Kiribati
Republic of Kiribati Ribaberiki Kiribati | |
|---|---|
 Coat of arms
| |
Motto: "Te Mauri, Te Raoi ao Te Tabomoa" "Health, Peace and Prosperity" | |
.svg) | |
| Capital and largest city | South Tarawa[1] 1°28′N 173°2′E / 1.467°N 173.033°E |
| Official languages | |
| Ethnic groups (2000) | 98.8% Micronesian 1.2% others |
| Demonym(s) | I-Kiribati |
| Government | Parliamentary republic |
| Taneti Mamau[2] | |
| Kourabi Nenem | |
| Legislature | House of Assembly |
| Independence | |
• from the United Kingdom | 12 July 1979 |
| Area | |
• Total | 811 km2 (313 sq mi) (186th) |
| Population | |
• 2010 estimate | 103,500 (197th) |
• 2015 census | 110,136 |
• Density | 136/km2 (352.2/sq mi) (73rd) |
| GDP (PPP) | 2011 estimate |
• Total | $599 million[3] |
• Per capita | $5,721[3] |
| GDP (nominal) | 2011 estimate |
• Total | $167 million[3] |
• Per capita | $1,592[3] |
| HDI (2013) |  0.629medium · 121st |
| Currency | Kiribati dollar Australian dollar (AUD) |
| Time zone | UTC+12, +13, +14 (GMT+12 to +14) |
| Driving side | left |
| Calling code | +686 |
| ISO 3166 code | KI |
| Internet TLD | .ki |
Kiribati (pronounced "KiriBASS") is a country in the Pacific Ocean. It has 33 atolls, groups of tiny islands. The country is near the equator. Its capital is South Tarawa, on the Tarawa atoll.
Kiribati used to be called the Gilbert Islands. In 1892, the Gilbert Islands became a British protectorate with the Ellice Islands (nowadays known as Tuvalu), together called Gilbert and Ellice Islands. Kiribati became an independent republic in 1979.
Kiribati is one of the poorest nations in the Pacific Ocean. It has few natural resources. Tourism is an important industry.
Kiribati signed a "Treaty of Friendship and Territorial Sovereignty" (also called the "Treaty of Tarawa") with the United States in 1979. The USA gave up its claims to the islands of Canton, Enderbury, Hull, Birnie, Gardner, Phoenix, Sydney, McKean, Christmas, Caroline, Starbuck, Malden, Flint, and Vostok in that treaty. [1]
The official languages of Kiribati are English and Gilbertese.
References[change | change source]
- ↑ "Kiribati government website". Government of Kiribati. Retrieved 24 June 2010.
- ↑ "Taneti Mamau declared new Kiribati President". Retrieved 29 March 2016.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 "Kiribati". International Monetary Fund. Retrieved 19 April 2012.
Other websites[change | change source]
Media related to Kiribati at Wikimedia Commons
