World Context: Kiribati

Source and mapping status

This page maps the site registry entry “Kiribati” to the supplied dataset entity “Kiribati.” Mapping status: exact-name. The source is a frozen 2025 snapshot; dates embedded in individual fields remain controlling.

• Source entity count: 1.
• Selected public fields present: 19.
• Independent corroboration in this page: none.

Place and environment

Location: Oceania, group of 32 coral atolls and one raised coral island in the Pacific Ocean, straddling the Equator; the capital Tarawa is about halfway between Hawaii and Australia Area: total : 811 sq km; land: 811 sq km; water: 0 sq km; note: includes three island groups -- Gilbert Islands, Line Islands, and Phoenix Islands -- dispersed over about 3.5 million sq km (1.35 million sq mi) Climate: tropical; marine, hot and humid, moderated by trade winds Terrain: mostly low-lying coral atolls surrounded by extensive reefs Natural hazards: typhoons can occur any time, but usually November to March; occasional tornadoes; low level of some of the islands make them sensitive to changes in sea level Environmental issues: heavy pollution in lagoon of south Tarawa atoll due to overcrowding mixed with traditional practices such as lagoon latrines and open-pit dumping; coastal erosion

Population, settlement, and language context

Population: total: 116,545 (2024 est.); male: 56,364; female: 60,181 Population distribution: consists of three archipelagos spread out over an area roughly the size of India; the eastern Line Islands and central Phoenix Islands are sparsely populated, but the western Gilbert Islands are some of the most densely settled places on earth, with the main island of South Tarawa boasting a population density similar to Tokyo or Hong Kong Urbanization: urban population: 57.8% of total population (2023); rate of urbanization: 2.77% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) Languages: Gilbertese, English (official)

Public and legal context

Capital: name: Tarawa; geographic coordinates: 1 21 N, 173 02 E; time difference: UTC+12 (17 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time); time zone note: Kiribati has three time zones: the Gilbert Islands group at UTC+12, the Phoenix Islands at UTC+13, and the Line Islands at UTC+14; etymology: the name is said to derive from the I-Kiribati words te (the) and rawa (run), referring to a channel through a nearby reef Government type: presidential republic Legal system: English common law supplemented by customary law

Economy and connectivity context

Economic overview: lower-middle income, Pacific island economy; environmentally fragile; sizable remittances; key phosphate mining fund; tourism and fishing industries; public sector-dominated economy; recent withdrawal from Pacific Islands Forum; ongoing constitutional crisis Industries: fishing, handicrafts Electricity access: electrification - total population: 94.4% (2022 est.); electrification - urban areas: 86%; electrification - rural areas: 94.3% (2020 est.) Internet users: percent of population: 88% (2023 est.) Airports: 21 (2025) Ports: total ports: 3 (2024); large: 0; medium: 0; small: 0; very small: 3; ports with oil terminals: 0; key ports: Canton Island, English Harbor, Tarawa Atoll

Interpretation and freshness boundary

Use these fields to ask better questions about material conditions, access, distance, public administration, and information availability. Do not use them to infer intelligence capability, government intent, personal loyalty, protected traits, or a permanent national character. Reverify any time-sensitive claim before publication or comparison.