Kiribati

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Current government officials

Languages: English (official), I-Kiribati (Gilbertese)

Ethnicity/race: Micronesian 98.8%, other 1.2%

Religions: Roman Catholic 55%, Protestant 36%, Mormon 3.1%, Baha'i 2.2%, Seventh-Day Adventist 1.9%, other 1.8% (2005 census)

National Holiday: Independence Day, July 12

Literacy rate: n.a.

Economic summary: GDP/PPP (2011 est.): $606.7 million; per capita $5,800. Real growth rate: 1.8%. Inflation: 0.2%. Unemployment: 2%. Arable land: 2.74%. Agriculture: copra, taro, breadfruit, sweet potatoes, vegetables; fish. Labor force: 7,870 economically active, not including subsistence farmers (2001 est.). Industries: fishing, handicrafts. Natural resources: phosphate (production discontinued in 1979). Exports: $17 million (2004 est.): copra 62%, coconuts, seaweed, fish. Imports: $62 million (2004): foodstuffs, machinery and equipment, miscellaneous manufactured goods, fuel. Major trading partners: France, Japan, U.S., Thailand, Australia, Fiji, New Zealand (2004).

Member of Commonwealth of Nations

Communications: Telephones: main lines in use: 4,100 (2009); mobile cellular: 10,000 (2009) Broadcast media: 1 TV broadcast station that provides about 1 hour of local programming Monday-Friday; multi-channel TV packages provide access to Australian and US stations; 1 government-operated radio station broadcasting on AM, FM, and shortwave (2009). Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 328 (2010). Internet users: 7,800 (2009).

Transportation: Railways: 0 km. Highways: total: 670 km (2000 est.). Waterways: small network of canals, totaling 5 km, in Line Islands. Ports and terminals: Betio (Tarawa Atoll), Canton Island, English Harbor.

International disputes: none.

Major sources and definitions