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Kiribati

The Republic of Kiribati is an island nation located in the central tropical Pacific Ocean. The country's 33 atolls are scattered over 3,500,000 km² near the equator. Its name is pronounced /kiribas/ and is a Micronesian transliteration of "Gilberts", the English name for the main group of islands: the former Gilbert Islands. \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
Republic of Kiribati
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(In Detail)(Full size)
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motto: of the Gilbert & Ellice :'Maaka te Atua, karinea te uea; mataku i te Atua, fakamamalu ki te tupu (Gilbertese and Tuvalu: fear the God, respect the king, the Kiribati motto is now: Te Mauri, Te Raoi ao Te Tabomoa (Health, peace and prosperity)
Official language English and Gilbertese
Capital South-Tarawa
PresidentAnote Tong
Area
 - Total
 - % water		Ranked 170th
811 km˛
0%
Population \n
 - Total (2001) \n
 - Density 		Ranked 179th\n
91,985 \n
131/km˛
IndependenceJuly 12, 1979
Currency Australian dollar
Time zone UTC +12, +13, +14
National anthem Teirake Kaini Kiribati
Internet TLD.ki
Calling Code686

Table of contents
1 History
2 Politics
3 Districts
4 Geography
5 Economy
6 Demographics
7 Culture
8 Miscellaneous topics

History

Main article: History of Kiribati Since 1892, the Gilbert Islands was a British protectorate together with the nearby Ellice Islands. They became a colony in 1916 and then autonomous in 1971. In 1978, the Ellice Islands became the independent nation of Tuvalu, followed by Kiribati independence in 1979, July 12th. With independence, the United States relinquished all claims to the sparsely inhabited Phoenix and all but 3 of the Line islands, which became part of Kiribati territory.

Politics

\nMain article: Politics of Kiribati The parliament of Kiribati, called Maneaba ni Maungatabu is elected every four years, and consists of 42 representatives. A Maneaba is also the name given to the meeting houses in every local comminity.\nThe president is both head of state and head of government, and is called te Beretitenti. Each of the 21 inhabited islands has a local council that takes care of the daily affairs. (3 councils on Tarawa: Betio, South-Tarawa, North-Tarawa).

Districts

\nMain article: Districts of Kiribati There are no more districts, but a group that unites the Line and the Phoenix islands (ministry at London, Christmas). Each inhabited island has its own council (3 councils on Tarawa: Betio, South-Tarawa, North-Tarawa; 2 councils on Tabiteuea).\nKiribati was divided into 6 districts until independence:\n* Banaba\n* Central Gilberts\n* Line Islands\n* Northern Gilberts\n* Southern Gilberts\n* Tarawa Four of the former districts (including Tarawa) lie in the Gilbert Islands, where most of the country's population lives. Only three of the Line Islands are inhabited, while the Phoenix Islands are uninhabited except for Kanton and Orona (80 people) and have no representation. Banaba itself is sparsely inhabited now. There is also a representative non-elected of the Banabans relocated to Rabi Island in the nation of Fiji.

Geography

\nMain article: Geography of Kiribati Kiribati consists of about 34 atolls, with at least three in each hemisphere. The groups of islands are:
  • Banaba: an isolated island between Nauru and the Gilbert Islands.\n* Gilbert Islands: 16 atolls located some 1500 km north of Fiji\n* Phoenix Islands: 8 atolls and coral islands located some 1800 km southeast of the Gilberts\n* Line Islands: 9 atoll and islands, located about 3300 km east of the Gilberts.
Three additional islands in the Line Islands are United States possessions. Banaba (or Ocean Island) is a raised-coral island that was once a rich source of phosphates, but it was mostly mined out before independence. The rest of the land in Kiribati consists of the sand and reef rock islets of atolls or coral islands that rise but a few meters above sea level. The soil is thin and calcareous, making agriculture very difficult. Kiritimati (Christmas Island) in the Line Islands is the world's largest atoll. \n

Economy

\nMain article: Economy of Kiribati Kiribati has few natural resources. Commercially viable phosphate deposits were exhausted at the time of independence. \nCopra and fish now represent the bulk of production and exports. The economy has fluctuated widely in recent years. \nEconomic development is constrained by a shortage of skilled workers, weak infrastructure, and remoteness from international markets. Tourism provides more than one-fifth of GDP. \nForeign financial aid, largely from the United Kingdom and Japan, is a critical supplement to GDP, equal to 25%-50% of GDP in recent years.

Demographics

\nMain article: Demographics of Kiribati\nThe name of the people is Gilbertese (or I-Kiribati, in gilbertese).\nWhile English is the constitution's and law's language, kiribati or Gilbertese, the native Micronesian language, is widely spoken. \nNote that in Gilbertese there is no letter 's', the sound is represented by 'ti'. That is why Kiritimati Island is known in English as Christmas Island (not to be confused with the Christmas Island in the Indian Ocean, which is administered by Australia). \nChristianity is the major religion in the country, although mixed with many practices of the indigenous beliefs. Some Baha'i.

Culture

\nMain article: Culture of Kiribati
  • Music of Kiribati\nGreat importance of the songs (te anene) and above all of the dances (te mwaie). See R L Stevenson's In the south seas.

Miscellaneous topics

\n* Communications in Kiribati\nTwo international airports (Tarawa and Kiritimati). The main port is Betio (Tarawa). \nPhones only on Tarawa and Kiritimati (elsewhere : radio phone). 2 newspapers (one private). Also some local radio (from time to time), no TV currently. Kiribati does have an ISP, the local TeleCo (TSKL). \n Category:Oceanic countries Category:Pacific Ocean atolls \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

- Richard J. Ferris, president of United Airlines