Kiribati 

Keyfacts

POPULATION (Census 2005): 92,533
AREA: 726 sq km
CAPITAL: Tarawa
CURRENCY: Australian dollar (AUD)
LOCAL GOVERNMENT CONTRIBUTION TO GDP: -
HEAD OF STATE AND GOVERNMENT: President Anote Tong
FORM OF GOVERNMENT: republic
PARLIAMENTARY SYSTEM: unicameral
STATE STRUCTURE: unitary
LANGUAGES: English and I-Kiribati (official)
NATIONAL ELECTIONS: last: 2007; turnout: - next: 2011
LOCAL ELECTIONS: last: Aug 2008; turnout: 45%; next: 2012

Summary

Kiribati is a unitary republic with two levels of government, central and local. Local government is enshrined in the constitution and the main legislative Act is the Local Government Act 1984 (amended 2006). The Minister of Internal and Social Affairs is responsible for overseeing local government, which is made up of three town (urban) councils and 23 island (rural) councils. Local authorities are empowered to raise local revenue through by-laws, although this forms a much greater proportion of overall revenue for town councils, than for island councils, who rely much more on transfers from central government. Local government services include early years schooling, primary healthcare, public sanitation, transport, water supply and economic regulation.

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