Kiribati1.82° N, 157.38° W
No land border at all — every neighbor is across water, along 1,143 km of coast, the 78th longest on Earth.
land borders 0 km · 164th/230 · coastline 1,143 km · 78th/229
CIA World Factbook · 2026-02-01 · ranks computed across the countries in this atlas that carry the value
geometry: Natural Earth 1:50m · EPSG:6933 equal-area
Each line is every country in this atlas that carries the value, ordered smallest to largest. The line down the middle is the world median; the mark on each line is this country.
The name Kiribati is the local pronunciation of "Gilbert," the former designation of the islands. The islands were originally named after explorer Thomas Gilbert, who mapped many of them in 1788.
Source: CIA World Factbook · 2026-02-01 · text generated from this source, approved by a person
Trade winds moderate Kiribati's tropical marine climate, which is hot and humid. Typhoons can occur at any time, and tornadoes occur occasionally.
Source: CIA World Factbook · 2026-02-01 · text generated from this source, approved by a person
I-Kiribati, I-Kiribati/mixed, Tuvaluan, and others make up Kiribati's ethnic groups. Kiribati's religious affiliations include Roman Catholic, Kiribati Uniting Church, Kiribati Protestant Church, Church of Jesus Christ, Seventh Day Adventist, Baha'i, and others.
Kiribati consists of three archipelagos spread out over an area roughly the size of India. The eastern Line Islands and central Phoenix Islands are sparsely populated, while the western Gilbert Islands are some of the most densely settled places on earth. South Tarawa, the main island, has a population density similar to Tokyo or Hong Kong.
Source: CIA World Factbook · 2026-02-01 · text generated from this source, approved by a person
A presidential republic is Kiribati's form of government. Its legal system is English common law supplemented by customary law. The latest constitution was promulgated 12 July 1979, at independence. Kiribati gained independence from the UK on 12 July 1979. Its national holiday is Independence Day, 12 July (1979).
Source: CIA World Factbook · 2026-02-01 · text generated from this source, approved by a person
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