_#_Climate: tropical; marine, hot and humid, moderated by trade winds
_#_Terrain: mostly low-lying coral atolls surrounded by extensive
reefs
_#_Natural resources: phosphate (production discontinued in 1979)
_#_Land use: arable land NEGL%; permanent crops 51%; meadows and
pastures 0%; forest and woodland 3%; other 46%
_#_Environment: typhoons can occur any time, but usually November to
March; 20 of the 33 islands are inhabited
_#_Note: Banaba (Ocean Island) in Kiribati is one of the three great
phosphate rock islands in the Pacific Ocean--the others are Makatea
in French Polynesia and Nauru
_*_People
_#_Population: 71,137 (July 1991), growth rate 1.6% (1991)
_#_Birth rate: 33 births/1,000 population (1991)
_#_Death rate: 12 deaths/1,000 population (1991)
_#_Net migration rate: - 5 migrants/1,000 population (1991)
_#_Infant mortality rate: 63 deaths/1,000 live births (1991)
_#_Life expectancy at birth: 52 years male, 58 years female (1991)
_#_Total fertility rate: 4.2 children born/woman (1991)
_#_Nationality: noun--I-Kiribati (sing., pl.); adjective--I-Kiribati
_#_Ethnic divisions: Micronesian
_#_Religion: Roman Catholic 52.6%, Protestant (Congregational) 40.9%,
Seventh-Day Adventist, Baha'i, Church of God, Mormon 6% (1985)
_#_Language: English (official), Gilbertese
_#_Literacy: NA% (male NA%, female NA%)
_#_Labor force: 7,870 economically active (1985 est.)
_#_Organized labor: Kiribati Trades Union Congress--2,500 members
_*_Government
_#_Long-form name: Republic of Kiribati; note--pronounced Kiribas
_#_Type: republic
_#_Capital: Tarawa
_#_Administrative divisions: 3 units; Gilbert Islands, Line Islands,
Phoenix Islands; note--a new administrative structure of 6 districts
(Banaba, Central Gilberts, Line Islands, Northern Gilberts, Southern
Gilberts, Tarawa) may have been changed to 20 island councils (one for
each of the inhabited islands) named Abaiang, Abemama, Aranuka, Arorae,
Banaba, Beru, Butaritari, Kiritimati, Kuria, Maiana, Makin, Marakei,
Nikunau, Nonouti, Onotoa, Tabiteuea, Tabuaeran, Tamana, Tarawa, Teraina
_#_Independence: 12 July 1979 (from UK; formerly Gilbert Islands)
_#_Constitution: 12 July 1979
_#_National holiday: Independence Day, 12 July (1979)
_#_Executive branch: president, vice president, Cabinet
_#_Legislative branch: unicameral House of Assembly (Maneaba Ni
Maungatabu)
_#_Judicial branch: Court of Appeal, High Court
_#_Leaders:
Chief of State and Head of Government--President Ieremia TABAI
(since 12 July 1979); Vice President Teatao TEANNAKI (since 20 July 1979)
_#_Political parties and leaders:
Gilbertese National Party;
Christian Democratic Party, Teburoro TITO, secretary;
essentially not organized on the basis of political parties
_#_Suffrage: universal at age 18
_#_Elections:
President--last held on 12 May 1987 (next to be held May 1991);
results--Ieremia TABAI 50.1%, Tebruroro TITO 42.7%, Tetao
TEANNAKI 7.2%;
House of Assembly--last held on 19 March l987 (next to be held
May 1991); results--percent of vote by party NA;
seats--(40 total; 39 elected) percent of seats by party NA
_#_Member of: ACP, AsDB, C, ESCAP (associate), IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU,
IDA, IFC, IMF, INTERPOL, ITU, SPC, SPF, UNESCO, UPU, WHO
_#_Diplomatic representation: Ambassador (vacant) lives in Tarawa
(Kiribati);