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 (Beretitenti) Teburoro TITO (since 1
October 1994); Vice President (Kauoman-ni-Beretitenti) Tewareka
TENTOA (since 12 October 1994); note—the president is both the chief
of state and head of government
head of government: President (Beretitenti) Teburoro TITO (since 1
October 1994); Vice President (Kauoman-ni-Beretitenti) Tewareka
TENTOA (since 12 October 1994); note—the president is both the chief
of state and head of government
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president from among the members
of the House of Assembly, includes the president, vice president,
attorney general, and up to eight other ministers
elections: president elected by popular vote for a four-year term;
note—the House of Assembly chooses the presidential candidates from
among their members and then those candidates compete in a general
election; election last held 27 November 1998 (next to be held by NA
November 2002); vice president appointed by the president
election results: Teburoro TITO reelected president; percent of
vote—Teburoro TITO 52.3%, Dr. Harry TONG 45.8%, Amberoti NIKORA
1.9%, Taberannang TIMEON 0%
Legislative branch: unicameral House of Assembly or Maneaba Ni
Maungatabu (41 seats; 39 elected by popular vote, one ex officio
member, and one nominated to represent Banaba; members serve
four-year terms)
elections: last held 23 September 1998 (next to be held by NA
September 2002)
election results: percent of vote by party—NA; seats by
party—Maneaban Te Mauri Party 14, National Progressive Party 11,
independents 14
Judicial branch: Court of Appeal, judges at all levels are appointed by the president; High Court, judges at all levels are appointed by the president; 26 Magistrates' courts, judges at all levels are appointed by the president
Political parties and leaders: National Progressive Party [Teatao 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
International organization participation: ACP, AsDB, C, ESCAP,
IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFC, IFRCS, IMF, Intelsat
(nonsignatory user), Interpol, ITU, Sparteca, SPC, SPF, UNESCO, UPU,
WHO, WTrO (applicant)
Diplomatic representation in the US: Kiribati does not have an
embassy in the US; there is an honorary consulate in Honolulu