{ "$schema": "https://iarpg.com/world-context-profile.schema.json", "id": "https://iarpg.com/world-context/entities/kiribati.json", "release": "IARPG-OPS-2", "version": "2.0.22-wip", "status": "work-in-progress-archival-context-profile", "updated_utc": "2026-07-23T04:49:00Z", "truth_boundary": "This publication is a curated archival snapshot derived from the supplied 2025 Factbook CSV. It is not a live country feed, geopolitical assessment, legal authority, current office-holder directory, ranking system, risk score, intelligence product, or substitute for locally authored and current primary sources. Individual fields use different estimate years, and the source-code column is preserved as source metadata rather than treated as unique ISO 3166-1 authority.", "profile": { "entity_id": "kiribati", "name": "Kiribati", "source_code": "KI", "source_entity_class": "country-roadmap", "source_region": "Oceania", "roadmap_country": "Kiribati", "coverage_region": "Oceania", "roadmap_status": "matched", "profile_status": "archival-context-not-current-assessment", "source_row_count": 127, "published_fact_count": 47, "available_lenses": [ "place", "people", "institutions", "economy", "infrastructure", "environment" ], "summary": { "population": 116545.0, "area_sq_km": 811.0, "capital": "Tarawa", "government_type": "presidential republic", "life_expectancy_years": 68.5, "urban_population_percent": 57.8, "internet_users_percent": 88.0, "electricity_access_percent": 94.4, "gdp_per_capita_usd": 3300.0, "gdp_per_capita_estimate_year": 2024, "landlocked": false }, "facts": { "background": { "id": "background", "label": "Background", "category": "Introduction", "lens": "place", "content": "Kiribati is made up of three distinct island groups -- the Gilbert Islands, the Line Islands, and the Phoenix Islands. The first Austronesian voyagers arrived in the Gilbert Islands as early as 3000 B.C., but these islands were not widely settled until about A.D. 200 by Micronesians. Around 1300, Samoans and Tongans invaded the southern Gilbert Islands, then known as Tungaru, bringing Polynesian cultural elements with them. Later arrivals of Fijians brought Melanesian elements to the Gilbert Islands, and extensive intermarriage between the Micronesian, Polynesian, and Melanesian people led to the creation of what would become Gilbertese cultural traditions by the time Europeans spotted the islands in the 1600s. The Phoenix Islands and Line Islands were both visited by various Melanesian and Polynesian peoples, but their isolation and lack of natural resources meant that long-term settlements were not possible. Both island groups were uninhabited by the time of European contact. | Kiribati experienced sustained European contact by the 1760s; all three island groups were named and charted by 1826. American whaling ships frequently passed through the islands, and the UK declared a protectorate over the Gilbert and nearby Ellice Islands in 1892, in an attempt to block growing US influence. Phosphate-rich Banaba Island was annexed to the protectorate in 1900. In 1916, the protectorate became a colony, and some Line Islands were added in 1916 and 1919, with the final ones added in 1972. The Phoenix Islands were added to the colony in 1937, and the UK agreed to share jurisdiction of some with the US because of their strategic location for aviation. During World War II, the islands were occupied by Japanese forces but were ejected by US amphibious assaults. The Ellice Islands became its own colony in 1974 and was renamed Tuvalu for “eight standing together” in 1975. The Gilbert Islands became fully self-governing in 1977 and independent in 1979 under the new name of Kiribati, the Gilbertese spelling of Gilberts. The US relinquished all claims to the sparsely inhabited Phoenix and Line Islands in a 1979 treaty of friendship. | In 2012, Kiribati purchased a 22 sq km (8.5 sq mi) plot of land in Fiji for potential eventual resettlement of its population because of climate change, and in 2014 Fijian Prime Minister Voreqe BAINIMARAMA said residents of Kiribati would be welcome to relocate to Fiji if their country is swamped by rising sea levels.", "display": "Kiribati is made up of three distinct island groups -- the Gilbert Islands, the Line Islands, and the Phoenix Islands. The first Austronesian voyagers arrived in the Gilbert Islan…", "source_field": "Background", "value": null, "estimate_year": 1900 }, "location": { "id": "location", "label": "Location", "category": "Geography", "lens": "place", "content": "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", "display": "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", "source_field": "Location", "value": null, "estimate_year": null }, "map_reference": { "id": "map_reference", "label": "Map references", "category": "Geography", "lens": "place", "content": "Oceania", "display": "Oceania", "source_field": "Map references", "value": null, "estimate_year": null }, "area": { "id": "area", "label": "Area", "category": "Geography", "lens": "place", "content": "total : 811 sq km | land: 811 sq km | water: 0 sq km | note: includes three island groups -- Gilbert Islands, Line Islands, and Phoenix Islands -- dispersed over about 3.5 million sq km (1.35 million sq mi)", "display": "total : 811 sq km", "source_field": "Area", "value": 811.0, "estimate_year": null }, "coastline": { "id": "coastline", "label": "Coastline", "category": "Geography", "lens": "place", "content": "1,143 km", "display": "1,143 km", "source_field": "Coastline", "value": null, "estimate_year": null }, "terrain": { "id": "terrain", "label": "Terrain", "category": "Geography", "lens": "place", "content": "mostly low-lying coral atolls surrounded by extensive reefs", "display": "mostly low-lying coral atolls surrounded by extensive reefs", "source_field": "Terrain", "value": null, "estimate_year": null }, "climate": { "id": "climate", "label": "Climate", "category": "Geography", "lens": "place", "content": "tropical; marine, hot and humid, moderated by trade winds", "display": "tropical; marine, hot and humid, moderated by trade winds", "source_field": "Climate", "value": null, "estimate_year": null }, "elevation": { "id": "elevation", "label": "Elevation", "category": "Geography", "lens": "place", "content": "highest point: unnamed elevation on Banaba 81 m | lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m | mean elevation: 2 m", "display": "highest point: unnamed elevation on Banaba 81 m", "source_field": "Elevation", "value": null, "estimate_year": null }, "natural_hazards": { "id": "natural_hazards", "label": "Natural hazards", "category": "Geography", "lens": "place", "content": "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", "display": "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", "source_field": "Natural hazards", "value": null, "estimate_year": null }, "natural_resources": { "id": "natural_resources", "label": "Natural resources", "category": "Geography", "lens": "place", "content": "phosphate (production discontinued in 1979), coconuts (copra), fish", "display": "phosphate (production discontinued in 1979), coconuts (copra), fish", "source_field": "Natural resources", "value": null, "estimate_year": 1979 }, "population_distribution": { "id": "population_distribution", "label": "Population distribution", "category": "Geography", "lens": "place", "content": "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", "display": "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 Gilb…", "source_field": "Population distribution", "value": null, "estimate_year": null }, "population": { "id": "population", "label": "Population", "category": "People and Society", "lens": "people", "content": "total: 116,545 (2024 est.) | male: 56,364 | female: 60,181", "display": "total: 116,545 (2024 est.)", "source_field": "Population", "value": 116545.0, "estimate_year": 2024 }, "population_growth": { "id": "population_growth", "label": "Population growth rate", "category": "People and Society", "lens": "people", "content": "0.98% (2025 est.)", "display": "0.98% (2025 est.)", "source_field": "Population growth rate", "value": 0.0098, "estimate_year": 2025 }, "urbanization": { "id": "urbanization", "label": "Urbanization", "category": "People and Society", "lens": "people", "content": "urban population: 57.8% of total population (2023) | rate of urbanization: 2.77% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)", "display": "urban population: 57.8% of total population (2023)", "source_field": "Urbanization", "value": null, "estimate_year": 2023 }, "languages": { "id": "languages", "label": "Languages", "category": "People and Society", "lens": "people", "content": "Gilbertese, English (official)", "display": "Gilbertese, English (official)", "source_field": "Languages", "value": null, "estimate_year": null }, "religions": { "id": "religions", "label": "Religions", "category": "People and Society", "lens": "people", "content": "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.)", "display": "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.)", "source_field": "Religions", "value": null, "estimate_year": 2020 }, "life_expectancy": { "id": "life_expectancy", "label": "Life expectancy at birth", "category": "People and Society", "lens": "people", "content": "total population: 68.5 years (2024 est.) | male: 65.9 years | female: 71.3 years", "display": "total population: 68.5 years (2024 est.)", "source_field": "Life expectancy at birth", "value": 68.5, "estimate_year": 2024 }, "median_age": { "id": "median_age", "label": "Median age", "category": "People and Society", "lens": "people", "content": "total: 27.7 years (2025 est.) | male: 26.4 years | female: 28.2 years", "display": "total: 27.7 years (2025 est.)", "source_field": "Median age", "value": null, "estimate_year": 2025 }, "major_urban_areas": { "id": "major_urban_areas", "label": "Major urban areas - population", "category": "People and Society", "lens": "people", "content": "64,000 TARAWA (capital) (2018)", "display": "64,000 TARAWA (capital) (2018)", "source_field": "Major urban areas - population", "value": null, "estimate_year": 2018 }, "literacy": { "id": "literacy", "label": "Literacy", "category": "People and Society", "lens": "people", "content": "total population: 98.6% (2020 est.) | male: 98.6% (2020 est.) | female: 98.9% (2020 est.)", "display": "total population: 98.6% (2020 est.)", "source_field": "Literacy", "value": null, "estimate_year": 2020 }, "country_name": { "id": "country_name", "label": "Country name", "category": "Government", "lens": "institutions", "content": "conventional long form: Republic of Kiribati | conventional short form: Kiribati | local long form: Republic of Kiribati | local short form: Kiribati | former: Gilbert Islands | etymology: the name is the local pronunciation of \"Gilbert,\" the former designation of the islands; originally named after explorer Thomas GILBERT, who mapped many of the islands in 1788 | note: pronounced keer-ree-bahss", "display": "conventional long form: Republic of Kiribati", "source_field": "Country name", "value": null, "estimate_year": null }, "capital": { "id": "capital", "label": "Capital", "category": "Government", "lens": "institutions", "content": "name: Tarawa | geographic coordinates: 1 21 N, 173 02 E | time difference: UTC+12 (17 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time) | time zone note: Kiribati has three time zones: the Gilbert Islands group at UTC+12, the Phoenix Islands at UTC+13, and the Line Islands at UTC+14 | etymology: the name is said to derive from the I-Kiribati words te (the) and rawa (run), referring to a channel through a nearby reef", "display": "name: Tarawa", "source_field": "Capital", "value": null, "estimate_year": null }, "government_type": { "id": "government_type", "label": "Government type", "category": "Government", "lens": "institutions", "content": "presidential republic", "display": "presidential republic", "source_field": "Government type", "value": null, "estimate_year": null }, "legal_system": { "id": "legal_system", "label": "Legal system", "category": "Government", "lens": "institutions", "content": "English common law supplemented by customary law", "display": "English common law supplemented by customary law", "source_field": "Legal system", "value": null, "estimate_year": null }, "constitution": { "id": "constitution", "label": "Constitution", "category": "Government", "lens": "institutions", "content": "history: The Gilbert and Ellice Islands Order in Council 1915, The Gilbert Islands Order in Council 1975 (pre-independence); latest promulgated 12 July 1979 (at independence) | amendment process: proposed by the House of Assembly; passage requires two-thirds majority vote by the Assembly membership; passage of amendments affecting the constitutional section on amendment procedures and parts of the constitutional chapter on citizenship requires deferral of the proposal to the next Assembly meeting where approval is required by at least two-thirds majority vote of the Assembly membership and support of the nominated or elected Banaban member of the Assembly; amendments affecting the protection of fundamental rights and freedoms also requires approval by at least two-thirds majority in a referendum", "display": "history: The Gilbert and Ellice Islands Order in Council 1915, The Gilbert Islands Order in Council 1975 (pre-independence); latest promulgated 12 July 1979 (at independence)", "source_field": "Constitution", "value": null, "estimate_year": 1915 }, "administrative_divisions": { "id": "administrative_divisions", "label": "Administrative divisions", "category": "Government", "lens": "institutions", "content": "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", "display": "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 Isl…", "source_field": "Administrative divisions", "value": null, "estimate_year": null }, "international_organizations": { "id": "international_organizations", "label": "International organization participation", "category": "Government", "lens": "institutions", "content": "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", "display": "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,…", "source_field": "International organization participation", "value": null, "estimate_year": null }, "economic_overview": { "id": "economic_overview", "label": "Economic overview", "category": "Economy", "lens": "economy", "content": "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", "display": "lower-middle income, Pacific island economy; environmentally fragile; sizable remittances; key phosphate mining fund; tourism and fishing industries; public sector-dominated econo…", "source_field": "Economic overview", "value": null, "estimate_year": null }, "gdp_ppp": { "id": "gdp_ppp", "label": "Real GDP (purchasing power parity)", "category": "Economy", "lens": "economy", "content": "$438.143 million (2024 est.) | $416.221 million (2023 est.) | $405.468 million (2022 est.) | note: data in 2021 dollars", "display": "$438.143 million (2024 est.)", "source_field": "Real GDP (purchasing power parity)", "value": 0.43814299999999995, "estimate_year": 2024 }, "gdp_per_capita": { "id": "gdp_per_capita", "label": "Real GDP per capita", "category": "Economy", "lens": "economy", "content": "$3,300 (2024 est.) | $3,100 (2023 est.) | $3,100 (2022 est.) | note: data in 2021 dollars", "display": "$3,300 (2024 est.)", "source_field": "Real GDP per capita", "value": 3300.0, "estimate_year": 2024 }, "gdp_growth": { "id": "gdp_growth", "label": "Real GDP growth rate", "category": "Economy", "lens": "economy", "content": "5.3% (2024 est.) | 2.7% (2023 est.) | 4.6% (2022 est.) | note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency", "display": "5.3% (2024 est.)", "source_field": "Real GDP growth rate", "value": null, "estimate_year": 2024 }, "inflation": { "id": "inflation", "label": "Inflation rate (consumer prices)", "category": "Economy", "lens": "economy", "content": "9.3% (2023 est.) | 5.3% (2022 est.) | 2.1% (2021 est.) | note: annual % change based on consumer prices", "display": "9.3% (2023 est.)", "source_field": "Inflation rate (consumer prices)", "value": 0.09300000000000001, "estimate_year": 2023 }, "industries": { "id": "industries", "label": "Industries", "category": "Economy", "lens": "economy", "content": "fishing, handicrafts", "display": "fishing, handicrafts", "source_field": "Industries", "value": null, "estimate_year": null }, "agricultural_products": { "id": "agricultural_products", "label": "Agricultural products", "category": "Economy", "lens": "economy", "content": "coconuts, bananas, vegetables, taro, tropical fruits, pork, chicken, nuts, eggs, pork offal (2023) | note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage", "display": "coconuts, bananas, vegetables, taro, tropical fruits, pork, chicken, nuts, eggs, pork offal (2023)", "source_field": "Agricultural products", "value": null, "estimate_year": 2023 }, "exports_commodities": { "id": "exports_commodities", "label": "Exports - commodities", "category": "Economy", "lens": "economy", "content": "fish, coconut oil (2023) | note: top export commodities based on value in dollars over $500,000", "display": "fish, coconut oil (2023)", "source_field": "Exports - commodities", "value": null, "estimate_year": 2023 }, "imports_commodities": { "id": "imports_commodities", "label": "Imports - commodities", "category": "Economy", "lens": "economy", "content": "ships, centrifuges, refined petroleum, rice, raw sugar (2023) | note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars", "display": "ships, centrifuges, refined petroleum, rice, raw sugar (2023)", "source_field": "Imports - commodities", "value": null, "estimate_year": 2023 }, "internet_users": { "id": "internet_users", "label": "Internet users", "category": "Communications", "lens": "infrastructure", "content": "percent of population: 88% (2023 est.)", "display": "percent of population: 88% (2023 est.)", "source_field": "Internet users", "value": 0.88, "estimate_year": 2023 }, "fixed_broadband": { "id": "fixed_broadband", "label": "Broadband - fixed subscriptions", "category": "Communications", "lens": "infrastructure", "content": "total: 0 (2023 est.) | subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: (2023 est.) less than 1", "display": "total: 0 (2023 est.)", "source_field": "Broadband - fixed subscriptions", "value": 0.0, "estimate_year": 2023 }, "electricity_access": { "id": "electricity_access", "label": "Electricity access", "category": "Energy", "lens": "infrastructure", "content": "electrification - total population: 94.4% (2022 est.) | electrification - urban areas: 86% | electrification - rural areas: 94.3% (2020 est.)", "display": "electrification - total population: 94.4% (2022 est.)", "source_field": "Electricity access", "value": null, "estimate_year": 2022 }, "electricity_sources": { "id": "electricity_sources", "label": "Electricity generation sources", "category": "Energy", "lens": "infrastructure", "content": "fossil fuels: 81.5% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) | solar: 18.5% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)", "display": "fossil fuels: 81.5% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)", "source_field": "Electricity generation sources", "value": null, "estimate_year": 2023 }, "energy_per_capita": { "id": "energy_per_capita", "label": "Energy consumption per capita", "category": "Energy", "lens": "infrastructure", "content": "8.578 million Btu/person (2023 est.)", "display": "8.578 million Btu/person (2023 est.)", "source_field": "Energy consumption per capita", "value": null, "estimate_year": 2023 }, "airports": { "id": "airports", "label": "Airports", "category": "Transportation", "lens": "infrastructure", "content": "21 (2025)", "display": "21 (2025)", "source_field": "Airports", "value": null, "estimate_year": 2025 }, "ports": { "id": "ports", "label": "Ports", "category": "Transportation", "lens": "infrastructure", "content": "total ports: 3 (2024) | large: 0 | medium: 0 | small: 0 | very small: 3 | ports with oil terminals: 0 | key ports: Canton Island, English Harbor, Tarawa Atoll", "display": "total ports: 3 (2024)", "source_field": "Ports", "value": null, "estimate_year": 2024 }, "merchant_marine": { "id": "merchant_marine", "label": "Merchant marine", "category": "Transportation", "lens": "infrastructure", "content": "total: 74 (2023) | by type: bulk carrier 2, general cargo 24, oil tanker 11, other 37", "display": "total: 74 (2023)", "source_field": "Merchant marine", "value": null, "estimate_year": 2023 }, "environmental_issues": { "id": "environmental_issues", "label": "Environmental issues", "category": "Environment", "lens": "environment", "content": "heavy pollution in lagoon of south Tarawa atoll due to overcrowding mixed with traditional practices such as lagoon latrines and open-pit dumping; coastal erosion", "display": "heavy pollution in lagoon of south Tarawa atoll due to overcrowding mixed with traditional practices such as lagoon latrines and open-pit dumping; coastal erosion", "source_field": "Environmental issues", "value": null, "estimate_year": null }, "co2_emissions": { "id": "co2_emissions", "label": "Carbon dioxide emissions", "category": "Environment", "lens": "environment", "content": "81,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) | from petroleum and other liquids: 81,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)", "display": "81,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)", "source_field": "Carbon dioxide emissions", "value": null, "estimate_year": 2023 }, "environmental_agreements": { "id": "environmental_agreements", "label": "International environmental agreements", "category": "Environment", "lens": "environment", "content": "party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping-London Convention, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling | signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements", "display": "party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of th…", "source_field": "International environmental agreements", "value": null, "estimate_year": null } }, "profile_url": "/world-context/entities/kiribati.json" } }