Kiribati

Kiribati (Republic of Kiribati) is an island nation in the central Pacific Ocean, classified by the United Nations under the M49 standard as follows: UN M49 code 296, ISO alpha-2 KI, ISO alpha-3 KIR, UN region Oceania, UN subregion Micronesia, and UN member state. The World Bank capital field lists Tarawa. These classification facts come from the UN Statistics Division’s M49 overview and the World Bank country API; they are statistical identifiers, not political or territorial claims.

What is Kiribati?

Kiribati (pronounced KEE-ree-bahs) is composed of 33 atolls and reef islands, plus the raised coral island of Banaba, scattered across an enormous expanse of ocean. The nation straddles the equator and the International Date Line, which means its easternmost islands (the Line Islands) are among the first places on Earth to see each new day. The name is the local rendition of “Gilbert” (from the former Gilbert Islands). Kiribati is the only country in the world that falls into all four hemispheres, northern, southern, eastern, and western, because its islands straddle both the equator and the 180th meridian (with adjustments to the date line).

The easternmost landmasses sit in the Line Islands group, putting Kiribati in a unique time zone position (UTC+12, +13, +14) and making it one of the first places to greet the new day.

Classification identifiers

These are the fixed identifiers used in international databases. They describe statistical categories, not political claims.

Field	Value
UN M49 code	296
ISO alpha-2	KI
ISO alpha-3	KIR
UN region	Oceania
UN subregion	Micronesia
UN membership	Member state
World Bank capital field	Tarawa

The UN M49 classification is maintained by the United Nations Statistics Division. The overview document at https://unstats.un.org/unsd/methodology/m49/overview/ explains how countries and areas are grouped for statistical purposes. These groupings are conveniences for data collection and comparison; they are not political or territorial claims. The World Bank lists Kiribati in its country database under code KI; you can verify the code and current metadata directly through the World Bank country API at https://api.worldbank.org/v2/country/KI?format=json.

The capital is commonly given as South Tarawa, the administrative centre on Tarawa Atoll; international databases sometimes abbreviate this to “Tarawa.” The distinction between the atoll (Tarawa) and the urban centre (South Tarawa) is a matter of local administrative naming, not a separate statistical entity. The government sits on Betio islet within Tarawa atoll.

How to verify current statistics

Population

Population figures change every year and different sources may disagree. Do not treat any single number as a permanent fact. The most reliable way to verify Kiribati’s current count is to consult the Pacific Community (SPC) and the Kiribati National Statistics Office (KNSO), which publish census and projection data. The United Nations Population Division also publishes annual estimates. For the latest figure, check the World Bank’s country API and look for the indicator SP.POP.TOTL. The reference year for any figure must be stated, because census counts are point-in-time and projections change annually.

The most recent national census was published by the Kiribati National Statistics Office; the World Bank and UN DESA publish intercensal estimates. Always cite the dataset and reference year. The UN’s World Population Prospects is the standard source for demographic data. The national statistical office publishes census and survey data; the most recent census was in 2020, but the next may be delayed.

Language, currency and government

The official language is English, but Gilbertese (Kiribati) is the widely spoken indigenous language. Most people speak Gilbertese. The currency is the Australian dollar (AUD); Kiribati does not have its own national currency, though it issues its own coins. Government type: unitary parliamentary republic with a unicameral House of Assembly (Maneaba ni Maungatabu). The head of state is the President (Beretitenti), and the nation is a member of the Commonwealth. Verify the current head of government through official government sources or a current year’s CIA World Factbook.

Economy and international memberships

For economic indicators, consult the World Bank’s WDI database. The World Bank’s country page for Kiribati provides economic indicators. The UNESCO Institute for Statistics provides education and literacy data. The IMF publishes economic outlook data. Freedom House publishes political rights scores. The WHO publishes health metrics. Kiribati is not part of any political union; it is an independent republic. The nation is a member of the UN, IMF, World Bank, and the Pacific Islands Forum, among others.

Visas, travel and internet

Visa requirements: check your own foreign ministry; Kiribati does not have a unified visa list published by the UN. Entry requirements change without notice. Travel advice: consult official travel advisories from your home government, for example the UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office, the U.S. State Department, or Australia’s Smartraveller. Internet: the IANA country code top-level domain is .ki.

Note: There are two adjacent, similarly named pages in the site: “Kiribati” (this page) and “Kiribati, Country Comparison” (the comparison hub). This page is the named entry; the comparison hub handles direct country-to-country comparisons.