Population, GDP, natural resources, leaders and history of Kiribati: the Magna Factbook country file, with its Magna grade (MCC, ranked #169 of 195).
Kiribati is a presidential republic in 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. The country's capital is Tarawa; it covers 811 sq km. Independence: 12 July 1979 (from the UK). Terrain: mostly low-lying coral atolls surrounded by extensive reefs. Climate: tropical; marine, hot and humid, moderated by trade winds. Population: 117,000 (2024 estimate). Population growth: +0.98% per year. Median age: 27.7 years. Life expectancy: 68.5 years (2024 est.). Languages: Gilbertese, English (official) Religions: Roman Catholic 58.9%, Kiribati Uniting Church 21.2%, Kiribati…
| Capital | Tarawa |
|---|---|
| Population | 116,545 (2024 est.) |
| GDP (PPP) | $438.143 million (2024 est.) |
| GDP per capita (PPP) | $3,300 (2024 est.) |
| Real GDP growth | 5.3% (2024 est.) |
| Inflation | 9.3% |
| Public debt | 22.9% of GDP (2016 est.) |
| Exports | $17.099 million (2023 est.) |
| Imports | $293.624 million (2023 est.) |
| Life expectancy | 68.5 years (2024 est.) |
| Median age | 27.7 |
| Urbanization | 57.8% of total population (2023) |
| Government | presidential republic |
| Independence | 12 July 1979 (from the UK) |
| Languages | Gilbertese, English (official) |
MCC · 38/100 — The Magna grade is our 0–100 composite of structural national power — five dimensions, 100+ indicators. It is the Bureau's own assessment, not a mirror of World Bank or CIA figures.
Momentum 0 — Quarterly momentum: the Bureau's read on the country's trajectory over the last quarter, from −10 (deteriorating fast) to +10 (accelerating).
Little moved in Jul–Sep 2026: no crisis, no windfall. The quarter simply confirmed the country's standing course.
Deeper forces — trade patterns, regional stability, institutional strength — will decide the trajectory; three months rarely do.
Phosphates.
Taneti Maamau — President. President Taneti MAAMAU (since 11 March 2016)
Kiribati maintains 2 embassies and 0 consulates abroad, hosts 4 foreign diplomatic missions, holds permanent missions to UN New York. The breadth of a diplomatic network is a direct measure of diplomatic power — it shows how far a country’s influence, alliances and interests reach.
| Embassies abroad | 2 |
|---|---|
| Consulates abroad | 0 |
| Foreign missions hosted | 4 |
| Multilateral missions | UN New York |
Source: Wikipedia 'List of diplomatic missions of Kiribati' / '... in Kiribati'
Transport networks are economic power made physical — ports, runways, railways and pipelines decide what a country can move, sell and defend.
| Sea access | Coastal — 1143 km of coastline. |
|---|---|
| Airports (total) | 21 (registration prefix T3) |
| Major seaports | Canton Island, English Harbor, Tarawa Atoll |
Bonriki International Airport (TRW) — South Tarawa; Cassidy International Airport (CXI) — Kiritimati.
Sources: OurAirports public-domain extract (2026-10-02); per-entry Wikipedia links included; CIA World Factbook via cia_factbook snapshot (2026-09-28); theodora.com CIA mirror (CIA World Factbook Transportation section), scraped 2026-10-02
| Political system | presidential republic |
|---|---|
| Next election | No election currently scheduled. |
MCC · 38 Ranked #169 of 195 countries in the Magna Country Rankings. Full ranking breakdown for Kiribati.
