Official name Republic of Kiribati, formerly Gilbert Islands

Local name Kiribati
Timezone GMT -12
Area 717 km²/277 sq mi
population total (2002e) 90 600
Status Republic
Date of independence 1979
Capital Bairiki (on Tarawa Atoll)
Languages English (official) and Gilbertese
Ethnic groups Micronesian, small Polynesian and non-Pacific minorities
Religions Roman Catholic (54%), Kiribati Protestant (39%), Baha'i (2%), Seventh-day Adventist (2%), Mormon (2%)
Physical features Group of 33 low-lying islands scattered over c.3 000 000 km²/1 200 000 sq mi of the C Pacific Ocean; comprises the Gilbert Is Group, Phoenix Is, and 8 of the 11 Line Islands, including Christmas I; islands seldom rise to more than 4 m/13 ft and usually consist of a reef enclosing a lagoon.
Climate Maritime equatorial climate in central islands, tropical further N and S; periodic drought in some islands; wet season (Nov–Apr); subject to typhoons; average annual temperatures 28°C (Jan), 27°C (July) in Tarawa; average annual rainfall 1977 mm/78 in.
Currency 1 Australian Dollar (AUD) = 100 cents
Economy 50% of land under permanent cultivation; main exports include fish, particularly tuna; phosphates; copra, coconuts, bananas, pandanus, breadfruit, papaya; sea fishing.
GDP (2001e) $79 mn, per capita $800
History Gilbert and Ellice Is proclaimed a British protectorate, 1892; became a Crown Colony, 1916; occupied by Japan during World War II, but driven out by US forces; Ellice Is severed links with Gilbert Is to form separate dependency of Tuvalu, 1975; Gilbert Is independence as Kiribati, 1979; a sovereign and democratic republic, with a President and an elected House of Assembly.

	Head of State/Government (President)
2003–	Anote Tong
1994–2003	Teburoro Tito
1991–4	Teatao Teannaki
1979–91	Ieremia T Tabai