Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Kiribati
conventional short form:
Kiribati
local long form:
Republic of Kiribati
local short form:
Kiribati
note:
pronounced keer-ree-bahss
former:
Gilbert Islands
Government type:
republic
Capital:
name: Tarawa
geographic coordinates:
0 53 S, 169 32 E
time difference:
UTC+12 (17 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
note:
on 1 January 1995, Kiribati proclaimed that all of its territory was in the same time zone as its Gilbert Islands group (UTC +12) even though the Phoenix Islands and the Line Islands under its jurisdiction were on the other side of the International Date Line
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 the UK)
National holiday:
Independence Day, 12 July (1979)
Constitution:
12 July 1979
Legal system:
English common law supplemented by customary law
International law organization participation:
has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; non-party state to the ICCt
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal
[see also: Suffrage country ranks ]
Executive branch:
chief of state: President Anote TONG (since 10 July 2003); Vice President Teima ONORIO; note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government
head of government:
President Anote TONG (since 10 July 2003); Vice President Teima ONORIO
cabinet:
12-member cabinet appointed by the president from among the members of the House of Parliament
elections:
the House of Parliament nominates the presidential candidates from among its members following parliamentary elections and then those candidates compete in a general election; president elected by popular vote for a four-year term (eligible for two more terms); election last held on 13 January 2012 (next to be held in 2015); vice president appointed by the president
election results:
Anote TONG 42.2%, Tetaua TAITAI 35%, Rimeta BENIAMINA 22.8%
Legislative branch:
unicameral House of Parliament or Maneaba Ni Maungatabu (46 seats; 44 members elected by popular vote, 1 ex officio member - the attorney general, 1 nominated by the Rabi Council of Leaders (representing Banaba Island); members serve four-year terms)
elections:
legislative elections were held in two rounds - the first round on 21 October 2011 and the second round on 28 October 2011 (next to be held in 2015)
election results:
percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - NA, other 2 (includes attorney general)
Judicial branch:
Court of Appeal; High Court; 26 Magistrates' courts; judges at all levels are appointed by the president
Political parties and leaders:
Boutokaan Te Koaua Party or BTK [Anote TONG]; Kamaeuraoan Te I-Kiribati Party or KTK [Tetaua TAITAI]; Maurin Kiribati Pati or MKP [Rimeta BENIAMINA]
note:
there is no tradition of formally organized political parties in Kiribati; they more closely resemble factions or interest groups because they have no party headquarters, formal platforms, or party structures
Political pressure groups and leaders:
NA
International organization participation:
ACP, ADB, AOSIS, C, FAO, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, IOC, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), OPCW, PIF, Sparteca, SPC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UPU, WHO, WMO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
Kiribati does not have an embassy in the US; there is an honorary consulate in Honolulu
Diplomatic representation from the US:
the US does not have an embassy in Kiribati; the US ambassador to Fiji is accredited to Kiribati
Flag description:
the upper half is red with a yellow frigate bird flying over a yellow rising sun, and the lower half is blue with three horizontal wavy white stripes to represent the Pacific ocean; the white stripes represent the three island groups - the Gilbert, Line, and Phoenix Islands; the 17 rays of the sun represent the 16 Gilbert Islands and Banaba (formerly Ocean Island); the frigate bird symbolizes authority and freedom
National symbol(s):
frigatebird
National anthem:
name: "Teirake kaini Kiribati" (Stand Up, Kiribati)
lyrics/music:
Urium Tamuera IOTEBA
note:
adopted 1979