Kiribati

Republic of Kiribati Ribaberiki Kiribati
Flag Coat of arms
Motto: "Te Mauri, Te Raoi ao Te Tabomoa" "Health, Peace and Prosperity"
Anthem: Teirake Kaini Kiribati Stand up, Kiribati
Capital and largest city	South Tarawa[1] 1°28′N 173°2′E / 1.467°N 173.033°E / 1.467; 173.033
Official languages	English
Recognised national languages	Gilbertese
Ethnic groups (2000)	98.8% Micronesian 1.2% others
Demonym(s)	I-Kiribati
Government	Parliamentary republic
• President	Taneti Mamau[2]
• Vice-President	Teuea Toatu
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)	0.629 medium · 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 (/ˌkɪrɪˈbæs, -ˈbɑːti/) is an island country in the Pacific Ocean. It has 33 atolls, groups of tiny islands. The country is near the equator. Part of it is in Micronesia and part is in Polynesia. Its capital is South Tarawa, on the Tarawa atoll.

Kiribati used to be called the Gilbert Islands. The name "Kiribati" comes from the way local people say "Gilberts".^[4] In 1892, the Gilbert Islands became a British protectorate with the Ellice Islands (now known as Tuvalu), together called Gilbert and Ellice Islands. Kiribati became an independent republic in 1979.

Tourism is an important industry. Most food comes from farming and fishing. People grow breadfruit, papayas, coconuts, sweet potatoes, and vegetables. The soil is not very good, but people use a special way of composting to make it better.^[5]

The official languages of Kiribati are English and Gilbertese.

1. ↑ "Kiribati government website". Government of Kiribati. Archived from the original on 26 June 2010. Retrieved 24 June 2010.
2. ↑ "Taneti Mamau declared new Kiribati President". Retrieved 29 March 2016.
3. ↑ ^{3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3} "Kiribati". International Monetary Fund. Retrieved 19 April 2012.
4. ↑ Petersen, Glenn (2009). Traditional Micronesian societies : adaptation, integration, and political organization. Honolulu: University of Hawai'i Press. ISBN 978-1-4416-1992-1. OCLC 436752926.
5. ↑ "Find Agriculture expertise in Kiribati". Commonwealth of Nations. Retrieved 13 February 2023.