1982 Edition
CIA World Factbook 1982 (Wikisource)
Geography
Coastline
about 1,143 km
Limits of territorial waters
3 nm (fishing 200 nm)
People and Society
Ethnic divisions
Micronesian
Labor force
15,921 (1973); general unemployment rate 4.9%
Literacy
adult literacy ratio 90%
Nationality
noun—Kiribatian(s); adjective—Kiribati
Population
59,000 (July 1982), average annual growth rate 1.1%
Religion
Catholic
Government
Branches
35-member parliament, nationally elected President
Capital
Tarawa
Government leader
President Ieremia TABAI Political parties and leaders: Gilbertese National Party, Christian Democratic Party
Member of
ADB, GATT (de facto)
Official name
Republic of Kiribati
Type
republic; became independent 12 July 1979
Economy
Agriculture
copra, subsistence crops of vegetables, supplemented by domestic fishing
Aid
Western (non-US) commitments (ODA; 1979), $46.0 million; Australia (1980-83), $8.1 million committed
Budget
$15.2 million (1979)
Electric power
2,000 kW capacity (1981); 6 million kWh produced (1981), 104 kWh per capita Exports: $21.2 million (1978); 88% phosphate, 11.6% copra
GDP
$36.0 million (1979 est.), $630 per capita
Imports
$18.4 million (1978); foodstuffs, fuel, transportation equipment
Industry
phosphate production, which as of May 1979 was expected to cease in mid-1979
Monetary conversion rate
0.90 Australian$=US$1
Communications
Civil air
2 Trislanders, however, no major transport aircraft
Highways
483 km of motorable roads
Inland waterways
small network of canals, totaling 5 km, in Northern Line Islands
Ports
3 minor
Railroads
none
Telecommunications
1 AM broadcast station; 866 telephones (4.3 per 100 popl.)