Capital: Tarawa
Administrative divisions: 3 units; Gilbert Islands, Line Islands, Phoenix Islands
note: a new administrative structure of 6 districts (Banaba, Central Gilberts, Line Islands, Northern Gilberts, Southern Gilberts, Tarawa) may have been changed to 21 island councils (one for each of the inhabited islands) named Abaiang, Abemama, Aranuka, Arorae, Banaba, Beru, Butaritari, Canton, Kiritimati, Kuria, Maiana, Makin, Marakei, Nikunau, Nonouti, Onotoa, Tabiteuea, Tabuaeran, Tamana, Tarawa, Teraina

Independence: 12 July 1979 (from UK)
National holiday: Independence Day, 12 July (1979)

Constitution: 12 July 1979

Legal system: NA
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state and head of government: President (Beretitenti) Teatao TEANNAKI (since 8 July 1991); Vice President (Kauoman-ni-Beretitenti) Taomati IUTA (since 8 July 1991); election last held on 8 July 1991 (next to be held by NA 1996); results - Teatao TEANNAKI 52%, Roniti TEIWAKI 28%
cabinet: Cabinet; appointed by the president from an elected parliament

Legislative branch: unicameral
House of Assembly (Maneaba Ni Maungatabu): elections last held on 8 May 1991 (next to be held by NA 1996); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (40 total; 39 elected) percent of seats by party NA

Judicial branch: Court of Appeal, High Court

Political parties and leaders: National Progressive Party, Teatao TEANNAKI; Christian Democratic Party, Teburoro TITO; New Movement Party, leader NA; Liberal Party, Tewareka TENTOA; Maneaba Party, Roniti TEIWAKI
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
Member of: ACP, AsDB, C, ESCAP, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, IDA, IFC, IMF, INTELSAT (nonsignatory user), INTERPOL, ITU, SPARTECA, SPC, SPF, UNESCO, UPU, WHO

Diplomatic representation in US: Kiribati has no mission in the US
US diplomatic representation: the ambassador to Fiji is accredited to Kiribati

Flag: 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 ocean

NOTE: The information regarding Kiribati on this page is re-published from the 1995 World Fact Book of the United States Central Intelligence Agency. No claims are made regarding the accuracy of Kiribati Government 1995 information contained here. All suggestions for corrections of any errors about Kiribati Government 1995 should be addressed to the CIA.