Kiribati

Oceania, group of 32 coral atolls and one raised coral island in the Pacific Ocean, straddling the Equator; the capital Tarawa is about halfway between Hawaii and Australia

1 25 N, 173 00 E

Oceania

four times the size of Washington, D.C.

1,143 km

tropical; marine, hot and humid, moderated by trade winds

mostly low-lying coral atolls surrounded by extensive reefs

phosphate (production discontinued in 1979), coconuts (copra), fish

0 sq km (2022)

consists of three archipelagos spread out over an area roughly the size of India; the eastern Line Islands and central Phoenix Islands are sparsely populated, but the western Gilbert Islands are some of the most densely settled places on earth, with the main island of South Tarawa boasting a population density similar to Tokyo or Hong Kong

typhoons can occur any time, but usually November to March; occasional tornadoes; low level of some of the islands make them sensitive to changes in sea level

21 of the 33 islands are inhabited; Banaba (Ocean Island) in Kiribati is one of the three great phosphate rock islands in the Pacific Ocean -- the others are Makatea in French Polynesia, and Nauru; Kiribati is the only country in the world to fall into all four hemispheres (northern, southern, eastern, and western)

I-Kiribati 95.78%, I-Kiribati/mixed 3.8%, Tuvaluan 0.2%, other 1.7% (2020 est.)

Gilbertese, English (official)

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%, other 1.7% (2020 est.)

0.98% (2025 est.)

19.4 births/1,000 population (2025 est.)

6.88 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.)

-2.75 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.)

consists of three archipelagos spread out over an area roughly the size of India; the eastern Line Islands and central Phoenix Islands are sparsely populated, but the western Gilbert Islands are some of the most densely settled places on earth, with the main island of South Tarawa boasting a population density similar to Tokyo or Hong Kong

64,000 TARAWA (capital) (2018)

23.1 years (2009 est.)

80 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.)

2.13 children born/woman (2025 est.)

1.04 (2025 est.)

0.2 physicians/1,000 population (2013)

1.9 beds/1,000 population (2016 est.)

46% (2016)

6.9% (2018 est.)

67.4% (2020 est.)

presidential republic

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, with 21 island councils on Abaiang, Abemama, Aranuka, Arorae, Banaba, Beru, Butaritari, Kanton, Kiritimati, Kuria, Maiana, Makin, Marakei, Nikunau, Nonouti, Onotoa, Tabiteuea, Tabuaeran, Tamana, Tarawa, Teraina

English common law supplemented by customary law

has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; non-party state to the ICCt

18 years of age; universal

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

12 July 1979 (from the UK)

Independence Day, 12 July (1979)

frigatebird

red, white, blue, yellow

lower-middle income, Pacific island economy; environmentally fragile; sizable remittances; key phosphate mining fund; tourism and fishing industries; public sector-dominated economy; recent withdrawal from Pacific Islands Forum; ongoing constitutional crisis

$307.863 million (2024 est.)

coconuts, bananas, vegetables, taro, tropical fruits, pork, chicken, nuts, eggs, pork offal (2023)

fishing, handicrafts

-6.2% (2022 est.)

21.9% (2019 est.)

17.7% (of GDP) (2023 est.)

Thailand 85%, Japan 6%, Philippines 3%, UAE 2%, Fiji 1% (2023)

fish, coconut oil (2023)

China 24%, Australia 20%, Fiji 15%, Japan 7%, NZ 6% (2023)

ships, centrifuges, refined petroleum, rice, raw sugar (2023)

multi-channel TV packages provide access to Australian and US stations; 1 government-operated radio station broadcasts on AM, FM, and shortwave (2017)

.ki

T3

21 (2025)

Kiribati Police Service (includes Maritime Police) (2025)

Australia, NZ, and the US have provided security assistance; Kiribati has a "ship rider" agreement with the US, which allows local maritime law enforcement officers to embark on US Coast Guard (USCG) and US Navy (USN) vessels, including to board and search vessels suspected of violating laws or regulations within Kiribati's designated exclusive economic zone (EEZ) or on the high seas; ship rider agreements also enable USCG personnel and USN vessels with embarked USCG law enforcement personnel to work with host nations to protect critical regional resources (2025)