Local timeSouth Tarawa ·
Oceania / Micronesia · Card 010
Flag shown for Kiribati

Kiribati

Kiribati is a country in Micronesia. Its capital is South Tarawa.

Find Kiribati

South TarawaKiribatiVanuatuMarshall IslandsAmerican SamoaNiueNauruFrench PolynesiaFijiTuvaluTokelauPhoenix IslandsLine Islands
● Capital · Gold highlights this card’s area.
Map: Natural Earth. Boundaries show geographic context, not a position on sovereignty. Small islands may use enlarged markers. The map keeps the Gilbert, Phoenix and Line groups together across the 180° meridian. The clock shows South Tarawa time; the country spans several time zones.

At a glance

Capital
South Tarawa
Language guide
Languages spoken & official status
Currency
Australian dollar (AUD)
Population
136,4882025 · World Bank
Area
811 km²313.13 square miles
Independence
1979from the UK
AustraliaNew ZealandPacific OceanIndian Ocean

Kiribati in context

Oceania and its surrounding regions. The dot marks South Tarawa; the mapped territory is highlighted in gold.

Natural Earth · locator map

Geography & environment

Landscape

Kiribati consists mainly of low coral atolls and reef islands spread across a vast area of the Pacific. Its land area is small compared with the ocean between the islands. Most islands have little elevation and no substantial river systems.

Kiritimati has a large and complex lagoon landscape, while other atolls consist of narrow islands along reef rims. The groups are widely separated and experience different local ocean conditions. Banaba is an important raised-island exception to the generally low relief.

Climate & seasons

The low islands are warm and humid, with ocean winds moderating temperatures. Rainfall varies substantially across the widely dispersed island groups.

Atoll resources

Fresh water is limited and vulnerable to saltwater contamination on many islands. Reefs and lagoons support food resources and biodiversity. Waves, erosion and sea-level change are especially consequential where land is low and narrow.

Flag shown for Kiribati

Flag

The upper half is red with a yellow frigatebird flying over a yellow rising sun, and the lower half is blue with three wavy horizontal white stripes to represent the Pacific Ocean

Sources: CIA World Factbook · archived profile

Languages

Public and official use

Gilbertese, also called te taetae ni Kiribati, is the principal everyday language. English is used in administration and education.

Community and regional languages

Gilbertese is a Micronesian language with an established Latin-based writing system. The spelling “ti” is pronounced like an “s,” which helps explain the pronunciation of the country’s name, Kiribati.

Sources: CIA World Factbook · archived profile

History & independence

The Gilbert Islands came under British protection in 1892 and later formed part of the Gilbert and Ellice Islands colony. The Battle of Tarawa in 1943 was a major Pacific campaign of the Second World War. After the Ellice Islands separated to become Tuvalu, the Gilbert Islands achieved independence as Kiribati in 1979, including the Phoenix and Line island groups.

  1. The Gilbert Islands become a British protectorate

  2. The Battle of Tarawa takes place

  3. Kiribati becomes independent

  4. Kiribati joins the United Nations

Sources: CIA World Factbook · archived profile

Economy

Main activities

Fishing access fees are a major source of government revenue. Coconut products, small-scale fishing, public services, remittances and external assistance also support livelihoods. Widely dispersed islands and limited land resources raise transport costs. Sea-level rise and coastal flooding threaten settlements and infrastructure.

Industry and production

Fishing and fish processing, copra production, small businesses and public services.

Sources: CIA World Factbook · archived profile

Population & economic trends

Dated World Bank observations. Population uses selected years; real GDP uses all available annual observations.

Population, 1970–2025

Thousands of people
136.52025 · thousands of people
0.00100.0200.057.5197061.1198074.9199088.62000108.72010126.12020136.52025

Population estimates may be revised. Selected years are shown.

Sources: World Bank · Population

View data table
Population: source values and plotted units
Year People Thousands of people
1970 57,510 57.510
1980 61,148 61.148
1990 74,855 74.855
2000 88,613 88.613
2010 108,704 108.704
2020 126,099 126.099
2025 136,488 136.488

Real GDP, 1990–2025

Billions of constant 2015 US dollars
0.292025 · billions of constant 2015 US dollars
0.000.150.3019902000201020202025

Constant prices adjust for inflation. This is total economic output, not current-dollar GDP or income per person. Missing years are left as gaps.

Sources: World Bank · Real GDP

View data table
Real GDP: source values and plotted units
Year Constant 2015 US$ Billions of constant 2015 US dollars
1990 103,872,769 0.104
1991 98,005,325 0.098
1992 121,486,649 0.121
1993 121,360,309 0.121
1994 123,842,439 0.124
1995 127,250,841 0.127
1996 127,184,611 0.127
1997 128,681,743 0.129
1998 134,398,139 0.134
1999 129,137,484 0.129
2000 137,844,792 0.138
2001 133,510,774 0.134
2002 135,442,881 0.135
2003 133,309,024 0.133
2004 132,497,215 0.132
2005 134,209,649 0.134
2006 141,962,853 0.142
2007 146,299,931 0.146
2008 141,933,271 0.142
2009 142,695,171 0.143
2010 144,444,545 0.144
2011 149,158,821 0.149
2012 157,815,491 0.158
2013 170,016,084 0.170
2014 172,164,514 0.172
2015 191,559,399 0.192
2016 205,137,195 0.205
2017 212,751,891 0.213
2018 220,037,915 0.220
2019 227,323,939 0.227
2020 224,409,529 0.224
2021 243,353,191 0.243
2022 255,739,431 0.256
2023 263,754,057 0.264
2024 276,140,297 0.276
2025 287,797,935 0.288

Human development

The Human Development Index combines health, education and income. Scores range from 0 to 1.

HDI · 20230.644Medium human developmentRank 140 of 193 · 2025 report

Human Development Index over time

20100.600
20200.632
20230.644
66.5 yearsLife expectancy at birth
9.1 yearsMean schooling, adults aged 25+

The latest values refer to 2023. All historical scores use the same report edition. HDI does not describe every aspect of inequality or quality of life.

Sources: UNDP · Human Development Report 2025

Government

A presidential republic with an elected President, called the Beretitenti, and a single-chamber House of Assembly, the Maneaba ni Maungatabu. Parliament nominates presidential candidates before a national popular vote.

Sources: CIA World Factbook · archived profile

Knowledge check

Three questions about Kiribati.

QUESTION 1 OF 3

Which three island groups make up Kiribati?

Sources & notes

Sources: CIA World Factbook · archived profile

Prepared 24 September 2026. World Bank series: SP.POP.TOTL (persons) and NY.GDP.MKTP.KD (constant 2015 US dollars); downloaded 24 September 2026, provider update 13 July 2026. UNDP values use the 2025 report and 2023 observation year. These are dated statistical snapshots, not live population or economic counters.

Maps use Natural Earth geographic data. Background geography, flag descriptions and selected historical facts use archived public-domain CIA World Factbook profiles, supplemented by the sources linked above. The Factbook is no longer updated; dated statistics here come from the separately named providers.

South TarawaKiribatiVanuatuMarshall IslandsAmerican SamoaNiueNauruFrench PolynesiaFijiTuvaluTokelauPhoenix IslandsLine Islands