Kiribati

an independent republic in the W Pacific: comprises 33 islands including Banaba (Ocean Island), the Gilbert and Phoenix Islands, and eight of the Line Islands; part of the British colony of the Gilbert and Ellice Islands until 1975; became self-governing in 1977 and gained full independence in 1979 as the Republic of Kiribati; a member of the Commonwealth. Official languages: English, I-Kiribati (Gilbertese) is widely spoken. Religion: Christian majority. Currency: Australian dollar. Capital: Bairiki islet, in Tarawa atoll. Pop.: 88 000 (2003 est.). Area: 684 sq. km (264 sq. miles)

Collins Discovery Encyclopedia, 1st edition © HarperCollins Publishers 2005

Kiribati

Official name: Republic of Kiribati

Capital city: Tarawa

Internet country code: .ki

Flag description: The upper half is red with a yellow frigate bird flying over a yellow rising sun, and the lower half is blue with three horizontal wavy white stripes to represent the ocean

Geographical description: Oceania, group of 33 coral atolls in the Pacific Ocean, straddling the Equator; the capital Tarawa is about one-half of the way from Hawaii to Australia; note - on 1 January 1995, Kiribati proclaimed that all of its territory lies in the same time zone as its Gilbert Islands group (UTC +12) even though the Phoenix Islands and the Line Islands under its jurisdiction lie on the other side of the International Date Line

Total area: 266 sq. mi. (719 sq. km.)

Climate: Tropical; marine, hot and humid, moderated by trade winds

Nationality: noun: I-Kiribati (singular and plural, pronounced ee-keer-ah-bhass); adjective: I-Kiribati

Population: 107,817 (July 2007 CIA est.)

Ethnic groups: Micronesian 98.8%, other 1.2%

Languages spoken: English (official), Gilbertese/I-Kiribati

Religions: Roman Catholic 52%, Protestant (Congregational) 40%, other (includes Seventh-Day Adventist, Muslim, Baha’i, Latter-day Saints, Church of God) 8%

Legal Holidays:

Boxing Day	Dec 26
Christmas Day	Dec 25
Easter Monday	Apr 25, 2011; Apr 9, 2012; Apr 1, 2013; Apr 21, 2014; Apr 6, 2015; Mar 28, 2016; Apr 17, 2017; Apr 2, 2018; Apr 22, 2019; Apr 13, 2020; Apr 5, 2021; Apr 18, 2022; Apr 10, 2023
Good Friday	Apr 22, 2011; Apr 6, 2012; Mar 29, 2013; Apr 18, 2014; Apr 3, 2015; Mar 25, 2016; Apr 14, 2017; Mar 30, 2018; Apr 19, 2019; Apr 10, 2020; Apr 2, 2021; Apr 15, 2022; Apr 7, 2023
Gospel Day	Jul 9
Health Day	Apr 21
Human Rights Day	Dec 8
Independence Day	Jul 12
New Year's Day	Jan 1
Teacher's Day	Oct 6
Unaine Day	Jul 8
Uniwaine Day	Jul 7
Women's Day	Mar 10
Youth Day	Aug 11

Mentioned in

References in periodicals archive

The indigenous people of Kiribati are called I-Kiribati.

Understanding the health needs of I-Kiribati immigrants

Set against the backdrop of international climate negotiations, the film shows Tong traveling to the Arctic to witness ice melt, to Rome to visit the Vatican, and to climate summits to plead Kiribati's case.

As a Nation Slips Away

I was fortunate to read in a recent Good Samaritan newsletter, The Good Oil, about two Kiribati women, Kawi Arebonto and Tenta Maritino, who made their first vows in the congregation last year, joining three others.

Under threat of extinction: Sisters challenged by Kiribati's vulnerability during climate change

According to BI-NAIA 1 travel control and enforcement chief Glenn Ford Comia, Ibrahim recounted that he bought for $5,000 the fraudulent Kiribati passport from a syndicate in Siem Reap, Cambodia.

Syrian national nabbed at NAIA with fake passport

Ibrahim told Immigration personnel that he bought his Kiribati passport for US$5,000 from a Jordanian national based in Siem Reap, Cambodia.

BI detains Syrian national for using other passport

Hamad Buamim, President & CEO of Dubai Chamber, described Dubai as an ideal re-export hub for Kiribati products and commodities, as the emirate provides easy access to emerging markets.

Dubai Chamber Hosts Kiribati President in Effort to Boost Bilateral Ties

Radio Kiribati recently spoke with MP Timeon who expressed concern over state-owned Chinese companies establishing themselves in Kiribati.

Kiribati President reaffirms diplomatic ties with Taiwan

In his turn, the President of the Republic of Kiribati expressed his pride in the establishment of diplomatic relations with the Kingdom of Bahrain, stressing that his country was after the development of bilateral relations and coordination on various issues of common concern.

Bahrain establishes diplomatic ties with Kiribati Republic

Faster and more affordable internet will improve peoples' access to economic and social development opportunities." ADB is providing a $21.6 million grant for Kiribati and a $15 million grant for Nauru to help fund the delivery of internet services in Tarawa and Kiritimati Island in Kiribati and Nauru through the installation of submarine cables.

ADB signs agreements to help deliver internet to Kiribati and Nauru

He met his wife Rotee, who's from North Tarawa, one of the coral reefs which make up Kiribati, and the couple married in 1975.

The consulate for the republic of Kiribati? A rambling mansion in a tiny Welsh village; FEATURE Cities like Los Angeles, Sydney and Hamburg host most of the 10 consulates for Kiribati - a nation of 33 Pacific islands. But its UK consulate is the only one not in a major, or even minor, city, but in a small Monmouthshire village. Amanda Powell has been finding out why..

South Tarawa [Kirbati], Jan 28 ( ANI ): Seven survivors, including an unconscious baby, aboard a dinghy have been found by rescuers while searching for a ferry carrying 50 people that went missing in the waters off Kiribati.

Seven survivors of missing ferry found

The Republic of Kiribati is home to about 108,000 people and comprises 33 islands, scattered over an area of 1.3million square miles around the equator.

Fears for 50 on ferry lost in the Pacific