Kiribati Republic of Kiribati
Motto: Te Mauri, Te Raoi ao Te Tabomoa (English: Health, Peace and Prosperity)
Anthem: Teirake Kaini Kiribati
Capital (and largest city)		South Tarawa 1°28′N, 173°2′E
Official languages		English, Gilbertese
Demonym		I-Kiribati
Government		Republic
-	President	Anote Tong
Independence
-	from United Kingdom	12 July 1979
Area
-	Total	726 km² (186th) 280 sq mi
-	Water (%)	0
Population
-	July 2005 estimate	105,432 (197th)
-	2000 census	84,494
-	Density	137/km² (73rd) 355/sq mi
GDP (PPP)		2005 estimate
-	Total	$206 million1 (213th)
-	Per capita	$2,358 (136th)
HDI (1998)		. A motto (from the Italian word motto, meaning witticism sentence is a phrase meant to formally describe the general motivation or intention of a social group English is a West Germanic language originating in England and is the First language for most people in the United Kingdom, the United States A national anthem is a generally patriotic musical composition that evokes and eulogizes the history traditions and struggles of its people recognized either by a nation's Teirake Kaini Kiribati or Stand up Kiribati is the National anthem of Kiribati. South Tarawa (in Gilbertese and English Teinainano Urban Council or ABR An official language is a Language that is given a special legal status in a particular Country, State, or other territory English is a West Germanic language originating in England and is the First language for most people in the United Kingdom, the United States Gilbertese or Kiribati (or sometimes Kiribatese, a mixture of both is a Language from the Austronesian family, part of the A demonym or gentilic is a word that denotes the members of a People or the inhabitants of a place For the government of parliamentary systems see Executive (government. A republic is a State or Country that is not led by a hereditary Monarch, but in which the people (or at least a part of its people have impact on its The President of Kiribati is the Head of state and Head of government of Kiribati. Anote Tong (in Chinese, 湯安諾 Pinyin: Tāng Ānnuò — his family name is of Chinese origin but it is now considered as Gilbertese by Kiribati people The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located Events 1191 - Saladin 's garrison surrenders ending the two-year Siege of Acre. Year 1979 ( MCMLXXIX) was a Common year starting on Monday (link displays the 1979 Gregorian calendar) Area is a Quantity expressing the two- Dimensional size of a defined part of a Surface, typically a region bounded by a closed Curve. To help compare Orders of magnitude of different geographical regions we list here areas between 1000 km2 and 10000 km2 This is a list of the countries of the world sorted by total area. The square mile is an imperial and US unit of Area equal the area of a square of one statute mile. Water is a common Chemical substance that is essential for the survival of all known forms of Life. In Mathematics, a percentage is a way of expressing a number as a Fraction of 100 ( per cent meaning "per hundred" In Biology a population is the collection of inter-breeding organisms of a particular Species; in Sociology List of countries by population in 2005|List of countries by population in 1907This is a list of countries ordered according to Population. Population density (in agriculture standing stock and Standing crop) is a measurement of Population per unit area or unit volume List of countries and dependencies by Population density in inhabitants/km² The purchasing power parity ( PPP) theory uses the long-term equilibrium Exchange rate of two currencies to equalize their Purchasing power. There are three lists of Countries of the world sorted by their Gross domestic product (GDP (the value of all final goods and services produced within a nation Per capita is a Latin phrase meaning for each head with Per meaning 'through' or 'by' This article includes three lists of Countries of the world sorted by their Gross domestic product (GDP at Purchasing power parity (PPP Per capita The Human Development Index ( HDI) is an index combining normalized measures of Life expectancy, Literacy, Educational attainment, and GDP 515 (medium) (unranked)
Currency		Kiribati dollar Australian dollar (AUD)
Time zone		(UTC+12, +13, +14)
Internet TLD		.ki
Calling code		+686
1 Supplemented by a nearly equal amount from external sources. This is a list of countries by Human Development Index as included in the United Nations Development Program 's Human Development Report 2007 A currency is a unit of exchange, facilitating the transfer of Goods and/or services It is one form of Money, where money is The dollar is the currency of Kiribati. It is not an independent Currency but is pegged at 11 ratio to the Australian dollar. The Australian dollar ( sign: $; code: AUD) is the Currency of the Commonwealth of Australia, including Christmas ISO 4217 is the International standard describing three-letter codes (also known as the currency code) to define the names of currencies established A country This is a list of country calling codes defined by ITU-T recommendation E

Kiribati (pronounced /ˈkɪrɨbæs/^[1] kirr-i-bas, IPA: [ˈkiɾibas] in Gilbertese), officially the Republic of Kiribati, is an island nation located in the central tropical Pacific Ocean. Gilbertese or Kiribati (or sometimes Kiribatese, a mixture of both is a Language from the Austronesian family, part of the An island country is a Country that is wholly confined to an Island, several islands an Island group or several island groups and has no territory on The Pacific Ocean is the largest of the Earth 's Oceanic divisions It is composed of 32 atolls and one raised coral island dispersed over 3,500,000 square kilometres (1,351,000 square miles) straddling the equator and bordering the International Date Line to the east. The Republic of Kiribati consists of 32 Atolls and one raised coral island Tectonic uplift is a geological process most often caused by Plate tectonics which increases elevation Square Kilometre ( US spelling square kilometer) symbol km2, is a decimal multiple of the SI unit of The equator (sometimes referred to colloquially as "the Line") is the intersection of the Earth 's surface with the plane perpendicular to the The name Kiribati is the local pronunciation of "Gilberts", derived from the main island chain, the Gilbert Islands.

Contents 1 History 1.1 Early history 1.2 Colonial era 1.3 Independence to present day 2 Politics 3 Island groups 4 Foreign relations 4.1 General relations 4.2 Regional relations 5 Geography 6 Economy 6.1 Balance of payments 7 Demographics 8 Human rights 9 Human development 10 Culture 10.1 Music 10.2 Dance 10.3 Outside perspectives 11 Miscellaneous topics 12 References 13 External links

History

Main article: History of Kiribati

Early history

The area now called Kiribati has been inhabited by Micronesians speaking the same Oceanic language since sometime between 3000 BC^[2] and 1300 AD. The islands which now form the Republic of Kiribati have been inhabited for at least seven hundred years and possibly much longer Micronesia, from the Greek mikros (μικρός (meaning small) and nesos (νῆσος (meaning island) is a Subregion The Oceanic languages are a subgroup of the Austronesian languages, containing approximately 450 languages The 30th century BC is a Century which lasted from the year 3000 BC to 2901 BC The area was not isolated; invaders from Tonga and Fiji later introduced Polynesian and Melanesian cultural aspects, respectively. The Kingdom of Tonga is an Archipelago in the south Pacific Ocean comprising 169 islands 36 of them inhabited stretching over a distance of about 800 kilometres (500 miles Fiji (Matanitu ko Viti फ़िजी officially the Republic of the Fiji Islands (Matanitu Tu-Vaka-i-koya ko Viti फ़िजी द्वीप समूह गणराज्य Polynesia (from Greek: πολύς many, νῆσος island) is a Subregion of Oceania, comprising a large grouping of over Melanesia (from Greek: μέλας black, νῆσος island) means "islands of the black-skinned people" Intermarriage tended to blur cultural differences and resulted in a significant degree of cultural homogenisation^[3].

Colonial era

The islands were first sighted by British and American ships in the late 18th and early 19th centuries. The main island chain was named the Gilbert Islands in 1820 by a Russian admiral, Adam von Krusenstern, and French captain Louis Duperrey, after a British captain named Thomas Gilbert, who crossed the archipelago in 1788. Adam Johann Ritter von Krusenstern ( November 19, 1770 &ndash August 24, 1846) was a Baltic German Admiral and explorer Louis Isidore Duperrey (1786 - 1865 was a French sailor and Explorer.

From the early 19th century, Western whalers, merchant vessels and slave traders visited the islands, introducing diseases and firearms. ^[4]

The first British settlers arrived in 1837. In 1892 the Gilbert Islands consented to become a British protectorate together with the nearby Ellice Islands. The British Empire was the largest empire in history and for over a century was the foremost global power. Tuvalu, formerly known as the Ellice Islands, is a Polynesian Island nation located in the Pacific Ocean midway between Hawaii and Together they became the crown colony of the Gilbert and Ellice Islands in 1916. The British Overseas Territories are fourteen territories that are under the Sovereignty of the United Kingdom, but which do not form part of the United Kingdom The Gilbert and Ellice Islands were a British Protectorate from 1892 and colony from 1916 until 1 January 1976 when the islands were divided Kiritimati (Christmas Island) became part of the colony in 1919 and the Phoenix Islands were added in 1937. Kiritimati or Christmas Island is a Pacific Ocean Atoll in the northern Line Islands and part of the Republic of Kiribati. The Phoenix Islands are a group of eight Atolls and two submerged Coral Reefs, lying in the central Pacific Ocean east of the Gilbert Islands

Tarawa Atoll and others of the Gilbert group were occupied by Japan during World War II. Tarawa is an Atoll in the central Pacific Ocean, previously the capital of the former British colony of the Gilbert and Ellice Islands. Tarawa was the site of one of the bloodiest battles in US Marine Corps history. Marines landed in November 1943; the Battle of Tarawa was fought at Kiribati's former capital Betio on Tarawa Atoll.

Some of the islands of Kiribati, especially in the remote Line Islands, were formerly used by the United States and Great Britain for nuclear testing. The Line Islands, or Equatorial Islands, are a group of eleven Atolls and low coral islands in the central Pacific Ocean south of the Hawaiian The United States of America —commonly referred to as the See also Kingdom of Great Britain Great Britain (Breatainn Mhòr Prydain Fawr Breten Veur Graet Breetain is the larger of the two main islands Nuclear weapons tests are experiments carried out to determine the effectiveness yield and explosive capability of Nuclear weapons Throughout the twentieth century most nations According to "Kiribati: A People's History", the testing sites for many of the new hydrogen bombs in the 1960s were in what is now Kiribati.

Independence to present day

The Gilbert and Ellice Islands gained self-rule in 1971, and were separated in 1975 and granted internal self-government by Britain. In 1978 the Ellice Islands became the independent nation of Tuvalu. Tuvalu, formerly known as the Ellice Islands, is a Polynesian Island nation located in the Pacific Ocean midway between Hawaii and The Gilbert Islands became independent as Kiribati on July 12, 1979. Events 1191 - Saladin 's garrison surrenders ending the two-year Siege of Acre. Year 1979 ( MCMLXXIX) was a Common year starting on Monday (link displays the 1979 Gregorian calendar) Although the indigenous Gilbertese language name for the Gilbert Islands proper is "Tungaru", the new state chose the name "Kiribati", the Gilbertese rendition of "Gilberts", as an equivalent of the former colony to acknowledge the inclusion of Banaba, the Line Islands, and the Phoenix Islands, which were never considered part of the Gilberts chain. Gilbertese or Kiribati (or sometimes Kiribatese, a mixture of both is a Language from the Austronesian family, part of the Banaba Island (bəˈnɑːbə (also Ocean Island) an island in the Pacific Ocean, is a solitary raised The Line Islands, or Equatorial Islands, are a group of eleven Atolls and low coral islands in the central Pacific Ocean south of the Hawaiian The Phoenix Islands are a group of eight Atolls and two submerged Coral Reefs, lying in the central Pacific Ocean east of the Gilbert Islands ^[5] In the Treaty of Tarawa, signed shortly after independence and ratified in 1983, the United States relinquished all claims to the sparsely inhabited Phoenix Islands and those of the Line Islands that are part of Kiribati territory. On September 20, 1979, representatives of the newly-independent Republic of Kiribati and of the United States met in Tarawa to sign a treaty The United States of America —commonly referred to as the

Overcrowding has been a problem. Overpopulation refers to a condition where an Organism 's numbers exceed the Carrying capacity of its Habitat. In 1988 it was announced that 4,700 residents of the main island group would be resettled onto less-populated islands. Teburoro Tito was elected president in 1994. Teburoro Tito ( modern spelling Tiito pronounced Seetoh (born 1953) was the President and foreign minister of Kiribati from October Kiribati's 1995 act of moving the international date line far to the east to encompass Kiribati's Line Islands group, so that it would no longer be divided by the date line, courted controversy. The Line Islands, or Equatorial Islands, are a group of eleven Atolls and low coral islands in the central Pacific Ocean south of the Hawaiian The move, which fulfilled one of President Tito's campaign promises, was intended to allow businesses all across the expansive nation to keep the same business week. This also enabled Kiribati to become the first country to see the dawn of the third millennium, an event of significance for tourism. A millennium (pl millennia) is a period of Time equal to one thousand Years (from Latin la mille, thousand and la annum Tito was reelected in 1998. Kiribati gained UN membership in 1999. The United Nations ( UN) is an International organization whose stated aims are to facilitate cooperation in International law, International security

In 2002 Kiribati passed a controversial law enabling the government to shut down newspapers. The legislation followed the launching of Kiribati's first successful nongovernment-run newspaper. President Tito was reelected in 2003, but was removed from office in March 2003 by a no-confidence vote and replaced by a Council of State. Anote Tong of the opposition party Boutokaan Te Koaua was elected to succeed Tito in July 2003. Anote Tong (in Chinese, 湯安諾 Pinyin: Tāng Ānnuò — his family name is of Chinese origin but it is now considered as Gilbertese by Kiribati people Boutokaan Te Koaua (BTK or Pillars of Truth is a Political party in Kiribati of which most members are well qualified MPs He was re-elected in 2007.

Politics

Main article: Politics of Kiribati

The Kiribati Constitution, promulgated July 12, 1979, provides for free and open elections. Politics of Kiribati takes place in a framework of a parliamentary representative democratic Republic, whereby the President of Kiribati is the Events 1191 - Saladin 's garrison surrenders ending the two-year Siege of Acre. Year 1979 ( MCMLXXIX) was a Common year starting on Monday (link displays the 1979 Gregorian calendar) The executive branch consists of a president (te Beretitenti), a vice president and a cabinet (the president is also chief of the cabinet and has to be MP). Under the constitution, the president, nominated from among the elected legislators, is limited to three 4-year terms. The cabinet is composed of the president, vice president and 10 ministers (appointed by the president) who are members of the House of Assembly.

The legislative branch is the unicameral Maneaba Ni Maungatabu (House of Assembly). It has elected members, including by constitutional mandate a representative of the Banaban people in Fiji (Rabi Island, former Ocean Islanders), in addition to the attorney general, who serves as an ex-officio member. Fiji (Matanitu ko Viti फ़िजी officially the Republic of the Fiji Islands (Matanitu Tu-Vaka-i-koya ko Viti फ़िजी द्वीप समूह गणराज्य Legislators serve for a four-year term.

The constitutional provisions governing administration of justice are similar to those in other former British possessions in that the judiciary is free from governmental interference. The judicial branch is made up of the High Court (in Betio) and the Court of Appeal. The president appoints the presiding judges.

Local government is through island councils with elected members. Local affairs are handled in a manner similar to town meetings in colonial America. Island councils make their own estimates of revenue and expenditure and generally are free from central government controls.

Kiribati has formal political parties but their organization is quite informal. Ad hoc opposition groups tend to coalesce around specific issues. Today the only recognizable parties are the Maneaban te Mauri Party and the National Progressive Party. There is universal suffrage at age 18. ^[6]

Island groups

Main article: Districts of Kiribati

Kiribati was formally divided into districts until its independence. In Kiribati, there are no more official districts but it is possible to divide Kiribati into 3 geographical units Gilbert Islands Line Islands and Phoenix Islands The country now is divided into three island groups which have no administrative function, including a group which unites the Line Islands and the Phoenix Islands (ministry at London, Christmas). Each inhabited island has its own council (three councils on Tarawa: Betio, South-Tarawa, North-Tarawa; two councils on Tabiteuea). Betio is an island at the extreme southwest of South Tarawa. The main port of Tarawa Atoll is located here and the island is most well known as being the scene of Tabiteuea is an Atoll in the Gilbert Islands, Kiribati, south of Tarawa. The original districts used to be:

• Banaba
• Central Gilberts
• Line Islands
• Northern Gilberts
• Southern Gilberts
• Tarawa Atoll

The island groups include:

• Gilbert Islands
• Phoenix Islands, now the largest protected marine reserve in the world. Banaba Island (bəˈnɑːbə (also Ocean Island) an island in the Pacific Ocean, is a solitary raised The Line Islands, or Equatorial Islands, are a group of eleven Atolls and low coral islands in the central Pacific Ocean south of the Hawaiian Tarawa is an Atoll in the central Pacific Ocean, previously the capital of the former British colony of the Gilbert and Ellice Islands. The Phoenix Islands are a group of eight Atolls and two submerged Coral Reefs, lying in the central Pacific Ocean east of the Gilbert Islands For the United States Marine Corps Reserve see Marine Forces Reserve A marine reserve is an area of the Sea which has Legal protection against ^[7]
• Line Islands

Four of the former districts (including Tarawa) lie in the Gilbert Islands, where most of the country's population lives. The Line Islands, or Equatorial Islands, are a group of eleven Atolls and low coral islands in the central Pacific Ocean south of the Hawaiian Only three of the Line Islands are inhabited. The Line Islands, or Equatorial Islands, are a group of eleven Atolls and low coral islands in the central Pacific Ocean south of the Hawaiian The Phoenix Islands are uninhabited except for Kanton, and have no representation. The Phoenix Islands are a group of eight Atolls and two submerged Coral Reefs, lying in the central Pacific Ocean east of the Gilbert Islands Kanton Island (also known as Canton Island or Abariringa Island) alternatively known as "Mary Island" "Mary Balcout's Island" or "Swallow Banaba itself is sparsely inhabited now. There is also a non-elected representative of the Banabans on Rabi Island in the nation of Fiji. Rabi (rambi is a volcanic island in northern Fiji. It is an outlier to Taveuni (5 kilometers west in the Vanua Levu Group Fiji (Matanitu ko Viti फ़िजी officially the Republic of the Fiji Islands (Matanitu Tu-Vaka-i-koya ko Viti फ़िजी द्वीप समूह गणराज्य Each of the 21 inhabited islands has a local council that takes care of the daily affairs. Tarawa Atoll has three councils: Betio Town Council, Te Inainano Urban Council (for the rest of South Tarawa) and Eutan Tarawa Council (for North Tarawa). Tarawa is an Atoll in the central Pacific Ocean, previously the capital of the former British colony of the Gilbert and Ellice Islands. South Tarawa (in Gilbertese and English Teinainano Urban Council or ABR

Foreign relations

General relations

Kiribati was admitted as the 186th member of the United Nations in September 1999. The United Nations ( UN) is an International organization whose stated aims are to facilitate cooperation in International law, International security

Regional relations

Kiribati maintains cordial relations with most countries and has close relations with its Pacific neighbors, Japan, Australia and New Zealand; the latter three provide the majority of the country's foreign aid. For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Japan topics. For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Australia topics. New Zealand is an Island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses (the North Island and the South Island Taiwan and Japan also have specified-period licenses to fish in Kiribati's waters. Taiwan ( Taiwanese: Tâi-oân/Tāi-oân (historically 大灣/台員/大員/台圓/大圓/台窩灣 is an Island in East Asia.

In November 1999 it was announced that Japan's National Space Development Agency planned to lease land on Kiritimati (Christmas Island) for 20 years, on which to build a spaceport. The, or JAXA, is Japan's national Aerospace agency JAXA was formed on October 1 2003 as an Independent Administrative Institution through the Kiritimati or Christmas Island is a Pacific Ocean Atoll in the northern Line Islands and part of the Republic of Kiribati. A spaceport or cosmodrome is a site for launching Spacecraft, by analogy with Seaport for Ships or Airport for Aircraft The agreement stipulated that Japan was to pay US$840,000 per year and would also pay for any damage to roads and the environment. A Japanese-built downrange tracking station operates on Kiritimati^[8] and an abandoned airfield on the island was designated as the landing strip for a proposed reusable unmanned space shuttle called HOPE-X. An earth station or ground station is the surface-based (terrestrial end of a Communications link to an object in Outer space. HOPE was a Japanese experimental Spaceplane project designed by a partnership between NASDA and NAL (both now part of JAXA) started HOPE-X, however, was eventually canceled by Japan in 2003.

Geography

Main article: Geography of Kiribati

Kiribati consists of about 32 atolls and one island (Banaba), with at least three in each hemisphere. This article describes the Geography of the Republic of Kiribati (pronounced "keer-ih-bahs" The groups of islands are:

• Banaba: an isolated island between Nauru and the Gilbert Islands
• Gilbert Islands: 16 atolls located some 930 miles (1,500 km) north of Fiji
• Phoenix Islands: 8 atolls and coral islands located some 1,100 miles (1,800 km) southeast of the Gilberts
• Line Islands: 8 atolls and one reef, located about 2,050 miles (3,300 km) east of the Gilberts

Banaba (or Ocean Island) is a raised-coral island which was once a rich source of phosphates, but it was mostly mined out before independence. Banaba Island (bəˈnɑːbə (also Ocean Island) an island in the Pacific Ocean, is a solitary raised Nauru, officially the Republic of Nauru, is an Island nation in the Micronesian South Pacific. A mile is a unit of Length, usually used to measure Distance, in a number of different systems including Imperial units United States Fiji (Matanitu ko Viti फ़िजी officially the Republic of the Fiji Islands (Matanitu Tu-Vaka-i-koya ko Viti फ़िजी द्वीप समूह गणराज्य The Phoenix Islands are a group of eight Atolls and two submerged Coral Reefs, lying in the central Pacific Ocean east of the Gilbert Islands The Line Islands, or Equatorial Islands, are a group of eleven Atolls and low coral islands in the central Pacific Ocean south of the Hawaiian The rest of the land in Kiribati consists of the sand and reef rock islets of atolls or coral islands which rise but a few meters (at most 6. An atoll (pronounced /ˈætʌl/ is an island of Coral that encircles a Lagoon partially or completely 5 feet) above sea level. The soil is thin and calcareous, making agriculture very difficult. Calcareous refers to a Sediment, Sedimentary rock, or Soil type which is formed from or contains a high proportion of Calcium carbonate in the Kiritimati (Christmas Island) in the Line Islands is the world's largest atoll. Kiritimati or Christmas Island is a Pacific Ocean Atoll in the northern Line Islands and part of the Republic of Kiribati. Based on a 1995 realignment of the International Date Line, Kiribati is now the easternmost country in the world, and was the first country to enter into the year 2000 at Caroline Island, which, not coincidentally, has been renamed Millennium Island. 2000 ( MM) was a Leap year that started on Saturday of the Common Era, in accordance with the Gregorian calendar. Caroline Island or Caroline Atoll (also known as Millennium Island) is the easternmost of the uninhabited Coral atolls which comprise the southern Caroline Island or Caroline Atoll (also known as Millennium Island) is the easternmost of the uninhabited Coral atolls which comprise the southern ^[9]

According to the South Pacific Regional Environment Program, two small uninhabited Kiribati islets, Tebua Tarawa and Abanuea, disappeared underwater in 1999. The islet of Tepuka Savilivili (Tuvalu; not a Gilbertese name) no longer has any coconut trees due to salination. Tuvalu, formerly known as the Ellice Islands, is a Polynesian Island nation located in the Pacific Ocean midway between Hawaii and Gilbertese or Kiribati (or sometimes Kiribatese, a mixture of both is a Language from the Austronesian family, part of the ^[10] The United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change predicts that sea levels will rise by about half a meter (20 in) by 2100 due to global warming and a further rise would be inevitable. The United Nations ( UN) is an International organization whose stated aims are to facilitate cooperation in International law, International security Inches redirects here To see the Les Savy Fav album see Inches. Global warming is the increase in the average measured temperature of the It is thus likely that within a century the nation's arable land will become subject to increased soil salination and will be largely submerged. Soil salinity is the salt content in the soil Salt affected soils are caused by excess accumulation of salts typically most pronounced at the soil surface ^[11]

Economy

Main article: Economy of Kiribati

Kiribati has few natural resources. The Republic of Kiribati 's per capita Gross National Product of less than $1000 makes it one of the poorest countries in the world Commercially viable phosphate deposits were exhausted at the time of independence. A phosphate, an Inorganic chemical, is a salt of Phosphoric acid. Copra and fish now represent the bulk of production and exports. Copra is the dried meat or kernel of the Coconut. The name copra is derived from the Malayalam word kopra for dried coconut Tourism provides more than one-fifth of GDP. Tourism is Travel for Recreational or Leisure purposes The World Tourism Organization defines tourists as people who "travel

Foreign financial aid, largely from the United Kingdom and Japan, is a critical supplement, equal in recent years to 25% to 50% of GDP. The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Japan topics. Agriculture accounts for 12. 4% of GDP and 71% of labor; industry 0. 9% of GDP and 1. 9% of labor; trade 18. 5% of GDP and 4. 1% of labor; commercial trade 5. 7% of GDP and 1. 4% of labor; and service industries 5. 7% of GDP and 1. 4% of labor. The main export and import countries are Australia, USA, France, Japan, Hong Kong and Germany.

Balance of payments

Kiribati's narrow export base and its enormous need for imports contribute to the country’s large deficit in the merchandise trade balance. A budget deficit occurs when an Entity (often a Government) spends more Money than it takes in However, the country has several sources of external income, including fishing license fees, investment income, seamen’s remittances and external grants. For the computer security term see Phishing. Fishing is the activity of catching Fish. Remittance can also refer to the Accounting concept of a monetary payment transferred by a customer to a business Remittances are transfers Grants are funds dispersed by one party (Grant Makers often a Government Department Corporation Foundation or Trust to a recipient, often (but not always These inflows are usually more than sufficient to finance the large trade deficit. A budget deficit occurs when an Entity (often a Government) spends more Money than it takes in As a result, Kiribati’s current account balance has been in surplus most of the time in the past decade. International reserves have remained at around US$300 million since 2001.

Demographics

Main article: Demographics of Kiribati

The native people of Kiribati are called I-Kiribati. This article describes the Demographics of the Republic of Kiribati. The word Kiribati is the local spelling of the word Gilbert and the original name of this British colony was the Gilbert Islands. The indigenous format of the name was adopted when independence was gained in 1979. Independence is the Self-government of a Nation, Country, or State by its residents and population or some portion thereof generally exercising

Ethnically, the I-Kiribati are Micronesians. Micronesia, from the Greek mikros (μικρός (meaning small) and nesos (νῆσος (meaning island) is a Subregion Recent archaeological evidence indicates that Austronesians originally settled the islands thousands of years ago. The Austronesian people or Austronesian-speaking people, are a population group present in Oceania and Southeast Asia who speak or had ancestors who spoke Around the 14th century, Fijians and Tongans invaded the islands, thus complicating the ethnic range; people of Polynesian ancestry further diversified the ethnic typologies. Polynesia (from Greek: πολύς many, νῆσος island) is a Subregion of Oceania, comprising a large grouping of over Intermarriage among all ancestral groups, however, has led to a population reasonably homogeneous in appearance and traditions.

The people of Kiribati speak a Micronesian dialect called "Gilbertese". Gilbertese or Kiribati (or sometimes Kiribatese, a mixture of both is a Language from the Austronesian family, part of the Although English is the official language, it is not used very often outside the island capital of Tarawa. An official language is a Language that is given a special legal status in a particular Country, State, or other territory It is more likely that English is mixed in its use with Gilbertese. Older generations of I-Kiribati tend to use more complicated versions of the language.

Christianity is the major religion, having been introduced by missionaries in the 19th century. Christianity ( Greek Χριστιανισμός from the word Xριστός ( Christ)is a monotheistic Religion centered on the life and teachings A missionary is a member of a Religion who works to convert those who do not share the missionary's faith someone who proselytizes. The population is predominantly Roman Catholic, although a substantial portion of the population is Congregationalist Protestant. Congregational churches are Protestant Christian churches practicing Congregationalist church governance, in which each congregation independently Protestantism refers to the forms of Christian faith and practice that originated in the 16th century Protestant Reformation. Many other Protestant denominations, including more evangelical types, are also represented. Evangelicalism is a theological movement tradition and system of beliefs most closely associated with Protestant Christianity, which identifies with the Gospel The Bahá'í religion also exists in Kiribati, along with Jehovah's Witnesses and the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormons), the latter numbering 11,511 at the end of 2005. The Bahá'í Faith is a Religion founded by Bahá'u'lláh in nineteenth-century Persia, emphasizing the spiritual unity of all humankind [2]

Human rights

Kiribati is a constitutional multiparty republic. The government of Kiribati works to respect the civil and human rights of its citizens. Human rights refers to the "basic Rights and freedoms to which all humans are entitled There are only a few areas in which problems remain, but the law provides effective means of addressing individual complaints. Some limits on the freedoms of press and speech, and a few incidences of extrajudicial communal justice, have been reported. Extrajudicial punishment is Punishment by the state or some other official authority without the permission of a Court or legal authority

Human development

The population of Kiribati has a life expectancy at birth of 60 years (57 for males, and 63 for females) and an infant mortality rate of 54 deaths per 1,000 live births.

The people of Kiribati mostly live in villages with populations between 50 and 3,000 on the outer islands. Most houses are made of materials obtained from coconut and pandanus trees. Frequent droughts hinder reliable large-scale agriculture, so the islanders have largely turned to the sea for livelihood and subsistence. Most are outrigger sailors and fishers. Copra plantations serve as a second source of employment. In recent years, large numbers of citizens have moved to the more urban island capital of Tarawa.

To increase opportunities for the islanders, the government has placed greater emphasis on education. Primary education is free and compulsory for the first six years, now being extended to nine years. Mission schools are slowly being absorbed into the government primary school system. Higher education is expanding; students may seek technical, teacher or marine training, or study in other countries. To date, most choosing to do the latter have gone to Fiji, and those wishing to complete medical training have been sent to Cuba. Fiji (Matanitu ko Viti फ़िजी officially the Republic of the Fiji Islands (Matanitu Tu-Vaka-i-koya ko Viti फ़िजी द्वीप समूह गणराज्य ^[12]

Culture

Main article: Culture of Kiribati

Songs (te anene) and above all dances (te mwaie) are held in high regard. Contemporary Kiribati culture is centered around the family the church and the sea

Music

Kiribati folk music is generally based around chanting or other forms of vocalizing, accompanied by body percussion. Chant (from Old French chanter) is the Rhythmic speaking or Singing of Words or Sounds often primarily on one or two Body percussion may be performed on its own or as an accompaniment to song Public performances in modern Kiribati are generally performed by a seated chorus, accompanied by a guitar. However, during formal performances of the standing dance (Te Kaimatoa) or the hip dance (Te Buki) a wooden box is used as a percussion instrument. This box is constructed so as to give a hollow and reverberating tone when struck simultaneously by a chorus of men sitting around it. Traditional songs are often love-themed, but there are also competitive, religious, children's, patriotic, war and wedding songs. There are also stick dances (which accompany legends and semi-historical stories. These stick dances or 'tirere' (pronounced seerere) are only performed during major festivals.

See also: Music of Kiribati

Dance

The uniqueness of Kiribati when compared with other forms of Pacific island dance is its emphasis on the outstretched arms of the dancer and the sudden birdlike movement of the head. Kiribati is a Micronesian country in the Pacific Ocean. Though usually said to be descended from Asians the native people of Kiribati play no instruments or in styles The Frigate bird (Fregata minor) on the Kiribati flag refers to this bird-like style of Kiribati dancing. Most dances are in the standing or sitting position with movement limited and staggered. Smiling whilst dancing is generally considered vulgar within the context of Kiribati dancing. This is due to its origin of not being solely as a form of entertainment but as a form of storytelling and a display of the skill, beauty and endurance of the dancer. ^[13]

See also: Dance in Kiribati

Outside perspectives

Arthur Grimble wrote about his time working in the British colonial service in Kiribati (then the Gilbert Islands) in the early 20th century in two popular books A Pattern of Islands (1952) and Return to the Islands (1957). The island nation of Kiribati has styles of Dance unique to it Sir Arthur Francis Grimble ( Hong Kong, 11 June 1888 - London, 13 December 1956) was a British Civil Servant He also undertook academic studies of Gilbertese culture.

J. Maarten Troost's more recent autobiographical experiences on the Tarawa Atoll are documented in his book The Sex Lives of Cannibals (2004). Tarawa is an Atoll in the central Pacific Ocean, previously the capital of the former British colony of the Gilbert and Ellice Islands. The Sex Lives of Cannibals Adrift in the Equatorial Pacific is a 2004 travelogue by author J

Miscellaneous topics

• Communications in Kiribati
• Foreign relations of Kiribati
• Military of Kiribati
• Transportation in Kiribati
• Kiribati Scout Association
• List of islands belonging to Kiribati

References

• (1997) Pancorbo, Luis: "Kiribati existe" Pp. 29-43; y "De Abemama a Madrid" Pp. 43-54 en "Son los mares del Sur". Maeva, Madrid. ISBN 84-86478-60-X

External links

• Parliament of Kiribati
• Encyclopaedia Britannica, Kiribati
• Phoenix Islands Protected Area
• Kiribati at the Open Directory Project
• Wikimedia Atlas of Kiribati
• Kiribati travel guide from Wikitravel

The Open Directory Project ( ODP) also known as dmoz (from directory Wikitravel is a Web -based project "to create a free, complete up-to-date and reliable worldwide travel guide.

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