Kiribati

I

Introduction

Kiribati, officially Republic of Kiribati, formerly the Gilbert Islands, independent state in the west-central Pacific Ocean, part of Micronesia. It consists of 33 coral islands and atolls and one volcanic island (Banaba) scattered over 2 million sq km (772,000 sq mi); about 20 of the islands are permanently inhabited. The islands of Kiribati include Banaba (Ocean Island); the 16 Gilbert Islands, including Tarawa, on which the capital, Bairiki, is located; Rawaki; the 8 Phoenix Islands and 8 of the 11 Line Islands, including Kiritimati Island (or Christmas Island), the nation’s largest. The total land area is 811 sq km (313 sq mi). Kiribati has a tropical climate with a rainy season that lasts from October to March; typhoons are common. The islands are home to the world’s third largest marine reserve, created in 2006.

II

Population

Kiribati has a population of 110,252 (2008 estimate), which gives a density of 136 people per sq km (352 per sq mi). The people are of Micronesian origin, and more than 90 per cent are Christian. The main languages are I-Kiribati (Gilbertese) and English, the official language. Life expectancy is 63 years.

Medical care is free of charge. There are 86 primary schools in Kiribati and in 1997 these had 17,594 pupils. The University of the South Pacific, based at Suva, Fiji, has an extension centre on Kiribati. Radio Kiribati, the state broadcaster, is based in Bairiki. There are two regular newspapers: the state-owned weekly Te Ukera and the weekly independent Kiribati Newstar.

III

Economy

The economy is mainly semi-subsistence, based on agriculture and fishing. Food crops include coconuts, bananas, breadfruit, and pawpaw. Copra from coconuts, and other palm products, are the leading commercial crops. Formerly the major export was phosphate, mined from rich guano deposits on Banaba, but reserves have been exhausted. Fish and copra are now the main foreign exchange earners. The mining on Banaba severely damaged the island’s environment and, as a result, most Banabans have been resettled on Rabi Island, part of Fiji.

Kiribati’s gross national product in 2004 was about US$95 million (World Bank estimate) or US$1,240 per head. The monetary unit of Kiribati is the Australian dollar of 100 cents (A$1.13 equalled US$1; early 2008).

IV

Government

The nation has a unicameral legislature, the Maneaba ni Maungatabu, with 46 members and a popularly elected president. The House of Assembly chooses the presidential candidates from among its members and then those candidates compete in a general election. In the last election, held in October 2007, Anote Tong was re-elected by popular vote.