)

Land use: NEGL% arable land; 51% permanent crops; 0% meadows and
pastures; 3% forest and woodland; 46% other

Environment: typhoons can occur any time, but usually November to March;
20 of the 33 islands are inhabited

Note: Banaba or Ocean Island is one of the three great phosphate rock
islands in the Pacific (the others are Makatea in French Polynesia and Nauru)

- People
Population: 70,012 (July 1990), growth rate 1.7% (1990)

Birth rate: 34 births/1,000 population (1990)

Death rate: 13 deaths/1,000 population (1990)

Net migration rate: - 5 migrants/1,000 population (1990)

Infant mortality rate: 65 deaths/1,000 live births (1990)

Life expectancy at birth: 52 years male, 57 years female (1990)

Total fertility rate: 4.3 children born/woman (1990)

Nationality: noun--Kiribatian(s); adjective--Kiribati

Ethnic divisions: Micronesian

Religion: 48% Roman Catholic, 45% Protestant (Congregational),
some Seventh-Day Adventist and Baha'i

Language: English (official), Gilbertese

Literacy: 90%

Labor force: 7,870 economically active (1985 est.)

Organized labor: Kiribati Trades Union Congress--2,500 members

- Government
Long-form name: Republic of Kiribati

Type: republic

Capital: Tarawa

Administrative divisions: 3 units; Gilbert Islands, Line Islands, Phoenix
Islands; note--a new administrative structure of 6 districts (Banaba, Central
Gilberts, Line Islands, Northern Gilberts, Southern Gilberts, Tarawa) may have
been changed to 20 island councils (one for each of the inhabited islands) named
Abaiang, Abemama, Aranuka, Arorae, Banaba, Beru, Butaritari, Kiritimati, Kuria,
Maiana, Makin, Marakei, Nikunau, Nonouti, Onotoa, Tabiteuea, Tabuaeran, Tamana,
Tarawa, Teraina

Independence: 12 July 1979 (from UK; formerly Gilbert Islands)

Constitution: 12 July 1979

National holiday: Independence Day, 12 July (1979)

Executive branch: president, vice president, Cabinet

Legislative branch: unicameral House of Assembly (Maneaba Ni Maungatabu)

Judicial branch: Court of Appeal, High Court

Leaders:
Chief of State and Head of Government--President Ieremia T. TABAI
(since 12 July 1979); Vice President Teatao TEANNAKI (since 20 July 1979)

Political parties and leaders: Gilbertese National Party; Christian
Democratic Party, Teburoro Tito, secretary; essentially not organized
on basis of political parties

Suffrage: universal at age 18

Elections:
President--last held on 12 May 1987 (ne