Population: 77,853 (July 1994 est.) Population growth rate: 1.99% (1994 est.) Birth rate: 31.64 births/1,000 population (1994 est.) Death rate: 12.31 deaths/1,000 population (1994 est.) Net migration rate: 0.56 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1994 est.) Infant mortality rate: 98.4 deaths/1,000 live births (1994 est.) Life expectancy at birth: total population: 54.16 years male: 52.56 years female: 55.78 years (1994 est.) Total fertility rate: 3.77 children born/woman (1994 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)
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 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
Legislative branch:
unicameral
House of Assembly (Maneaba Ni Maungatabu):
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
Judicial branch:
Court of Appeal, High Court
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
Member of:
ACP, AsDB, C, ESCAP, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, IDA, IFC, IMF, INTELSAT
(nonsignatory user), INTERPOL, ITU, SPARTECA, SPC, SPF, UNESCO, UPU,
WHO
Diplomatic representation in US:
Kiribati has no mission in the US
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:
1.5% (1992 est.)
National product per capita:
$525 (1990 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
4% (1992 est.)
Unemployment rate:
2%; underemployment 70% (1992 est.)
Budget:
revenues:
$29.9 million
expenditures:
$16.3 million, including capital expenditures of $14 million (1990
est.)
Exports:
$4.2 million (f.o.b., 1992 est.)
commodities:
copra 50%, seaweed 16%, fish 15%
partners:
Denmark, Fiji, US
Imports:
$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)
External debt:
$2 million (December 1989 est.)
Industrial production:
growth rate 0.7% (1992 est.); accounts for less than 4% of GDP
Electricity:
capacity:
5,000 kW
production:
13 million kWh
consumption per capita:
190 kWh (1990)
Industries:
fishing, handicrafts
Agriculture:
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
Economic aid:
recipient:
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 - 1.4364 (January 1994), 1.4704
(1993), 1.3600 (1992), 1.2835 (1991), 1.2799 (1990), 1.2618 (1989)
Fiscal year:
NA
@Kiribati, Communications
Highways:
total:
640 km
paved:
NA
unpaved:
NA
Inland waterways:
small network of canals, totaling 5 km, in Line Islands
Ports:
Banaba and Betio (Tarawa)
Merchant marine:
1 passenger-cargo ship (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 1,291 GRT/1,295
DWT
Airports:
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
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
Defense expenditures:
$NA, NA% of GDP
@Korea, North, Geography