KIRIBATI KIRIBATI REGION OCEANIA NATURAL RESOURCES INDUSTRY AGRICULTURE GEOGRAPHIC INFORMATION GLOBAL RELATIONS DATE OF INDEPENDENCE JULY 12 1979 FROM THE UNITED KINGDOM DATE OF CURRENT CONSTITUTION JULY 12 1979 POPULATION 85501 1999 EST AREA 313 SQ MI CAPITAL TARAWA FORM OF GOVERNMENT REPUBLIC NATURAL RESOURCES PHOSPHATES FISH MAIN INDUSTRIES FISHING HANDICRAFTS AGRICULTURE TARO EDIBLE ROOT COCONUTS SWEET POTATOES BREADFRUIT CURRENCY AUSTRALIAN DOLLAR GDP 62 MILLION 1996 EST GDP PER CAPITA 800 1996 EST LANGUAGES ENGLISH OFFICIAL GILBERTESE RELIGIONS CHRISTIANITY ROMAN CATHOLICISM PROTESTANT DENOMINATIONS LITERACY RATE NOT AVAILABLE LIFE EXPECTANCY 61 YEARS MALE 65 YEARS FEMALE BIRTHRATE 26 PER 1000 POPULATION DEATH RATE 8 PER 1000 POPULATION
