or Maneaba Ni Maungatabu (42 seats; 39 elected by popular vote, one ex officio member - the attorney general, one appointed to represent Banaba, and one other; members serve four-year terms) elections: first round elections last held 29 November 2002; second round elections held 6 December 2002 (next to be held by November 2006) election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - BTK 17, MTM 16, independents 7, other 2 (includes attorney general) note: new legislative elections were held in two rounds - the first round on 9 May 2003 and the second round on 14 May 2003 |
| Judicial branch: | Court of Appeal; High Court; 26 Magistrates' courts; judges at all levels are appointed by the president |
| Political parties and leaders: | Boutokaan Te Koaua Party or BTK [Taberannang TIMEON]; Maneaban Te Mauri Party or MTM [Teburoro TITO]; Maurin Kiribati Pati or MKP [leader NA]; National Progressive Party or NPP [Dr. Harry TONG] 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 |
| Political pressure groups and leaders: | NA |
| International organization participation: | ACP, AsDB, C, FAO, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, IOC, ITU, OPCW, PIF, Sparteca, UN, UNESCO, UPU, WHO, WMO |
| Diplomatic representation in the US: | Kiribati does not have an embassy in the US; there is an honorary consulate in Honolulu |
| Diplomatic representation from the US: | the US does not have an embassy in Kiribati; the ambassador to the Marshall Islands is accredited to Kiribati |
| Flag description: | 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 |
| Communications | Kiribati |
| Telephones - main lines in use: | 4,500 (2002) |
| Telephones - mobile cellular: | 500 (2002) |
| Telephone system: | general assessment: NA domestic: NA international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean) note: country code - 686; Kiribati is being linked to the Pacific Ocean Cooperative Telecommunications Network, which should improve telephone service |
| Radio broadcast stations: | AM 1, FM 2, shortwave 1 note: the shortwave station may be inactive (2002) |
| Radios: | 17,000 (1997) |
| Television broadcast stations: | 1 (not reported to be active) (2002) |
| Televisions: | 1,000 (1997) |
| Internet country code: | .ki |
| Internet Service Providers (ISPs): | 1 (2000) |
| Internet users: | 2,000 (2002) |
| Transportation | Kiribati |
| Highways: | total: 670 km paved: NA km unpaved: NA km (1999 est.) |
| Waterways: | 5 km (small network of canals in Line Islands) (2003) |
| Ports and harbors: | Banaba, Betio, English Harbour, Kanton |
| Merchant marine: | total: 1 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 1,291 GRT/1,295 DWT by type: passenger 1 (2003 est.) |
| Airports: | 20 (2003 est.) |
| Airports - with paved runways: | total: 3 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 (2004 est.) |
| Airports - with unpaved runways: | total: 17 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 12 under 914 m: 4 (2004 est.) |
| Military | Kiribati |
| Military branches: | no regular military forces; Police Force (carries out law enforcement functions and paramilitary duties; small police posts are on all islands) |
| Military expenditures - dollar figure: | NA |
| Military expenditures - percent of GDP: | NA |
| Military - note: | Kiribati does not have military forces; defense assistance is provided by Australia and NZ |
| Transnational Issues | Kiribati |
| Disputes - international: | none |
| This page was last updated on 16 December, 2004 |
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