Factbook
Histoire de Kiribati — Chronologie
Dates clés de l'histoire de Kiribati, d'après le Factbook Magna et l'Encyclopédie universelle.
1826Kiribati experienced sustained European contact by the 1760s; all three island groups were named and charted by 1826.
1892American whaling ships frequently passed through the islands, and the UK declared a protectorate over the Gilbert and nearby Ellice Islands in 1892, in an attempt to block growing US influence.
1900Phosphate-rich Banaba Island was annexed to the protectorate in 1900.
1916In 1916, the protectorate became a colony, and some Line Islands were added in 1916 and 1919, with the final ones added in 1972.
1937The Phoenix Islands were added to the colony in 1937, and the UK agreed to share jurisdiction of some with the US because of their strategic location for aviation.
1974The Ellice Islands became its own colony in 1974 and was renamed Tuvalu for “eight standing together” in 1975.
1977The Gilbert Islands became fully self-governing in 1977 and independent in 1979 under the new name of Kiribati, the Gilbertese spelling of Gilberts.
1979Independence: 12 July 1979 (from the UK).
1979The US relinquished all claims to the sparsely inhabited Phoenix and Line Islands in a 1979 treaty of friendship.
2012In 2012, Kiribati purchased a 22 sq km (8.5 sq mi) plot of land in Fiji for potential eventual resettlement of its population because of climate change, and in 2014 Fijian Prime Minister Voreqe BAINIMARAMA said residents of Kiribati would be welcome to relocate to Fiji if their country is swamped by rising sea levels.
2018Major urban areas: 64,000 TARAWA (capital) (2018) 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 Inflation: 9.3% (2023 est.).
2020Languages: Gilbertese, English (official) Religions: Roman Catholic 58.9%, Kiribati Uniting Church 21.2%, Kiribati Protestant Church 8.4%, Church of Jesus Christ 5.6%, Seventh Day Adventist 2.1%, Baha'i 2.1%, other 1.7% (2020 est.) Urban population: 57.8% of total population (2023).
2023Generation mix — fossil fuels: 81.5% of total installed capacity (2023 est.); solar: 18.5% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) Energy use: 8.578 million Btu/person (2023 est.).
2023Industries: fishing, handicrafts Agriculture: coconuts, bananas, vegetables, taro, tropical fruits, pork, chicken, nuts, eggs, pork offal (2023) Electricity access: 94.4% (2022 est.).
