The Republic of Kiribati (Kirib. Ribaberiki Kiribati) is a Pacific state located in Micronesia and Polynesia. It borders in the northwest with the waters of the Marshall Islands, the Federated States of Micronesia, in the west and southwest with the territorial waters of Nauru, the Solomon Islands and Tuvalu, in the south and southeast with the territorial waters of Tokelau, the Cook Islands and French Polynesia. In the north and northeast it borders on neutral Pacific waters, as well as on the Outer Small Islands (USA). The coastal strip is 1,143 km long. The exclusive coastal economic zone (EEZ) is about 3.5 million km². Territorial waters - about 22 km from the baseline. The Republic of Kiribati includes 33 small atolls, twenty of which are uninhabited. Of these, 16 islands and atolls in the Gilbert archipelago, Banaba island (Ocean), 8 islands in the Phoenix archipelago and 8 islands in the Line archipelago. The total area is 812.34 km². The population of Kiribati is 103 058 people. (2010, census). The capital is South Tarava (Bairiki). The independence of the colony of Gilbert Island from Great Britain was proclaimed on July 12, 1979, in the same year it was officially renamed the Republic of Kiribati. In 1983, a friendship treaty between the United States and Kiribati entered into force, according to which the United States refused claims for 14 islands in the Line and Phoenix archipelagos, recognizing them as part of Kiribati.
The modern name of the country comes from the local reading of the English name of the Gilbert Islands - "Gilbert Islands", which in the local language of Kiribati is pronounced as, and is written as Kiribati.
General geography and geology
Kiribati is the only state located
in two pairs of hemispheres of the Earth at once: Northern, Southern,
Western and Eastern.
As a result of the Line Islands time zone
change undertaken by the Government of Kiribati and the offset of the
international date line, Caroline Atoll became the easternmost point of
the New Year's Eve first time zone. Part of the islands of Kiribati is
located in the easternmost time zone - UTC + 14. Here, first of all on
Earth, a new calendar day begins. The time of day (hours and minutes)
here is the same as the time in Hawaii (UTC-10), but shifted forward by
one day, while with some islands in Oceania the time difference is 25
hours.
All the islands of Kiribati are atolls (Banaba Island is a
raised atoll). According to the theory of Charles Darwin, the formation
of atolls occurred as a result of the subsidence of volcanic islands,
near the surface of which corals gradually grew. A fringing reef was
formed, and subsequently a barrier reef, which was gradually built up by
corals. As a result, the land of the atoll arose. So, scientists
Marshall and Jacobson suggested that Tarawa Atoll appeared about 2500
years ago. The Gilbert Islands formed on the underwater mountain peaks
of the Micronesian Rise. Phoenix Islands - on the mountain ranges of the
southern part of the Pacific Plate, the Line Islands are located on the
peaks of underwater mountain ranges rising to the surface of the ocean,
limiting the Central Pacific Basin from the east.
The Republic of
Kiribati consists of 32 low-lying atolls and 1 elevated atoll, Banaba,
or Ocean. The total land area is 812.34 km². The distance from the
westernmost to the easternmost island of the republic is about 4,000 km.
The Republic of Kiribati includes the largest (388.39 km²) atoll in
the world - Christmas Island, which occupies 48% of the country's land
mass.
32 atolls and one island (Banaba) are divided into 4 groups
of islands:
16 islands of the Gilbert archipelago, including Tarawa
Atoll;
Banaba Island (or Ocean) - not far from Nauru;
8 islands of
the Phoenix archipelago;
8 islands of the Line Archipelago (or
Central Polynesian Sporades)
The Gilbert Islands are a group of
islands in southeastern Micronesia. The total area is approximately 279
km². Within the archipelago, three subgroups can be distinguished,
differing in rainfall: the Northern Gilbert Islands (Makin and
Butaritari), the Central Gilbert Islands (all atolls from Marakei to
Aranuca) and the Southern Gilbert Islands (from Nonouti to Arorae). On
the territory of the Tarawa Atoll of this archipelago is the capital of
the state - South Tarawa.
Approximately 1480 km east of the
Gilbert Islands are the Phoenix Islands - an archipelago of 9
uninhabited and one inhabited (Canton Island) atoll in Polynesia.
Further east are the Line Islands (or Central Polynesian Sporades),
including the world's largest Christmas Atoll (or Kiritimati) and the
easternmost island in Kiribati Caroline.
All the islands in the
Line Archipelago, except for the islands of Kiritimati, Tabuaeran and
Teraina, and in the Phoenix Archipelago, except for Canton Atoll, are
uninhabited. The atolls, separated by many narrow straits, are
predominantly elongated from north to south in shape. Most of Kiribati's
atolls have small salt lagoons, either completely landlocked (as in
Marakei Atoll) or partially (as in Nonouti and Tabiteuea Atolls).
Compared to the Marshall Islands and Tuvalu, the lagoons in the Gilbert
Islands are shallow (the maximum depth of the Tarawa Atoll lagoon is 25
meters).
The highest point of the country is on the island of
Banaba (81 m).
Prior to 1979, Banaba Island, which had one of the
world's largest reserves of phosphate rock, was subject to phosphate
mining, which led to significant environmental problems. As a result,
most of the population of this island moved to the island of Rumbi, now
belonging to the state of Fiji. Large accumulations of ferromanganese
nodules as well as cobalt are also believed to be present on the ocean
floor of the Kiribati Exclusive Economic Zone, but developments are
currently not being conducted due to economic inexpediency.
Most of the islands in the Gilbert Archipelago and several islands in
the Line and Phoenix Archipelagos are located in the dry belt of the
equatorial oceanic climate zone.
For a long time, locals
distinguish two seasons a year. The first of these is aumeang, usually
lasting from October to March, beginning with the appearance of the
Pleiades star cluster in the sky. The second season is aumaiaki, which
usually lasts from April to September and begins with the appearance of
the constellation Scorpio in the sky. The rainier season is aumeang,
while the aumaiaki season is drier. A wind direction study conducted on
Tarawa Atoll from 1978 to 1983 indicates that from December to May,
winds blowing from the east and northeast are predominant, and from the
east and southeast in April-November. At the same time, the winds from
December to May blow stronger.
Kiribati's climate is affected by
two convergence zones: the intertropical, which determines the amount of
rainfall in the northern atolls, and the South Pacific, which determines
the amount of rainfall in the southern atolls. Two anomalies are
associated with these two concepts - the phenomena of El Niño and La
Niña. During El Niño, the Intertropical Convergence Zone moves northward
toward the equator; during La Niña, it moves southward away from the
equator. In the latter case, a severe drought is observed on the islands
of Kiribati, in the former case, heavy rains.
The northern atolls
of the Gilbert Archipelago and the northern Line Islands, except for
Christmas Island, receive more rainfall than the atolls to the south.
Rainfall in Kiribati varies from 1100 mm in the south of the Gilbert
Islands (Tamana Atoll) to 3000 mm in the north (Butaritari Atoll) and
from 4000 mm in the Line Archipelago (Teraina Atoll) to 800 mm in Canton
Atoll (Phoenix Islands). Hurricanes are quite rare.
The driest
months of the year are May and June. The rainy season in the Gilbert
Islands lasts from October to April. Droughts occur periodically
(especially in the central and southern islands of the Gilbert
Archipelago, on the Phoenix Islands and Christmas Island), which have a
detrimental effect on agricultural plants (primarily the coconut palm).
The average annual temperature in Kiribati varies from +26 °C to +32
°C. The hottest months are September-November, the coldest months are
January-March.
A significant threat to the future of the country
is global warming, including the associated rise in the level of the
World Ocean, as a result of which low-lying islands (not higher than 5
m) may be under water. In November 2010, the President of Kiribati, at a
climate change conference held in the capital of Kiribati, South Tarawa,
drew the attention of the world's leading states, which make a
significant contribution to atmospheric pollution with greenhouse gases,
to this problem and stated that the republic should be ready for any
consequences, caused by global warming, including the need to relocate
the country's citizens. In 2012, this issue was raised at the UN
session:
Every time I remind you of the need for urgent action on
climate change and sea level rise to ensure the long-term survival of
Kiribati
— President, Head of Government and Minister for Foreign
Affairs of Kiribati Anote Tonga, UN press service.
The soils of Kiribati are highly alkaline, of coral origin, and very
poor. Usually they are porous, which is why they retain moisture very
poorly. Also, the local soils contain very little organic and mineral
substances, with the exception of calcium, sodium and magnesium. The
content of organic carbon in subsoils is extremely low (less than 0.5%),
except for those places where taro (lat. Cyrtosperma chamissonis) is
grown. Phosphate soils are distributed throughout the country. There are
also brown-red soils, which were formed from guano accumulated in the
groves of the lat plant. Pisonia grandis.
There are no rivers on
the Kiribati atolls due to the small area, low altitude, and soil
porosity. Instead, heavy rains cause water seeping through the soil to
form a lens of slightly brackish water. You can get to it by digging a
well. Apart from the water that can be collected from coconut palm
leaves after rains, these lenses are the only source of fresh water on
most of the islands of Kiribati. The salinity of groundwater usually
decreases with distance from the lagoon and the ocean. The location and
level of groundwater largely determine the characteristics of the flora,
the location of wells and cultivated land. The uncontrolled process of
urbanization and population growth in South Tarawa has led to the entry
of sewage into the ground in several places. A significant threat to the
available fresh water resources on the atolls is the rise in the water
level of the oceans. Freshwater lakes are only on the Christmas Islands
and Washington (Teraina). In general, there are about 100 small salt
lakes on the islands of the Republic of Kiribati, some of which are
several kilometers in diameter.
Due to the small land area, remoteness from the continents, the
relatively young geological age of the atolls, as well as the harsh
natural conditions, there are 83 species of native plants on the Gilbert
Islands, none of which is endemic. Eight plant species are believed to
have been introduced by the natives, and the total number of vascular
plants ever found on the islands is approximately 306 species.
The plants that were introduced by the natives include giant marsh taro
(lat. Cyrtosperma chamissonis), taro (lat. Colocasia esculenta), giant
taro (lat. Alocasia macrorrhiza), yam (lat. Dioscorea spp.), two types
of breadfruit (lat. Artocarpus altilis and lat. A. mariannensis) and
pinnatiform tacca (lat. Tacca leontopetaloides). Roofing pandanus plants
(lat. Pandanus tectorius) and coconut palm (lat. Cocos nucfera) probably
have a dual origin: on some islands they are indigenous plants, on
others they are introduced by humans. Four plants: taro, coconut,
breadfruit and pandanus have played and still play one of the key roles
in the diet of local residents. There are also lat plants characteristic
of all the atolls of Oceania. Scaevola taccada (Kirib. te mao), lat.
Tournefortia argentea (Kirib. te ren), lat. Morinda citrifolia (Kirib.
te non), lat. Guettarda speciosa (Kirib. te uri), lat. Pemphis acidula
(Kirib. te ngea) and mangroves.
The main representatives of the
marine fauna are lobsters, palm thieves, tridacna, cones (a family of
marine gastropods), holothurians (or sea cucumbers), pearl mussels. The
coastal waters of the islands are very rich in fish (about 600-800
species) and corals (about 200 species). Fish has always been the main
source of food for the locals. In coastal waters, there are snappers
(Lutjanidae), albuls (lat. Albula vulpes), chanos (lat. Chanos chanos),
large-headed mullets (lat. Valamugil), goatfish (lat. Upeneus spp.),
trevally (lat. Caranx spp.) . There are several types of sea turtles.
The mammal world of Kiribati is extremely poor. The only land mammal
seen on the islands during the American Scientific Expedition in the
first half of the 19th century was the little rat. Residents raise
poultry and pigs. The world of avifauna is quite diverse: in general, 75
species of birds live in the country, one of which is endemic - the
warbler (lat. Acrocephalus aequinoctialis), which lives on Christmas
Island. Most of the islands in the Line and Phoenix archipelagos are
very large bird colonies. Thus, the islands of Malden and Starbuck, as
well as part of Christmas Island, are declared marine reserves.
Very little is known about the settlement of the Kiribati Islands and
their early history. However, there are suggestions that the ancestors
of the modern Kiribati people arrived in the Gilbert Islands from
eastern Melanesia at the beginning of the 1st millennium CE. e. The Line
and Phoenix Islands were uninhabited by the time they were discovered by
Europeans and Americans. However, traces of human presence in the
distant past remained on these atolls. This prompted scientists to try
to explain the reasons for the disappearance of the local population in
the Line and Phoenix archipelagos. One of the widespread opinions is
that in the conditions of a small area, remoteness from other
archipelagos, an arid climate and a shortage of fresh water, it was
extremely difficult to live on these islands. Therefore, the people who
settled the islands were forced to leave them soon.
The islands
were first discovered by British and American ships in the late 18th and
early 19th centuries. They were named the Gilbert Islands in 1820 by a
Russian traveler, Admiral Krusenstern, in honor of the English captain
Thomas Gilbert, who discovered the islands in 1788 ("kiribati" is the
local pronunciation of the English word "gilberts"). The traditional
name of the Gilbert Islands is Tungaru (Kirib. Tungaru).
The
first British settlers arrived on the islands in 1837. In 1892, the
Gilbert Islands, with neighboring Ellis Islands, became a protectorate
of the British Empire. In 1916, the Ellice Islands were merged with the
Gilbert Islands to form the single colony of the Gilbert and Ellice
Islands. Christmas Island (or Kiritimati) became part of the colony in
1919, and the Phoenix Islands in 1937.
During World War II,
Banaba Island and most of the Gilbert Islands, including Tarawa Atoll,
were occupied by Japan. Tarawa is the place where one of the bloodiest
battles in the Pacific theater of operations took place (in November
1943, between the Japanese and American armies near the village of
Betio, the former capital of the colony).
In 1963, the first
major reforms in the administration of the colony were carried out by
the colonial authorities. The Executive and Advisory Councils were
formed. Representatives of the local population, appointed by the local
resident commissioner, were allowed into the latter. In 1967, the
Executive Council was transformed into the Government Council, and the
Advisory Council - into the House of Representatives with the
participation of officials of the colonial administration and 24 members
elected by the local population. In 1971, the colony received the status
of a self-governing unit. It was headed by a governor. The newly created
Legislative Council was elected predominantly by the local population.
The deputies elected from among their members a representative who
expressed their interests in the new Executive Council.
In 1975,
the colony was divided into the independent colonies of Gilbert Island
and Ellis Island. In 1978, the Ellis Islands became an independent state
(the modern name is Tuvalu). On July 12, 1979, the Gilbert Islands (the
modern name is the Republic of Kiribati) gained independence. In 1983, a
friendship treaty between the United States and Kiribati, concluded back
in 1979, came into force, according to which the United States renounced
claims to 14 islands in the Line and Phoenix archipelagos, recognizing
them as part of Kiribati.
The main problem of the republic has
always been overpopulation of the islands. In 1988, part of the
population of Tarawa was relocated to the less densely populated islands
of the republic. In 1994, Teburoro Tito was elected president of the
country (he was re-elected in 1998). In 1999, the Republic of Kiribati
became a member of the UN.
In 2002, a law was passed allowing the
government to shut down newspapers. This happened shortly after the
first successful non-government newspaper appeared. President Tito was
re-elected in 2003, but in March 2003 he was removed from his post. In
July 2003, Anote Tong from the opposition party became president.
The atolls of Malden and Kiritimati were used by the United States
and Great Britain in the 20th century to test atomic weapons, and in the
1960s - a hydrogen bomb.
The Republic of Kiribati is divided into three island groups that do
not perform any administrative functions. These are the Gilbert Islands,
the Line Islands and the Phoenix Islands. The basic unit of
self-government is the island council, which is on each of the inhabited
islands (21 islands in total), on the island of Tarawa there are 3
councils, on Tabiteuea - 2 councils. The budget of the councils consists
of local revenues.
In the 1970s, the British colony of the
Gilbert and Ellice Islands was divided into 4 districts: the Ellice
Islands (now Tuvalu), the Gilbert Islands, the Line Islands and Ocean
Island (now Banaba). On January 1, 1972, the colony of the Gilbert and
Ellis Islands (in the Line Islands District) included the central and
southern islands of the Line Archipelago, which were claimed by the
United States. These were the Caroline Islands, Flint, Starbuck and
East. In 1974, the Phoenix Islands became a county in its own right
(previously part of the county of the Gilbert Islands). On October 1,
1975, the Ellice Islands gained independence and became officially known
as Tuvalu, and the colony of the Gilbert and Ellice Islands was renamed
the Gilbert Islands. On July 12, 1979, the colony of the Gilbert Islands
became an independent state, the new name is the Republic of Kiribati.
On September 20, 1979, a Treaty of Friendship was signed between the
Republic of Kiribati and the United States in Tarawa, according to which
the United States renounced its claims to 14 islands in the Line and
Phoenix archipelagos: Birney, Vostok, Gardner (Nikumaroro), Canton
(formerly a condominium of Britain and the United States ), Caroline,
McKean, Malden, Sidney (Munra), Starbuck, Phoenix (Rawaki), Flint, Hull
(Orona), Enderbury (formerly a British-US condominium) and Christmas
Island (Kiritimati) (treaty effective 23 September 1983).
Number and placement
The population of the islands of the Republic
of Kiribati at the time of their discovery by Europeans is rather
difficult to determine. But it is obvious that already at that time, the
indigenous people were faced with the problems of overpopulation of the
atolls and, therefore, limited the birth rate so as not to face a lack
of resources to sustain life. After the discovery of the islands by
Europeans in Kiribati, there were significant changes in the
reproduction of the population and social structure. First of all, there
was a sharp decline in the number of indigenous people due to the forced
removal of the population to work on the plantations of Fiji and the
Hawaiian Islands, as well as due to disease and social unrest caused by
conflicts on political, economic and religious grounds. However, since
the end of World War II, Kiribati's population has increased
significantly and death rates have declined as a result of improvements
in health care and the purchase of imported goods that have weathered
Kiribati's frequent droughts.
According to the 2010 census, the
population of the Republic of Kiribati was 103,058, of which 93,791
lived on the 17 islands of the Gilbert archipelago with a total area of
279.23 km². The capital of the state, the city of South Tarawa, had a
population of 34,427. Population densities vary across the Gilbert
Islands. The highest is in South Tarawa: 2443 people. per km². The
lowest is on the Kuria Atoll: 63 people. per km².
The rest of the
population lives on the Line Islands: Kiritimati (Christmas Island),
Tabuaeran (Fanning Island) and Terain (Washington Island). The total
population of Christmas Island is 5,586; population density - 14 people.
per km². The population density on the island of Teraina is 177 people.
per km², while on Tabuaeran - 58 people. per km². Canton Island is the
only inhabited island in the Phoenix archipelago. Its population is only
31 people. All other atolls in the Phoenix archipelago are uninhabited,
which is associated with a large shortage of fresh water.
In
2010, men accounted for 49.3% (50,796 people), women 50.7% (52,262
people). The share of the urban population in 2010 was 48.7% (50,182
people) of the population, rural - 51.3% (52,876).
The level of
natural increase in 1990-1995 was 1.4% compared with 1985-1990. - 2.3%.
The proportion of children under 15 years of age in 2010 was 36.1%, of
the adult population from 16 to 50 years old - 51.8%, over 50 years old
- 12.1%. The average life expectancy for men in 1990-1995 was 57.2
years, for women - 62.3 years.
The continued high rates of
population growth create the possibility of a significant decline in the
quality of life in the country. Overcrowding on the islands, soil
erosion caused by road construction, and groundwater pollution are also
putting a dangerous strain on the fragile ecosystem of the atolls, and a
population that is growing every year is increasingly faced with the
problem of lack of drinking water.
The aborigines of Kiribati are represented by two ethnic groups:
Kiribati, or Tungar (self-name i-Kiribas), which make up about 89.5%
(92,206 people) of the total population of the country, and Banaba -
descendants of immigrants from the Gilbert Islands who settled on the
island of Banaba (or Ocean ) and, as a result of centuries of isolation,
separated from the Kiribati people into an independent ethnic group (at
the moment, most of this people live on Rambi Island in Fiji).
The share of the Tuvalu people in the country is very low - 0.1% (116
people). The rest of the population - people from mixed marriages of
Kiribati and foreigners - 9.7% (9960 people).
The Kiribati people speak the Micronesian language - Kiribati
(Gilbert). Until 1979, the Gilbert Islands was a British colony, so
English is the official language, although it is rarely spoken outside
of South Tarawa. Before the arrival of missionaries on the island of
Banaba, local residents spoke a special language, which, however, fell
into disuse (no texts in this language have survived, since its written
form did not exist).
In 1857, the American missionary Hyrum
Bingham II (English) Russian. established a mission on Abaiang Island
(formerly Charlotte Island, an atoll in the Gilbert Archipelago). He
developed the written form of the Kiribati language based on the Latin
alphabet and is still in use today. The Kiribati alphabet consists of 13
letters. Borrowings from English are adapted to Kiribati phonetics, such
as the word kirib. te ka "machine".
Before Christianity, traditional beliefs were common on the islands (Kirib. te maka - “magic”). They included the worship of the god Nareau, belief in spirits and ghosts. Now the majority of believers are Catholics 55.8% (57,503 people). There are 33.5% of Congregationalists (34,528 people). Followers of other religious movements (Assembly of God, Mormons, Baha'is, Seventh Day Adventists) are few in number.
Political system
Kiribati is a sovereign democratic republic.
The modern political system of Kiribati was formed on the basis of
the system of colonial government that existed on the islands for 87
years.
After gaining independence, on July 12, 1979, the
Constitution of the Republic of Kiribati was adopted, in which the
features of both a presidential and a parliamentary republic are traced,
which, according to its drafters, best reflects the egalitarian
socio-political structure of Kiribati society, in which universal
equalization acts as a principle organization of public life.
Legislature
The supreme legislative body is a unicameral parliament,
or maneaba-ni-maungatabu (Kirib. Maneaba ni Maungatabu), consisting of
42 deputies, of which: 40 deputies elected by popular vote, 1 deputy
nominated by the Banaban community of Fiji through the Council of
Elders, and the Attorney General , the highest official of justice. The
term of office of Parliament is four years.
executive branch
The head of state and government is the president, or beretitenti
(Kirib. Beretitenti), elected for four years by popular vote. The number
of presidential candidates is strictly regulated: there should be no
more than four and no less than two. Candidates are elected from among
the members of Parliament during its first congress after the general
election. In the future, these candidates take part in the presidential
elections. The President appoints the Cabinet of Ministers from the
members of Parliament, which includes the Vice President, or Kauoman ni
Beretitenti (Kirib. Kauoman ni Beretitenti), the Attorney General and up
to ten ministers. The Cabinet of Ministers is an executive body that is
collectively responsible to the country's parliament.
Judicial
branch
The judiciary is completely independent, and its hierarchy is
based on the standard model: Magistrates' Court, High Court and Court of
Appeal. In addition, the state retained the right to apply to the Privy
Council of Great Britain on a limited range of issues. Until 1977, there
were island judges who tried minor cases. The lower court is the
magistrates' court, which consists of three magistrates.
Article
88 of the Kiribati Constitution establishes the High Court of Kiribati,
consisting of a Chief Justice and a panel of judges. The Chief Justice
is appointed by the President in consultation with the Cabinet after
consultation with the Public Service Commission. Other judges are also
appointed by the President in consultation with the Chief Justice and
the Public Service Commission. The Chief Justice must be an expatriate
(that is, an immigrant) who has worked abroad as a judge or has been a
barrister or solicitor (special categories of lawyers) for at least 5
years.
Article 90 of the Constitution of the Republic of Kiribati
establishes a Court of Appeal composed of the Chief Justice, other
judges of the High Court of Kiribati and a group of persons appointed by
the President with the consent of the Chief Justice and the Public
Service Commission. The President of the Court of Appeal is appointed by
the President with the consent of the Cabinet after consultation with
the Public Service Commission. According to the Law on Courts of Appeal,
the Court of Appeal must sit with at least three judges.
Constituencies
Each inhabited island of Kiribati and the three
districts of Tarawa Atoll (South Tarawa, Betio and North Tarawa) form
electoral districts. The number of representatives from each of them
depends on the population of this constituency: constituencies with a
population of less than 2000 people are represented by 1 deputy in
parliament; with a population of 2,000 to 3,000 people - 2 deputies;
those districts with a population of more than 3,000 people - 3
deputies.
Political parties
Despite the existence of various
political factions shortly before independence, no steps were taken to
formalize the place and role of political parties in the governance of
Kiribati's structures. At present, the existence of various political
associations is reduced either to support or non-support of the
president's policy - this is how the government party and the opposition
were formed. Over time, the words kirib entered the political lexicon.
bwatei, or party, and kirib. te kaaitara, or opposition.
The
modern political scene is dominated by two political parties:
Boutokaan-te-Koaua, or Pillars of Truth, (Kirib. Boutokaan te Koaua) and
Maneaban-te-Mauri, or Defend the Maneaba (Kirib. Maneaban te Mauri ).
Currently, the BTK party is in power (controls 18 out of 42 seats in
parliament), and its leader, Anote Tong, is the president of the
country. The MTM party, led by the former president of Kiribati,
Teburoro Tito, controls 7 seats in parliament (the remaining 19 seats
are occupied by non-partisans). The activities of the BTK in the
political sphere are quite successful: the former presidents of
Kiribati, Jeremiah Tabai and Teatao Teannaki, were members of this
party.
The Republic of Kiribati does not have its own armed forces. The defense of the country is carried out by the armed forces of Australia and New Zealand.
The Kiribati Police Force is a supervisory and enforcement agency. In
2004, there were 152 people per police officer. Despite the fact that
the police forces are quite effective in combating crime and maintaining
order in the country, there are several areas in which the police cannot
cope with the situation, for example, in matters of traffic control.
The police commissioner is appointed by the president of the country
after the approval of the candidature by the Cabinet of Ministers and
the Civil Service Commission.
Foreign policy and international
relations
One of the priorities of Kiribati's foreign policy is to
draw the attention of the world community to the problem of global
warming, which threatens the future of the country.
Kiribati
maintains friendly relations with all countries of the world. The
closest cooperation is carried out with the countries of the Pacific
region: Australia, New Zealand, Taiwan, Japan, which provide significant
financial assistance to the developing economy of Kiribati. The first
three provide most of the country's foreign aid. Taiwan and Japan also
have licenses to fish in Kiribati waters for a limited period of time.
Kiribati's only diplomatic mission is in Fiji.
As one of the most
vulnerable countries in the world to the effects of global warming,
Kiribati actively participates in international diplomatic efforts
related to climate change, especially in the conferences of the parties
(COPs) to the UNFCCC. Kiribati is a member of the Alliance of Small
Island States (AOSIS). Founded in 1990, the alliance aims to unite the
voices of small island developing states in the fight against global
warming. AOSIS has been very active since its inception, presenting the
first draft text in Kyoto negotiations since 1994.
Diplomatic
relations between the USSR and Kiribati were established on September 5,
1990. However, there is no Russian embassy on the territory of the
Republic of Kiribati. The interests of Kiribati in Russia are
represented by the British Embassy. Russian interests in Kiribati are
represented by the Embassy of the Russian Federation in Indonesia. The
Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to the Republic of Kiribati
(concurrently) since November 2012 is M. Yu. Galuzin, Ambassador
Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Russian Federation to the
Republic of Indonesia.
In September 1999, the Republic of
Kiribati became the 186th member of the United Nations. Also, this
Micronesian state is a member of the Commonwealth of Nations, the
International Monetary Fund, the Pacific Islands Forum, the
International Bank, the Asian Development Bank, ACP countries and other
international organizations.
In November 1999, Kiribati agreed to
allow the Japan National Space Agency to lease land on Christmas Island
for a period of 20 years for the construction of a spaceport. The
agreement stipulated that Japan should pay $840,000 a year, as well as
compensate for any damage to roads and the environment. A lower-ranking
Japanese-built tracking station operates on the island, and an abandoned
airfield has been designated as a runway for a proposed reusable
unmanned space shuttle called HOPE-X. However, in 2003, Japan finally
canceled this project.
In 2009, Kiribati President Anote Tong
attended the Forum of Countries Vulnerable to Climate Change (V11) in
the Maldives and signed the Bandos Island Declaration on November 10,
2009, pledging to show moral leadership and start greening their
country. economy.
In November 2010, Kiribati hosted the Tarawa
Climate Change Conference to support the president's initiative to hold
a consultative forum between vulnerable states and their partners. The
conference attempted to create an environment conducive to multilateral
negotiations under the auspices of the UNFCCC. The conference was the
successor to the Forum on Vulnerable Climate Conditions. The ultimate
goal of the event was to reduce the number and intensity of setbacks
between the COP parties, explore the elements of an agreement between
the parties, and thus support the contributions of Kiribati and others
to the COP 16 conference held in Cancun, Mexico from November 29 to
December 10 2010.
In 2013, President Tong of Kiribati stated that
climate change-driven sea level rise was "inevitable":
For our
people to survive, they will have to migrate. Either we can wait until
we have to move people en masse, or we can prepare them from now...
In New York in 2014, according to The New York Times, Anote Tong
stated that "water is predicted to be higher than the highest point on
our lands this century," according to The New York Times. In the same
year, he completed the purchase of a 20-kilometer piece of land on Vanua
Levu, one of Fiji's largest islands.
On November 7, 2003, Kiribati established diplomatic relations with
the Republic of China (on the island of Taiwan), which contributed to
the complication of relations with the PRC, in particular, the Chinese
satellite tracking station was closed, the construction of the main
stadium in South Tarawa by the Chinese was stopped, and 6 doctors from
Kiribati National Hospital. To somehow justify his actions, President
Tong said that relations with Taiwan would have a positive impact on the
economic development of Kiribati and attract Taiwanese businessmen to
this small Pacific state. Taiwan responded to the termination of
Kiribati's close cooperation with the PRC with financial assistance to
the Micronesian Republic in the amount of A$ 8 million, which should be
spent on completing the construction of a stadium in South Tarawa.
The termination of relations with the PRC has had an acute impact on
the economy of Kiribati, as China annually allocated assistance to this
state in the amount of A$ 2 million.
On September 20, 2019, the
government of Kiribati restored diplomatic relations with the People's
Republic of China and simultaneously terminated diplomatic relations
with Taiwan. Taiwan's Foreign Minister Joseph Wu said China offered
Boeing 737s and ferries to Kiribati to make the decision.
Relations with the European Union
The Republic of Kiribati cooperates
closely with the European Union, for example, in the field of fisheries.
On September 16, 2003, an agreement was signed giving vessels belonging
to EU member states the right to fish for tuna in the exclusive economic
zone of Kiribati. The EU also provides significant financial assistance
to the republic in the development of solar energy on remote islands,
the development of agriculture (cultivation of seaweed). However,
cooperation between Kiribati and individual countries of the Union is
very narrow in scope. For example, the UK invests mainly in education,
while France invests in healthcare.
general characteristics
With the exception of the period from 1994
to 1998, during which there was significant economic growth, driven
primarily by government stimulus measures, the economy of Kiribati has
developed at a relatively slow pace. In 1999, the GNP grew by only 1.7%.
The economy of this agrarian country continues to be dominated by the
public sector. A combination of slow economic growth and low levels of
services resulted in Kiribati being ranked eighth out of the 12 Pacific
member states of the Asian Development Bank in 1999 by the Human
Development Index.
Significant obstacles to the development of
this microcountry are not only the small land area, but also
environmental and geographical factors, including remoteness from world
markets for products, geographical dispersion, vulnerability to natural
disasters and a very limited domestic market.
Due to the limited
opportunities for economic growth in terms of the area of the country,
the presence of natural resources, small labor resources and low GNP,
and therefore a narrow internal market, the only way for economic
development for this island nation is to attract migrants (as one of the
factors of production), remittances and monetary assistance from other
states (financial transfers) and reliance on the state (state financing
of the economy). This development model emphasizes maintaining a high
level of domestic consumption.
The Republic of Kiribati became
independent in 1979, shortly after the development of the phosphate
deposit on the island of Banaba, and these minerals accounted for 85% of
the country's total exports, 45% of the GNP and 50% of the state budget.
Since then, copra and fishery products have been the main sources of
income for Kiribati. The main employer in the country is the state,
which, despite its capabilities, cannot solve the problems of employment
of young citizens of the country, many of whom do not have a sufficient
level of education. Another source of income for Kiribati in recent
years has been the issuance of licenses to fish in its special economic
zone.
Monetary system and finance
The monetary unit of
Kiribati is the Australian dollar, however, since 1979, Kiribati dollars
have also been in circulation on the territory of the republic, equated
in a ratio of 1: 1 to the Australian dollar. There are 7 types of coins
in circulation in denominations of 1, 2, 5, 10, 20, 50 Kiribati cents, 1
and 2 dollars. All coins, except for the 50 cent and $1 coins, have the
same dimensions as the corresponding Australian ones. The 50 cent coin
is round, while the 1 dollar coin is dodecagonal.
The 2005 budget
had expenditures of AUD 73,058 thousand and income of AUD 78,563
thousand. Education is the largest item in the budget expenditures. The
cost of maintaining order and security of the country is 7 405 thousand
Australian dollars. The share of health care expenditures in 2005 was
17% of all expenditures. Among the incomes, the receipts from taxes and
duties are of the greatest importance, and the decisive role is played
by indirect taxes - 62% of all incomes.
An important source of
replenishment of the country's budget are also postage stamps, which are
of interest to philatelists from all over the world.
In the
period from 2001 to 2005, there was a decrease in revenues to the state
budget, which is associated with a decrease in income from the issuance
of fishing licenses in the exclusive economic zone of the country.
There are two banks in Kiribati, the Development Bank of Kiribati
and the Bank of Kiribati. The latter bank is a joint institution between
the Government of Kiribati and Westpac Banking Corporation of Australia
(Australia). The Bank of Kiribati provides a full package of financial
services, including international transactions.
Despite the fact that in Kiribati there are significant restrictions
on the development of agriculture (in particular, due to the small area
of \u200b\u200bthe atolls), the technique of cultivating land in this
Pacific republic has reached a fairly high level. The development of
agriculture, however, had a negative impact on the vegetation cover of
the islands, in particular, led to deforestation.
One of the most
important crops in Kiribati is the giant swamp taro, which is used to
make valuable starch. However, recently, due to the increase in the
consumption of rice and flour, the role of taro has somewhat decreased.
There is also a decrease in the yield of this agricultural plant on
Tarawa Atoll, which is associated with the spread of the parasitic
beetle of the species Papuana huebneri.
Despite the country's
small area and poor soils, agriculture plays a key role in Kiribati's
economy. Significant progress has been made in increasing the production
of copra, one of the country's main export commodities. In 1998, 7577
tons of copra were exported with a total value of A$ 4.5 million (for
example, fish was exported in the amount of A$ l million). Other
important agricultural plants include pandanus, breadfruit, papaya (lat.
Carica papaya).
One of the priority areas for economic
development is to reduce the share of imported agricultural products.
Achieving this goal is possible only with the intensification of
agriculture, which will also solve the problems of providing food for
the growing population of the country (however, this is problematic to
implement).
The coastal waters and lagoons of the atolls are home
to many valuable species of fish and shellfish. A significant place in
the diet of local residents is occupied by the mollusks bred by them
(lat. Tridacnidae).
Fishing
Fishing continues to play a vital
role in the lives of the Kiribati (or I-Kiribati) people. In the ocean,
they are mainly engaged in fishing for fish of the mackerel family,
especially tuna species of lat. Katosowonuspelamis and lat. Thunnus
albacares and fish lat. Cypselurus spp. In the lagoons, fish of the lat
species is bred. Chanos chanos. The lagoons of the atolls are also home
to many invertebrates, such as mollusks, of which there are almost 1,000
species in the country. In 1977, two species of seaweed, Eucheuma
alcarezii and Eucheuma spinosium, were introduced to Kiribati from the
Philippines, and the main centers of cultivation were the islands of
Tabuaeran and Abaiang. Recently, the country has seen an increase in
income from the sale of these marine plants. The government of the
republic is also making attempts to breed pearl oysters to obtain
valuable black pearls.
With an exclusive economic zone of more
than 3.5 million km² - the second largest in the Pacific - it's no
surprise that the fishing sector is one of the state's main sources of
income. The state budget is also replenished by issuing licenses to
foreign vessels for the right to fish in this economic zone, while the
income from licensing is largely dependent on weather conditions (mainly
El Niño and La Niña events). The main interest for foreign ships is
tuna. Kiribati is currently seeking ways to develop the local fishing
industry, however, to implement this plan, it is necessary to overcome
the problems associated with the price and availability of fuel, the
remoteness of world markets and competition from developed countries.
The remoteness from each other of the islands of the republic greatly
affects the transport and communications of the country. In Kiribati,
the length of highways is only 670 km (mainly on Tarawa Atoll). In 2004,
there were only 2,070 vehicles in Kiribati. There is no railway
transport in the republic. The main government agency responsible for
maritime and air traffic is The Ministry of Information, Communications
& Transport. Regular domestic flights from Tarawa Atoll to other Gilbert
Islands are operated by the national airline Air Kiribati. Also, twice a
week, a Nauru Airlines plane lands on Tarawa Atoll.
Domestic
maritime traffic is carried out by both government and private
companies, international - by Bali Hai Lines, Chief Container Services
and Kiribati Shipping Services Limited, delivering goods to Australia
and Asian countries.
International trade
In 2017, exports of
goods were estimated at $51.5 million, imports at $92.4 million.
Almost 80% of exports are fish and seafood (whole frozen fish ($31.9
million), fish fillets ($6.47 million), live fish ($1.27 million),
etc.), the second largest The most important place is occupied by
coconut palm products (copra ($7.52 million) and coconut oil ($2.02
million)). The main buyers are Mexico (35%), the Philippines (19%) and
Japan (19%).
Imports are dominated by prepared food products
(almost 20%, including processed meat, sugar and tobacco), petroleum
products (11%), as well as machinery, equipment and vehicles. In
addition, consumer goods and agricultural raw materials for food
purposes (unprocessed poultry meat, grain, rice, etc.) are imported. The
main suppliers are Fiji (24%), Australia (17%) and China (16%).
Connection
All telecommunications services in the country, including
domestic and international telephone communications, facsimile and
mobile communication services, the Internet, are provided by Telecom
Services Kiribati Limited (TSKL), founded in 1990 and fully owned by the
government of Kiribati since June 1, 2001.
The country's national
AM and FM radio, Radio Kiribati, is state-owned and primarily broadcasts
news from the BBC. On the territory of the country, you can also catch
the programs "Radio Australia" and "Voice of America". In 1999,
opposition forces in Kiribati attempted to start their radio
broadcasting, but the government of Kiribati curtailed it, fined the
owners for trying to import unlicensed broadcasting equipment into the
country. After the trial, the license of this radio company was
nevertheless issued, since then there has been one private radio station
New Air FM in the country, headed by the former president of the
republic, who also produces the only regular private radio station in
the country. newspaper.
Kiribati's two main newspapers are
published weekly. The newspaper Te Uekera (Kirib. Te Uekera) is owned by
the government of Kiribati and has a circulation of about 1,800 copies,
which is mainly distributed in Tarawa Atoll, where most of the country's
population lives. In 2003, the cost of one room was 60 Australian cents.
The newspaper is published in two languages: Kiribati and English.
Kiribati Newstar is the Pacific nation's first privately owned
newspaper, founded by former opposition president Ieremia Tabai. The
newspaper is predominantly published in the Kiribati language, with
occasional articles in English. The cost of one issue in 2003 was also
60 Australian cents, and the circulation was comparable to that of Te
Uekera.
Various religious organizations also publish their own
newspapers and other periodicals.
According to the Newspaper
Registration Law, all newspapers must be registered by the state. In
October 2002, an amendment to this law was adopted, according to which
the government of the country was given the right to revoke the license
of various newspapers if publications in these newspapers offend the
feelings of the people or contribute to the spread of crime through
newspaper articles. However, in 2002-2003 the license was not revoked
from any of the periodicals.
One obstacle to media development in
Kiribati is the high cost of imported printing equipment.
Since the 1980s, the country has seen an increase in the number of
tourists. In 1993, 4730 people visited the country, in 2005 only 3037
people, in 2012 6 thousand people; compared to other Pacific states,
this is very small - Kiribati is one of the least visited countries on
the planet (among countries for which visit statistics are available).
The main obstacle to the development of tourism in Kiribati is poor
air links with other countries of the world, as well as the lack of a
hotel business: as of 1989, there were only two hotels in South Tarawa,
one on Abemama Island, as well as on Christmas Island. The level of
services provided is low. The main types of recreation for foreigners:
beach tourism, sport fishing, diving, bird watching.
The main
flow of tourists is directed either to the Gilbert Islands (primarily to
Tarawa Atoll), or to Christmas Island (or Kiritimati).
Mostly
tourists from Australia, Fiji, the USA and New Zealand visit the
country.
Citizens of a number of states, primarily the
Commonwealth of Nations, do not need a visa to visit Kiribati or have
the right to stay on the territory of the republic without it for 30
days. A visa can be obtained at a number of consulates of Kiribati in
other countries: in Fiji, Australia, Germany, Japan, South Korea, New
Zealand, Great Britain, USA. The cost of a visa ranges from 40 (for one
visit to the country) to 70 Australian dollars (multiple use visa).
The culture of Kiribati is unique in many ways. Dances are known
(mainly on the island of Tabiteuea), unique military art, figurines made
from special strings. There are traditional customs and beliefs. There
is a widespread belief in ghosts and magical creatures.
Social
organization of the pre-colonial inhabitants of Kiribati
Before the
advent of Europeans, the settlements of the Kiribati people were
numerous villages scattered throughout the island, or kainga (Kirib.
Kainga), which were not only the main type of settlements, but also the
main form of social organization. Kaings consisted of small communities,
or mwenga (kirib. mwenga), which were built according to the tribal
principle. Each kainga in the central and southern parts of the Gilbert
Islands owned a certain land area, as well as a small area of coastal
waters rich in fish. Later, with the advent of the British colonial
administration at the end of the 19th century, this system of public
ownership of marine resources was abolished.
The social life of
Kiribati villages is centered on the maneaba (from the Kirib. maneaba,
in which "manea" - building, "te aba" - people, earth), an important
traditional public building. Maneaba is in every village in Kiribati,
and the country's parliament is called maneaba-ni-maungatabu (from the
Kirib. Maneaba ni Maungatabu), which means "the house where the people
meet." Maneaba is a multifunctional building in which, first of all,
residents discuss the affairs of the village. Maneaba is both a public
court and a place for celebrations and dancing. Each family in the
maneab is assigned a certain place, which is called boti (kirib. boti).
The main role in the maneab is played by the elder, or uniman (Kirib.
unimane), highly revered by the locals.
Kiribati canoe
The
significant remoteness from each other of the islands of Kiribati, fish,
as one of the main food products, determined the skill of the people of
the country in fishing and canoe construction.
Kitchen
Traditionally, the staple foods of the Kiribati people were seafood and
coconuts. Sources of carbohydrates from starch were not plentiful due to
the poor climate of the atolls, and only the northernmost atolls were
suitable for permanent agriculture. The bwabwai crop (Cyrtosperma
merkusii, "swamp taro") was eaten only during special celebrations,
along with pork. The plant is an important source of carbohydrates in a
diet dominated by fish and coconuts. Its cultivation is difficult and
time-consuming, the plant has deep cultural and practical significance.
The roots need to be cooked for several hours to reduce the toxicity of
the bulbs, but they are rich in nutrients, especially calcium.
To
supplement their rather low carbohydrate intake in their diet, the
people of Kiribati processed the sap and fruits of pandanus and coconut
trees into various drinks and foods such as te karewe (fresh daily
coconut palm juice), te tuae (dried pandanus fruit cakes) and te kabubu
(dried pandanus flour) made from pandanus fruit pulp and te kamaimai
(coconut juice syrup) made from coconut juice. After World War II, rice
became a daily staple in most households, a trend that continues today.
Most seafood, particularly fish, is eaten as sashimi with coconut juice,
soy sauce, or vinegar-based dressings, often paired with chili peppers
and onions.
Coconut crabs and mud crabs are traditionally given
to breastfeeding mothers, believing that the meat stimulates breast milk
production.
music and dancing
A significant place in the life
of the Kiribati people is occupied by closely related music and dance:
singing is always accompanied by energetic dances. The themes of
Kiribati music are varied. These are songs about love and newlyweds,
about rivalry, military, patriotic and religious songs. Performances of
musicians in Kiribati are mainly held during major holidays. The main
musical instruments are the guitar and the drum. Composers of music in
Kiribati are called te-kainikamaen (Kirib. te kainikamaen), and those
who perform songs are called rurubene (Kirib. rurubene).
Sport
The Republic of Kiribati was accepted into the Olympic Movement in July
2003, and already in 2004 this Micronesian state took part in the
Olympic Games in Athens. Weightlifters and athletes from Kiribati have
not achieved any success. In 2002, this country took part for the first
time in the Commonwealth Games in Manchester. Kiribati has been
represented in weightlifting, table tennis and triathlon.
Despite significant improvements in the country, there are still many
health problems in Kiribati. Due to the fact that the republic has
become a participant in world economic processes, diseases of the
“Western way of life” have become widespread in it, associated with an
increase in the diet of local residents of rice, refined sugar, canned
food and carbonated drinks. These imported foods have supplanted the
traditional food of the Kiribati people, such as the highly vitamin and
nutrient-rich coconut drink, kamaimai, which was the country's staple
drink a few years ago. Due to the increase in life expectancy and high
population growth, this Pacific people is increasingly faced with the
problem of overpopulation of the atolls (especially Tarawa). The result
of this process has already been the pollution of groundwater, which is
already very scarce on the islands, and the spread of diarrheal
diseases. Another consequence of globalization for Kiribati has been an
increase in the number of people infected with HIV and tuberculosis (in
2003, the highest incidence of tuberculosis in the Pacific region was
recorded). According to statistics, the most common diseases in the
country are diseases of the respiratory system and diarrhea. The main
causes of death are cardiovascular disease and liver disease. As a
result of pollution of groundwater and lagoons, there was an outbreak of
cholera in Tarawa in 1977. In 1999, Kiribati ranked second in Oceania
after Papua New Guinea in terms of infant mortality. Another problem on
the islands is frequent fish poisoning. Smoking is widespread, according
to WHO research, in 2018 Kiribati was the most smoking country in the
world (about 52.2% of the population use tobacco)
The spread of
Western lifestyles and urbanization has led to an increase in the
incidence of diabetes, obesity, high blood pressure, gout, coronary
heart disease, paralysis, and some types of cancer. In recent years,
there has been a trend in Kiribati towards a deficiency of vitamins and
minerals in the body of local residents (lack of iron has led to an
increase in the number of people suffering from anemia, vitamin A - eye
diseases).
The main source of protein on the islands is fish, the
volume of which per person is one of the highest in the Pacific region.
But, despite the fact that many local residents are engaged in catching
fish, some of which is sold in the markets, 7% of preschool children and
69% of pregnant women in 1998 were deficient in proteins.
In
March 2004, Kiribati acceded to the Convention against Discrimination
against Women. Abortion is prohibited.
Until 1965, the British colony of the Gilbert and Ellis Islands did
not take any measures to integrate and coordinate the activities of
primary schools. Primary education was provided either by the
administration of the colony or by the Christian church, and there was
no continuity in their teaching. An extensive education strategy was
developed in 1965, which was further refined and passed by the House of
Representatives in 1970. This document was based on the idea of
introducing a nine-year primary education for all children, which was
to prepare them for participation in the social and economic development
of the colony, and would also create a foundation of knowledge for
further education in secondary schools. As a result, measures were taken
to unite and enlarge the existing small schools, and grants were
introduced. In 1977, the colonial government of the Gilbert and Ellis
Islands, in preparation for independence, took control of all but the
six private primary schools that existed at the time. Grants were
abolished, but in the 1980s, the first government of the independent
Republic of Kiribati, in pursuit of the goal of making secondary
education available to all, implemented a new educational policy that
introduced free compulsory primary education from grades 1 to 7 (i.e.,
for children 6- 12 years).
In 1998, the first four Junior
Secondary Schools were opened in Kiribati, the appearance of which is
associated with the decree of President Teburoro Tito of October 1994.
In subsequent years, secondary schools were opened on all the inhabited
islands of Kiribati (a total of 21 schools appeared). The duration of
study in a junior high school is 3 years (children 12-14 years old),
after which students must pass a state exam for admission to the last
fourth year of study at a senior secondary school (Eng. Senior Secondary
School).
In 2005, 16,133 children were enrolled in the primary
grades of 91 schools. At that time, there were 25 students per teacher
in the school. At the end of 2005, there were 7,487 children in
secondary schools in Kiribati. At the same time, there were 11 students
per teacher.
Further education can be obtained at the Teachers
Training College, Tarawa Technical Institute, Marine Training School,
Tarawa Branch of the University of the South Pacific of the South
Pacific).