Kiribati

The independent republic of Kiribati consists of a chain of islands in the Pacific Ocean straddling the equator, about one-half of the way from Hawaii to Australia.
It includes three major island groups - Gilbert Islands, Line Islands, and Phoenix Islands.
Formerly part of the British Gilbert and Ellice Islands Colony, the Ellice Islands became the independent nation of Tuvalu in 1978, the Gilbert Islands were granted self-rule by the UK in 1971 and complete independence in 1979 under the new name of Kiribati.

related countries: Australia, New Zealand, Tuvalu, United Kingdom, United States

other Micronesian islands: Guam, Marshall Islands, Micronesia (Federated States of), Nauru, Northern Mariana Islands, Palau

Official Name:
Republic of Kiribati
short form: Kiribati
note: pronounced keer-ree-bahss
former: Gilbert Islands

ISO Country Code: ki

Time:
Local Time = UTC +12h
Note: on 1 January 1995, Kiribati proclaimed that all of its territory lies in the same time zone as its Gilbert Islands group (GMT +12) even though the Phoenix Islands and the Line Islands under its jurisdiction lie on the other side of the International Date Line.

Country Calling Code: +686

Capital City: (South) Tarawa (in Gilbertese and English: Teinainano Urban Council or abr. TUC) capital and main island of the Gilbert Group (pop. 30 000)

Government:
Type: Republic - parliamentary democracy.
Self rule granted by UK - 1971
Independence: 12 July 1979 (from United Kingdom).
Constitution: 12 July 1979.
US relinquished all claims to the sparsely inhabited Phoenix and Line Island groups in a 1979 treaty of friendship with Kiribati.

Geography:
Location: Oceania, Central Pacific Ocean.
Area: 719 sq. km (266 sq. mi.) in 32 atolls and one island.
Terrain: Archipelagos of low-lying coral atolls surrounded by extensive reefs.

Climate:
Maritime equatorial to tropical, dry season from May through October, rainy season from November through April.

People:
Nationality: Noun and adjective--I-Kiribati (for both singular and plural).
Population: 90 000.
Ethnic groups: Micronesian 98%, some Polynesian.
Religion: Roman Catholic 53%, Kiribati Protestant 39%.
Languages: English (official), Gilbertese/I-Kiribati (de facto).

Natural resources: Phosphate (commercially viable phosphate deposits were exhausted at the time of independence in 1979).

Agriculture - products: Copra, taro, pandanus, breadfruit, sweet potatoes, vegetables; fish.

Currency: Australian Dollar (AUD)