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
Economy
Economy—overview: A remote country of 33 scattered coral atolls, Kiribati has few national resources. Commercially viable phosphate deposits were exhausted at the time of independence from the UK in 1979. Copra and fish now represent the bulk of production and exports. The economy has fluctuated widely in recent years. Economic development is constrained by a shortage of skilled workers, weak infrastructure, and remoteness from international markets. The financial sector is at an early stage of development as is the expansion of private sector initiatives. Foreign financial aid, largely from the UK and Japan, is a critical supplement to GDP, equal to 25%-50% of GDP in recent years. Remittances from workers abroad account for more than $5 million each year.
GDP: purchasing power parity—$62 million (1996 est.)
GDP—real growth rate: 1.9% (1996 est.)
GDP—per capita: purchasing power parity?$800 (1996 est.)
GDP—composition by sector: agriculture: 14% industry: 7% services: 79% (1996 est.)
Population below poverty line: NA%
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA%