CapitalTarawa
Population116,545
Area811 km²
GDP per capita$3,300
LanguagesGilbertese, English
CurrencyAustralian dollars
Life Expectancy68.5 yr
Governmentpresidential republic
Introduction
Background
Kiribati is made up of three distinct island groups -- the Gilbert Islands, the Line Islands, and the Phoenix Islands. The first Austronesian voyagers arrived in the Gilbert Islands as early as 3000 B.C., but these islands were not widely settled until about A.D. 200 by Micronesians. Around 1300, Samoans and Tongans invaded the southern Gilbert Islands, then known as Tungaru, bringing Polynesian cultural elements with them. Later arrivals of Fijians brought Melanesian elements to the Gilbert Islands, and extensive intermarriage between the Micronesian, Polynesian, and Melanesian people led to the creation of what would become Gilbertese cultural traditions by the time Europeans spotted the islands in the 1600s. The Phoenix Islands and Line Islands were both visited by various Melanesian and Polynesian peoples, but their isolation and lack of natural resources meant that long-term settlements were not possible. Both island groups were uninhabited by the time of European contact.
Kiribati experienced sustained European contact by the 1760s; all three island groups were named and charted by 1826. American whaling ships frequently passed through the islands, and the UK declared a protectorate over the Gilbert and nearby Ellice Islands in 1892, in an attempt to block growing US influence. Phosphate-rich Banaba Island was annexed to the protectorate in 1900. In 1916, the protectorate became a colony, and some Line Islands were added in 1916 and 1919, with the final ones added in 1972. The Phoenix Islands were added to the colony in 1937, and the UK agreed to share jurisdiction of some with the US because of their strategic location for aviation. During World War II, the islands were occupied by Japanese forces but were ejected by US amphibious assaults. The Ellice Islands became its own colony in 1974 and was renamed Tuvalu for “eight standing together” in 1975. The Gilbert Islands became fully self-governing in 1977 and independent in 1979 under the new name of Kiribati, the Gilbertese spelling of Gilberts. The US relinquished all claims to the sparsely inhabited Phoenix and Line Islands in a 1979 treaty of friendship.
In 2012, Kiribati purchased a 22 sq km (8.5 sq mi) plot of land in Fiji for potential eventual resettlement of its population because of climate change, and in 2014 Fijian Prime Minister Voreqe BAINIMARAMA said residents of Kiribati would be welcome to relocate to Fiji if their country is swamped by rising sea levels.
Geography
Area
land
811 sq km
water
0 sq km
total
811 sq km
Climate
tropical; marine, characterized by hot and humid conditions, tempered by trade winds
Terrain
predominantly low-lying coral atolls encircled by extensive reef systems
Land use
other
56.7% (2023 est.)
forest
1.3% (2023 est.)
agricultural land
42% (2023 est.)
agricultural land: arable land
arable land: 2.5% (2023 est.)
agricultural land: permanent crops
permanent crops: 39.5% (2023 est.)
agricultural land: permanent pasture
permanent pasture: 0% (2022 est.)
Location
Oceania, consisting of 32 coral atolls and one elevated coral island in the Pacific Ocean, positioned along the Equator; the capital, Tarawa, is situated roughly midway between Hawaii and Australia
Coastline
1,143 km
Elevation
lowest point
Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point
unnamed elevation on Banaba 81 m
mean elevation
2 m
Irrigated land
0 sq km (2022)
Map references
Oceania
Land boundaries
total
0 km
Maritime claims
territorial sea
12 nm
exclusive economic zone
200 nm
Natural hazards
typhoons can arise at any time, though they are most common from November to March; sporadic tornadoes; the low elevation of certain islands renders them vulnerable to fluctuations in sea levels
Geography - note
21 out of the 33 islands are populated; Banaba (Ocean Island) in Kiribati ranks among the three major phosphate rock islands in the Pacific Ocean -- the others being Makatea in French Polynesia and Nauru; Kiribati uniquely spans all four hemispheres (northern, southern, eastern, and western)
Natural resources
phosphate (production ceased in 1979), coconuts (copra), fish
Area - comparative
four times larger than Washington, D.C.
Geographic coordinates
1 25 N, 173 00 E
Population distribution
comprises three archipelagos spread across an expanse roughly equivalent to the size of India; the eastern Line Islands and central Phoenix Islands are sparsely populated, in contrast to the western Gilbert Islands, which are among the most densely populated regions globally, with South Tarawa exhibiting a population density akin to that of Tokyo or Hong Kong
People & Society
Literacy
male
98.6% (2020 est.)
female
98.9% (2020 est.)
total population
98.6% (2020 est.)
Languages
Gilbertese, English (official)
Religions
Roman Catholic 58.9%, Kiribati Uniting Church 21.2%, Kiribati Protestant Church 8.4%, Church of Jesus Christ 5.6%, Seventh Day Adventist 2.1%, Baha'i 2.1%, and other faiths 1.7% (2020 estimate)
Sex ratio
at birth
1.05 male(s)/female
0-14 years
1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years
0.93 male(s)/female
total population
0.94 male(s)/female (2024 est.)
65 years and over
0.63 male(s)/female
Birth rate
19.4 births/1,000 population (2025 est.)
Death rate
6.88 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.)
Median age
male
26.4 years
total
27.7 years (2025 est.)
female
28.2 years
Population
male
56,364
total
116,545 (2024 est.)
female
60,181
Nationality
noun
I-Kiribati (singular and plural)
adjective
Kiribati
Tobacco use
male
48.4% (2025 est.)
total
35.4% (2025 est.)
female
23.6% (2025 est.)
Urbanization
urban population
57.8% of total population (2023)
rate of urbanization
2.77% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Age structure
0-14 years
26.8% (male 15,895/female 15,304)
15-64 years
67.9% (male 38,046/female 41,059)
65 years and over
5.4% (2024 est.) (male 2,423/female 3,818)
Ethnic groups
I-Kiribati 95.78%, I-Kiribati/mixed 3.8%, Tuvaluan 0.2%, and other groups 1.7% (2020 estimate)
Child marriage
men married by age 18
8.6% (2019)
women married by age 15
2.4% (2019)
women married by age 18
18.4% (2019)
Dependency ratios
total dependency ratio
47.3 (2024 est.)
youth dependency ratio
39.4 (2024 est.)
potential support ratio
12.7 (2024 est.)
elderly dependency ratio
7.9 (2024 est.)
Physician density
0.2 physicians/1,000 population (2013)
Health expenditure
Health expenditure (as % of GDP)
14.8% of GDP (2021)
Health expenditure (as % of national budget)
9.7% of national budget (2022 est.)
Net migration rate
-2.75 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.)
Hospital bed density
1.9 beds/1,000 population (2016 est.)
Total fertility rate
2.13 children born/woman (2025 est.)
Drinking water source
improved: rural
rural: 59.5% of population (2022 est.)
improved: total
total: 75.7% of population (2022 est.)
improved: urban
urban: 87.9% of population (2022 est.)
unimproved: rural
rural: 40.5% of population (2022 est.)
unimproved: total
total: 24.3% of population (2022 est.)
unimproved: urban
urban: 12.1% of population (2022 est.)
Education expenditure
Education expenditure (% GDP)
16.4% of GDP (2023 est.)
Education expenditure (% national budget)
20.1% national budget (2024 est.)
Infant mortality rate
male
33.5 deaths/1,000 live births
total
30.8 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.)
female
29.4 deaths/1,000 live births
Population growth rate
0.98% (2025 est.)
Gross reproduction rate
1.04 (2025 est.)
Population distribution
comprises three archipelagos distributed over an expanse approximately the size of India; while the eastern Line Islands and central Phoenix Islands have low populations, the western Gilbert Islands are among the most densely inhabited regions globally, with the primary island of South Tarawa exhibiting a population density comparable to that of Tokyo or Hong Kong
Life expectancy at birth
male
65.9 years
female
71.3 years
total population
68.5 years (2024 est.)
Maternal mortality ratio
80 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.)
Sanitation facility access
improved: rural
rural: 48.1% of population (2022 est.)
improved: total
total: 62.1% of population (2022 est.)
improved: urban
urban: 72.6% of population (2022 est.)
unimproved: rural
rural: 51.9% of population (2022 est.)
unimproved: total
total: 37.9% of population (2022 est.)
unimproved: urban
urban: 27.4% of population (2022 est.)
Alcohol consumption per capita
beer
0.26 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
wine
0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
total
0.43 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
spirits
0.17 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
other alcohols
0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
Major urban areas - population
64,000 TARAWA (capital) (2018)
Obesity - adult prevalence rate
46% (2016)
Mother's mean age at first birth
23.1 years (2009 est.)
Currently married women (ages 15-49)
67.4% (2020 est.)
Children under the age of 5 years underweight
6.9% (2018 est.)
Environment
Climate
tropical; marine, characterized by hot and humid conditions, tempered by trade winds
Land use
other
56.7% (2023 est.)
forest
1.3% (2023 est.)
agricultural land
42% (2023 est.)
agricultural land: arable land
arable land: 2.5% (2023 est.)
agricultural land: permanent crops
permanent crops: 39.5% (2023 est.)
agricultural land: permanent pasture
permanent pasture: 0% (2022 est.)
Urbanization
urban population
57.8% of total population (2023)
rate of urbanization
2.77% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Waste and recycling
municipal solid waste generated annually
35,700 tons (2024 est.)
percent of municipal solid waste recycled
15.4% (2022 est.)
Environmental issues
significant pollution in the lagoon of south Tarawa atoll resulting from overcrowding combined with traditional methods such as lagoon latrines and open-pit waste disposal; coastal erosion
Carbon dioxide emissions
total emissions
81,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
from petroleum and other liquids
81,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
Particulate matter emissions
8 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)
International environmental agreements
party to
Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping-London Convention, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling
signed, but not ratified
none of the selected agreements
Government
Flag
description: the upper section is red, featuring a yellow frigatebird soaring over a yellow rising sun, while the lower section is blue adorned with three undulating horizontal white stripes symbolizing the Pacific Ocean
meaning: the white stripes signify the Gilbert, Line, and Phoenix island groups; the 17 rays of the sun denote the 16 Gilbert Islands along with Banaba (formerly Ocean Island); the frigatebird represents authority and freedom
Capital
name
Tarawa
etymology
the name is believed to originate from the I-Kiribati terms te (the) and rawa (run), indicating a passage through a neighboring reef
time zone note
Kiribati operates across three time zones: the Gilbert Islands group at UTC+12, the Phoenix Islands at UTC+13, and the Line Islands at UTC+14
time difference
UTC+12 (17 hours in advance of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
geographic coordinates
1 21 N, 173 02 E
Suffrage
18 years of age; universal
Citizenship
citizenship by birth
no
citizenship by descent only
at least one parent must be a native-born citizen of Kiribati
dual citizenship recognized
no
residency requirement for naturalization
7 years
Constitution
history
The Gilbert and Ellice Islands Order in Council 1915, The Gilbert Islands Order in Council 1975 (prior to independence); latest enacted on 12 July 1979 (at the time of independence)
amendment process
introduced by the House of Assembly; passage necessitates a two-thirds majority vote from the Assembly members; amendments that alter the constitutional section on amendment procedures or certain parts of the constitutional chapter regarding citizenship require the proposal to be postponed until the subsequent Assembly meeting, where a two-thirds majority approval from Assembly members and the backing of the nominated or elected Banaban member is essential; changes impacting the safeguarding of fundamental rights and freedoms also mandate a two-thirds majority approval in a referendum
Country name
former
Gilbert Islands
etymology
the name reflects the local pronunciation of "Gilbert," the previous name for the islands; initially named after explorer Thomas GILBERT, who charted many of the islands in 1788
local long form
Republic of Kiribati
local short form
Kiribati
conventional long form
Republic of Kiribati
conventional short form
Kiribati
Independence
12 July 1979 (from the UK)
Legal system
English common law supplemented by customary law
Government type
presidential republic
Judicial branch
highest court(s)
High Court (consists of a chief justice and other judges as prescribed by the president)
subordinate courts
Court of Appeal; magistrates' courts
judge selection and term of office
the chief justice is appointed by the president based on cabinet recommendations in consultation with the Public Service Commission (PSC); additional judges are appointed by the president following the chief justice's advice and with the PSC's input
Executive branch
cabinet
Cabinet appointed by the president from among House of Assembly members
chief of state
President Taneti MAAMAU (since 11 March 2016)
election results
2024: Taneti MAAMAU reelected as president; vote percentages - Taneti MAAMAU (TKP) 55%, Kaotitaake KOKORIA (independent) 42%, Bautaake BEIA (TKP) 3%
2020: Taneti MAAMAU reelected as president; vote percentages - Taneti MAAMAU (TKP) 59.3%, Banuera BERINA (BKM) 40.7%
head of government
President Taneti MAAMAU (since 11 March 2016)
most recent election date
25 October 2024
election/appointment process
the president is elected directly for a term of 4 years (with eligibility for 2 additional terms) through a simple-majority popular vote, after candidates are selected from among House of Assembly members; the vice president is appointed by the president
expected date of next election
2028
National holiday
Independence Day, 12 July (1979)
National color(s)
red, white, blue, yellow
National heritage
total World Heritage Sites
1 (natural)
selected World Heritage Site locales
Phoenix Islands Protected Area
Political parties
Boutokaan Kiribati Moa Party or BKM
Kiribati Moa Party or KMP
Kamanoan Kiribati Party or KKP
Tobwaan Kiribati Party or TKP
Legislative branch
term in office
4 years
number of seats
45 (44 directly elected; 1 appointed)
electoral system
plurality/majority
legislature name
House of Assembly (Maneaba Ni Maungatabu)
scope of elections
full renewal
legislative structure
unicameral
most recent election date
8/14/2024 to 8/19/2024
expected date of next election
August 2028
percentage of women in chamber
11.1%
National anthem(s)
title
"Teirake kaini Kiribati" (Stand Up, Kiribati)
history
adopted 1979
lyrics/music
Urium Tamuera IOTEBA
National symbol(s)
frigatebird
Administrative divisions
3 geographical units: Gilbert Islands, Line Islands, Phoenix Islands; there are no first-order administrative divisions, but the 6 districts are Banaba, Central Gilberts, Line Islands, Northern Gilberts, Southern Gilberts, Tarawa, along with 21 island councils located on Abaiang, Abemama, Aranuka, Arorae, Banaba, Beru, Butaritari, Kanton, Kiritimati, Kuria, Maiana, Makin, Marakei, Nikunau, Nonouti, Onotoa, Tabiteuea, Tabuaeran, Tamana, Tarawa, Teraina
Diplomatic representation in the US
FAX
[1] (212) 867-3320
chancery
685 Third Avenue, Suite 1109, New York, NY 10017
telephone
[1] (212) 867-3310
chief of mission
Ambassador Teburoro TITO (since 24 January 2018); note - also serves as Permanent Representative to the UN
email address and website
Diplomatic representation from the US
chief of mission
Ambassador Marie DAMOUR (since 6 December 2022); note - Ambassador DAMOUR operates from the US Embassy in the Republic of Fiji and is accredited to Kiribati, as well as to Nauru, Tonga, and Tuvalu
International organization participation
ABEDA, ACP, ADB, AOSIS, C, FAO, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, IOC, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), OPCW, PIF, Sparteca, SPC, UN, UNCTAD, UNDP, UNESCO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO
International law organization participation
has not presented an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; not a party state to the ICCt
Economy
Budget
revenues
$260.557 million (2023 est.)
expenditures
$264.736 million (2023 est.)
Exports
Exports 2021
$10.754 million (2021 est.)
Exports 2022
$20.58 million (2022 est.)
Exports 2023
$17.099 million (2023 est.)
Imports
Imports 2021
$201.984 million (2021 est.)
Imports 2022
$272.004 million (2022 est.)
Imports 2023
$293.624 million (2023 est.)
Industries
fishing, handicrafts
Public debt
Public debt 2016
22.9% of GDP (2016 est.)
Remittances
Remittances 2021
4.7% of GDP (2021 est.)
Remittances 2022
10.4% of GDP (2022 est.)
Remittances 2023
4% of GDP (2023 est.)
Exchange rates
Currency
Australian dollars (AUD) per US dollar -
Exchange rates 2020
1.453 (2020 est.)
Exchange rates 2021
1.331 (2021 est.)
Exchange rates 2022
1.442 (2022 est.)
Exchange rates 2023
1.505 (2023 est.)
Exchange rates 2024
1.515 (2024 est.)
Economic overview
lower-middle income, Pacific island economy; environmentally sensitive; significant remittances; vital phosphate mining fund; tourism and fishing sectors; economy heavily influenced by the public sector; recent exit from the Pacific Islands Forum; ongoing constitutional turmoil
Exports - partners
Thailand 85%, Japan 6%, Philippines 3%, UAE 2%, Fiji 1% (2023)
Imports - partners
China 24%, Australia 20%, Fiji 15%, Japan 7%, NZ 6% (2023)
Real GDP per capita
Real GDP per capita 2022
$3,100 (2022 est.)
Real GDP per capita 2023
$3,100 (2023 est.)
Real GDP per capita 2024
$3,300 (2024 est.)
Real GDP growth rate
Real GDP growth rate 2022
4.6% (2022 est.)
Real GDP growth rate 2023
2.7% (2023 est.)
Real GDP growth rate 2024
5.3% (2024 est.)
Agricultural products
coconuts, bananas, vegetables, taro, tropical fruits, pork, chicken, nuts, eggs, pork offal (2023)
Exports - commodities
fish, coconut oil (2023)
Imports - commodities
ships, centrifuges, refined petroleum, rice, raw sugar (2023)
Current account balance
Current account balance 2021
$20.251 million (2021 est.)
Current account balance 2022
-$32.523 million (2022 est.)
Current account balance 2023
-$5.117 million (2023 est.)
Taxes and other revenues
17.7% (of GDP) (2023 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate)
$307.863 million (2024 est.)
GDP - composition, by end use
household consumption
101.2% (2022 est.)
government consumption
61.7% (2022 est.)
investment in inventories
1.3% (2022 est.)
investment in fixed capital
19.1% (2022 est.)
exports of goods and services
7.6% (2022 est.)
imports of goods and services
-100.5% (2022 est.)
Population below poverty line
21.9% (2019 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2021
2.1% (2021 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2022
5.3% (2022 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2023
9.3% (2023 est.)
Industrial production growth rate
-6.2% (2022 est.)
Real GDP (purchasing power parity)
Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2022
$405.468 million (2022 est.)
Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2023
$416.221 million (2023 est.)
Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2024
$438.143 million (2024 est.)
GDP - composition, by sector of origin
industry
9.9% (2022 est.)
services
65.7% (2022 est.)
agriculture
27.8% (2022 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share
lowest 10%
4% (2019 est.)
highest 10%
22.8% (2019 est.)
Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income
Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income 2019
27.8 (2019 est.)
Energy
Petroleum
refined petroleum consumption
500 bbl/day (2023 est.)
Electricity
consumption
27.388 million kWh (2023 est.)
installed generating capacity
12,000 kW (2023 est.)
transmission/distribution losses
5 million kWh (2023 est.)
Electricity access
electrification - rural areas
94.3% (2020 est.)
electrification - urban areas
86%
electrification - total population
94.4% (2022 est.)
Energy consumption per capita
Total energy consumption per capita 2023
8.578 million Btu/person (2023 est.)
Electricity generation sources
solar
18.5% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
fossil fuels
81.5% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
Communications
Internet users
percent of population
88% (2023 est.)
Broadcast media
multi-channel television subscriptions offer access to stations from Australia and the United States; 1 state-run radio station transmits on AM, FM, and shortwave (2017)
Internet country code
.ki
Telephones - fixed lines
total subscriptions
0 (2023 est.)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants
(2023 est.) less than 1
Telephones - mobile cellular
total subscriptions
70,000 (2023 est.)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants
49 (2022 est.)
Broadband - fixed subscriptions
total
0 (2023 est.)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants
(2023 est.) less than 1
Transportation
Ports
large
0
small
0
medium
0
key ports
Canton Island, English Harbor, Tarawa Atoll
very small
3
total ports
3 (2024)
ports with oil terminals
0
Airports
21 (2025)
Merchant marine
total
74 (2023)
by type
bulk carrier 2, general cargo 24, oil tanker 11, other 37
Civil aircraft registration country code prefix
T3
Military & Security
Military - note
Australia, New Zealand, and the United States have extended security support; Kiribati has established a "ship rider" agreement with the United States, permitting local maritime law enforcement officials to join US Coast Guard (USCG) and US Navy (USN) ships. This arrangement includes the authority to board and inspect vessels that are suspected of breaching laws or regulations within Kiribati's exclusive economic zone (EEZ) or on international waters. Additionally, ship rider agreements facilitate collaboration between USCG personnel and USN vessels, which carry USCG law enforcement members, to assist host countries in safeguarding vital regional resources (2025)
Military and security forces
Kiribati Police Service (comprising Maritime Police) (2025)
