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Kiribati

___ Kiribati

This page is about many aspects of the islands nation of Kiribati. Get information about the Gilbert Islands, Line Islands, and the Phoenix Islands in their diversity: geography, economy, science, people, culture, environment, government and history.
You will have access to newspapers from Kiribati and you will find travel and tourism information for Kiribati.

Republic of Kiribati

Country Profile

Flag of Kiribati

Background:
The independent republic of Kiribati consists of a chain of islands in the Pacific Ocean straddling the equator, about one-half of the way from Hawaii to Australia.
It includes three major island groups - Gilbert Islands, Line Islands, and Phoenix Islands.
Formerly part of the British Gilbert and Ellice Islands Colony, the Ellice Islands became the independent nation of Tuvalu in 1978, the Gilbert Islands were granted self-rule by the UK in 1971 and complete independence in 1979 under the new name of Kiribati.

related countries: Australia, New Zealand, Tuvalu, United Kingdom, United States

other Micronesian islands: Guam, Marshall Islands, Micronesia (Federated States of), Nauru, Northern Mariana Islands, Palau

Official Name:
Republic of Kiribati
short form: Kiribati
note: pronounced keer-ree-bahss
former: Gilbert Islands

ISO Country Code: ki

Time:
Local Time = UTC +12h
Actual Time: Tue-Jan-14 05:33
Note: on 1 January 1995, Kiribati proclaimed that all of its territory lies in the same time zone as its Gilbert Islands group (GMT +12) even though the Phoenix Islands and the Line Islands under its jurisdiction lie on the other side of the International Date Line.

Country Calling Code: +686

Capital City: (South) Tarawa (in Gilbertese and English: Teinainano Urban Council or abr. TUC) capital and main island of the Gilbert Group (pop. 30 000)

Government:
Type: Republic - parliamentary democracy.
Self rule granted by UK - 1971
Independence: 12 July 1979 (from United Kingdom).
Constitution: 12 July 1979.
US relinquished all claims to the sparsely inhabited Phoenix and Line Island groups in a 1979 treaty of friendship with Kiribati.

Geography:
Location: Oceania, Central Pacific Ocean.
Area: 726 km² (280 sq. mi.) in 32 atolls and one island.
Terrain: Archipelagos of low-lying coral atolls surrounded by extensive reefs.

Climate:
Maritime equatorial to tropical, dry season from May through October, rainy season from November through April.

People:
Nationality: Noun and adjective--I-Kiribati (for both singular and plural).
Population: 100,000 (2012; UN estimate)
Ethnic groups: Micronesian 98%, some Polynesian.
Religion: Roman Catholic 53%, Kiribati Protestant 39%.
Languages: English (official), Gilbertese/I-Kiribati (de facto).

Natural resources: Phosphate (commercially viable phosphate deposits were exhausted at the time of independence in 1979).

Agriculture - products: Copra, taro, pandanus, breadfruit, sweet potatoes, vegetables; fish.

Currency: Australian Dollar (AUD)

Note: External links will open in a new browser window.

Official Sites of Kiribati

Honorary Consulate-General of the Republic of Kiribati
Japan; provides Kiribati profile and Visa Information.

Intergovernmental organisations
Pacific Islands Forum
Inter-governmental organization for the cooperation between the countries of the Pacific Ocean.
Secretariat of the Pacific Community (SPC)
Intergovernmental organisation of the Pacific islands.

Statistics
Kiribati Statistics Office
Official Kiribati Statistics.

Maps

Map of Kiribati
A map of Kiribati.

Google Earth Kiribati (Gilbert Islands)
Searchable map and satellite view of the Gilbert Islands.

Google Earth Kiribati (Christmas Island)
Searchable map and satellite view of Christmas Island.

Map of Micronesia
Map of the Island States of Micronesia.

Map of Oceania and the Pacific Islands
Reference map of Australia/Oceania.


Kiribati News The CocoNET Wireless Australia based Pacific Islands News and Information. Pacific Islands Report Pacific Islands related News.	Bookmark/share this page


Arts & Culture Pacific Islands Radio Music from the South Pacific islands.	Bookmark/share this page


Business & Economy Telecom Services Kiribati Limited The national Telecommunications service provider.

Country Guides

Kiribati National Tourism Office
The Kiribati Tourism Official Website.

South Pacific Tourism Organisation
Inter-governmental body for the tourism sector in the South Pacific Islands, find information on: accommodation, activities, online bookings and news.

The Banabans
The Banabans inhabitants of the Banaba island are the 'Forgotten People of the Pacific'.
Jane's Kiribati Home Page
Comprehensive information on the islands group of Kiribati.
Kiritours
Tourism (Hotel), Transport and Business Info about Kiribati and Tarawa.
Kiribati and Christmas Island
A page about the islands group.
Kiribati Images
Site in Japanese with images of Kiribati landscapes and people.

Travel and Tour Consumer Information

Education

University of the South Pacific
Premier institution of tertiary education in the Pacific region, jointly owned by the governments of twelve island countries, USP is an international centre of excellence for teaching, research and consulting on all aspects of Pacific life.
University of the South Pacific Libraries
The Main Library of the University of the South Pacific based at Laucala Campus, Suva, Fiji.

Environment & Nature

ACIAR - Country: Kiribati
About the Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research program in Kiribati.

Banaban Environmental Issues relating to Phosphate Mining
Issues of what phosphate mining has done to not only Banaba Island, but also the Banaban people.

Water Resource Conflicts in Tarawa
An UNESCO report.

South Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP)
The Pacific region's major intergovernmental organisation charged with protecting and managing the environment and natural resources.


History The Banaba History History of the cold-blooded exploitation of Banaba island's rich deposits of phosphate of lime until 1979 and the consequences for the inhabitants of Banaba (Ocean Islands). Battle of Tarawa - The Battle for Betio American and Japanese servicemen's Perspective of the Battle of Tarawa in November 1943.

Search

my Micronesia * kiribati
Kiribati info and a few links.
Te Puna Web Directory
Kiribati Islands related index.

Additional Information on Kiribati

BBC News Country Profile: Kiribati

Open Directory Project: Kiribati

UNICEF - At a glance: Kiribati - The big picture

Wikipedia: Kiribati

The World Factbook -- Kiribati