1986 Edition
CIA World Factbook 1986 (Internet Archive)
Geography
Agriculture
limited; copra, subsistence crops of vegetables, supplemented by domestic fishing
Aid
Western (non-US) commitments ODA and OOF (1970-83), $192 million; Australia (1970-83), $25.7 million committed
Airfields
19 total; 16 usable; 4 with permanent-surface runways, 4 with runways 1,220-2,439 m
Branches
unicameral legislature (35-member House of Assembly); nationally elected President
Budget
$15.2 million (1979)
Civil air
2 Trislanders; no major transport aircraft
Electric power
2,750 kW capacity (1985); 8 million kWh produced (1985), 129 kWh per capita
Exports
phosphate, formerly 80% of exports, exhausted in 1981; copra accounted for 80% (A$1.45 million) in 1982
GDP
$25 million (1984 est), $417 per capita
Government leader
leremia T. TABAI, President (since July 1979) Political parties and leaders: Gilbertese National Party, Christian Democratic Party
Highways
483 km of motorable roads
Imports
$15 million (1979); foodstuffs, fuel, transportation equipment
Industry
formerly phosphate production; supply exhausted by mid-1981; tuna fishing licenses to USSR fishing fleet within Kiribati's 200 nm fishing zone, excluding 12-nm territorial zone
Inland waterways
small network of canals, totaling 5 km, in Line Islands
Member of
ADB, Commonwealth, ESCAP (associate member), GATT (de facto), ICAO, SPF Economy
Monetary conversion rate
1.0392 Australian$=US$l (23 February 1983) Communications
Ports
3 minor
Railroads
none
Telecommunications
1 AM broadcast station; 1,400 telephones (2.33 per 100 popl.) 150 k Sea of