tion mixed with traditional practices
such as lagoon latrines and open-pit dumping; ground water at risk

Environment - international agreements:
party to : Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered Species, Marine
Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Whaling
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note: 20 of the 33 islands are inhabited; Banaba (Ocean
Island) in Kiribati is one of the three great phosphate rock islands
in the Pacific Ocean - the others are Makatea in French Polynesia and
Nauru

@Kiribati:People

Population: 82,449 (July 1997 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: NA
15-64 years : NA
65 years and over: NA

Population growth rate: 1.85% (1997 est.)

Birth rate: 26.79 births/1,000 population (1997 est.)

Death rate: 7.71 deaths/1,000 population (1997 est.)

Net migration rate: -0.53 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1997 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: NA male(s)/female
under 15 years : NA male(s)/female
15-64 years: NA male(s)/female
65 years and over: NA male(s)/female
total population: NA male(s)/female

Infant mortality rate: 51.15 deaths/1,000 live births (1997 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 62.35 years
male: 60.56 years
female : 64.37 years (1997 est.)

Total fertility rate: 3.17 children born/woman (1997 est.)

Nationality:
noun : I-Kiribati (singular and plural)
adjective: I-Kiribati

Ethnic groups: Micronesian

Religions: Roman Catholic 53%, Protestant (Congregational) 41%,
Seventh-Day Adventist, Baha'i, Church of God, Mormon 6% (1985 est.)

Languages: English (official), Gilbertese

Literacy: NA

@Kiribati:Government

Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Kiribati
conventional short form: Kiribati
note : pronounced kiribas
former: Gilbert Islands

Data code: KR

Government type: republic

National capital: Tarawa

Administrative divisions: 3 units; Gilbert Islands, Line Islands,
Phoenix Islands
note: in addition, there are 6 districts (Banaba, Central Gilberts,
Line Islands, Northern Gilberts, Southern Gilberts, Tarawa) and 21
island councils - one for each of the inhabited islands (Abaiang,
Abemama, Aranuka, Arorae, Banaba, Beru, Butaritari, Kanton,
Kiritimati, Kuria, Maiana, Makin, Marakei, Nikunau, Nonouti, Onotoa,
Tabiteuea, Tabuaeran, Tamana, Tarawa, Teraina

Independence: 12 July 1979 (from UK)

National holiday: Independence Day, 12 July (1979)

Constitution: 12 July 1979

Legal system: NA

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