Kiribati: Government#
Country name | conventional long form: Republic of Kiribati conventional short form: Kiribati local long form: Republic of Kiribati local short form: Kiribati former: Gilbert Islands etymology: the name is the local pronounciation of "Gilberts," the former designation of the islands; originally named after explorer Thomas GILBERT, who mapped many of the islands in 1788 note: pronounced keer-ree-bahss |
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Government type | presidential republic |
Capital | Tarawa
Tarawa
geographic coordinates: 1 21 N, 173 02 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 geographical units: Gilbert Islands, Line Islands, Phoenix Islands; note - there are no first-order administrative divisions but 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 | The Gilbert and Ellice Islands Order in Council 1915, The Gilbert Islands Order in Council 1975 (preindependence); latest promulgated 12 July 1979 (at independence); amended 1995, 2013 (2016) |
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 |
Citizenship | citizenship by birth: no citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a native-born citizen of Kiribati dual citizenship recognized: no residency requirement for naturalization: 7 years |
Suffrage | 18 years of age; universal |
Executive branch | chief of state: President Taneti MAAMAU (since 11 March 2016); Vice President Kourabi NENEM (since 17 March 2016); note - the president is both chief of state and head of government head of government: President Taneti MAAMAU (since 11 March 2016); Vice President Kourabi NENEM (since 17 March 2016) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president from among House of Assembly members elections/appointments: president directly elected by simple majority popular vote following nomination of candidates from among House of Assembly members; term is 4 years (eligible for 2 additional terms); election last held on 13 January 2012 (next to be held in 2015); vice president appointed by the president election results: Taneti MAAMAU elected president; percent of vote - Taneti MAAMAU 60%, Rimeta BENIAMINA (BTK) 38.5%, Taneti IOANE (BTK) 1.5% |
Legislative branch | description: unicameral House of Assembly or Maneaba Ni Maungatabu (46 seats; 44 members directly elected in single- and multi-seat constituencies by absolute majority vote in two-rounds, 1 member appointed by the Rabi Council of Leaders - representing Banaba Island, and 1 ex officio member - the attorney general; members serve 4-year terms) elections: legislative elections were held in two rounds - the first on 21 October 2011 and the second 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 | highest court(s): High Court (consists of a chief justice and other judges as prescribed by the president); note - the High Court has jurisdiction on constitutional issues judge selection and term of office: chief justice appointed by the president on the advice of the cabinet in consultation with the Public Service Commission (PSC); other judges appointed by the president on the advice of the chief justice along with the PSC subordinate courts: Court of Appeal; magistrates' courts |
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 |
International organization participation | ABEDA, 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, WIPO, WMO |
Diplomatic representation in the US | none; the Kiribati Permanent Mission to the UN serves as the Embassy; it is headed by Makurita BAARO (since 21 May 2014); address: 800 Second Avenue, Suite 400A, New York, NY 10017; telephone: (1)(212)867-3310; FAX: (1)(212)867-3320 note: 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 frigatebird 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 frigatebird symbolizes authority and freedom |
National symbol(s) | frigatebird; national colors: red, white, blue, yellow |
National anthem | name: "Teirake kaini Kiribati" (Stand Up, Kiribati) lyrics/music: Urium Tamuera IOTEBA note: adopted 1979 |