East Asia & Pacific · Lower middle income
Kiribati: the economy in numbers
Per person: $2,559, or $3,937 at purchasing power parity. Population: 136,488 (2025).
GDP in 2025, current US dollars: #200 of 204 economies. IMF forecast for 2026: +3.0%.
GDP
Adjusted for US inflation, in 2025 dollars: $95.9 million in 1970, $349 million in 2025.
GDP per capita
In 2025 dollars: $1,668 per person in 1970, $2,559 in 2025.
Real GDP growth
Average over 2016–2025: 4.2% a year. Years of falling GDP since 1971: 20 of 55.
Source: International Monetary Fund, World Economic Outlook (October 2026)
Inflation
Consumer prices rose by 64.3% from 2006 to 2025. Highest annual inflation: 16.1% in 1980.
Source: International Monetary Fund, World Economic Outlook (October 2026)
Government debt, % of GDP
Highest since 1988: 21.2% of GDP in 2016. IMF forecast for 2031: 36.4%.
Population
1960: 47,157 · 2025: 136,488.
Life expectancy at birth
1960: 48.0 years · 2024: 66.6 years.
Exports of goods and services
1972: 54.5% · 2024: 4.5%.
Data by year
Show the year-by-year table
| Year | GDP | GDP per capita | Per capita, PPP | Real growth | Inflation | Gov. debt, % GDP | Population | Life expectancy | Exports, % GDP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2031 | 2.1%f | 1.8%f | 36.4%f | ||||||
| 2030 | 2.1%f | 2.0%f | 32.4%f | ||||||
| 2029 | 2.2%f | 2.0%f | 28.2%f | ||||||
| 2028 | 2.2%f | 2.5%f | 20.9%f | ||||||
| 2027 | 2.5%f | 3.1%f | 15.7%f | ||||||
| 2026 | 3.0%f | 4.5%f | 7.7%f | ||||||
| 2025 | $349M | $2,559 | $3,937 | 4.2% | 6.5% | 8.0%e | 136K | ||
| 2024 | $343M | $2,551 | $3,728 | 4.7% | 2.5% | 8.9% | 135K | 66.6 | 4.5% |
| 2023 | $292M | $2,201 | $3,527 | 3.1% | 9.3% | 11.3% | 133K | 66.5 | 5.9% |
| 2022 | $271M | $2,079 | $3,350 | 5.1% | 5.3% | 16.2% | 130K | 66.3 | 7.6% |
| 2021 | $285M | $2,224 | $3,024 | 8.4% | 2.1% | 17.3% | 128K | 64.1 | 3.8% |
| 2020 | $221M | $1,752 | $2,715 | −1.3% | 2.6% | 21.0% | 126K | 65.2 | 10.4% |
| 2019 | $217M | $1,750 | $2,762 | 3.3% | −1.8% | 18.5% | 124K | 65.9 | 15.0% |
| 2018 | $234M | $1,916 | $2,669 | 3.4% | 0.6% | 19.0% | 122K | 65.8 | 9.0% |
| 2017 | $223M | $1,854 | $2,561 | 3.7% | 0.4% | 20.2% | 120K | 65.8 | 13.2% |
| 2016 | $206M | $1,743 | $2,463 | 7.1% | 1.9% | 21.2% | 118K | 65.8 | 16.6% |
| 2015 | $192M | $1,640 | $2,311 | 11.3% | 0.6% | 18.8% | 117K | 65.8 | 14.0% |
| 2014 | $200M | $1,737 | $2,084 | 1.3% | 2.1% | 9.0% | 115K | 65.9 | 12.0% |
| 2013 | $202M | $1,772 | $2,049 | 7.7% | −1.5% | 8.9% | 114K | 65.9 | 11.0% |
| 2012 | $207M | $1,844 | $1,896 | 5.8% | −3.0% | 8.1% | 112K | 65.9 | 12.8% |
| 2011 | $196M | $1,771 | $1,786 | 3.3% | 1.5% | 8.8% | 111K | 65.9 | 13.2% |
| 2010 | $165M | $1,522 | $1,724 | 1.2% | −3.9% | 9.4% | 109K | 65.9 | 11.6% |
| 2009 | $140M | $1,317 | $1,718 | 0.5% | 9.8% | 10.3% | 106K | 65.8 | 14.1% |
| 2008 | $147M | $1,411 | $1,735 | −3.0% | 13.7% | 13.9% | 104K | 65.7 | 14.1% |
| 2007 | $138M | $1,353 | $1,792 | 3.1% | 3.6% | 11.1% | 102K | 65.7 | 15.5% |
| 2006 | $112M | $1,123 | $1,728 | 5.8% | −1.0% | 12.9% | 100K | 65.6 | 10.2% |
| 2005 | $114M | $1,162 | $1,617 | 1.3% | −0.4% | 12.1% | 98K | 65.5 | 14.1% |
| 2004 | $104M | $1,083 | $1,579 | −0.6% | −0.7% | 13.6% | 96.1K | 65.4 | 12.1% |
| 2003 | $96.1M | $1,021 | $1,578 | −1.6% | 1.6% | 12.3% | 94.2K | 65.3 | 16.3% |
| 2002 | $74.7M | $810 | $1,605 | 1.4% | 3.2% | 13.3% | 92.3K | 65.1 | 19.1% |
| 2001 | $64.9M | $719 | $1,591 | −3.1% | 6.0% | 17.0% | 90.3K | 64.9 | 15.6% |
| 2000 | $74.9M | $845 | $1,638 | 6.7% | 0.4% | 12.7% | 88.6K | 64.7 | 10.9% |
| 1999 | $77.3M | $887 | $1,526 | −3.9% | 1.8% | 11.8% | 87.1K | 64.4 | 16.6% |
| 1998 | $74.9M | $874 | $1,593 | 4.4% | 3.7% | 9.8% | 85.7K | 64.1 | 15.0% |
| 1997 | $80.2M | $953 | $1,535 | 1.2% | 2.6% | 10.7% | 84.1K | 63.8 | 16.6% |
| 1996 | $81.5M | $986 | $1,519 | −0.1% | −1.7% | 11.0% | 82.6K | 63.5 | 11.3% |
| 1995 | $68.6M | $844 | $1,518 | 2.8% | 4.1% | 12.3% | 81.2K | 63.1 | 16.8% |
| 1994 | $67.1M | $838 | $1,469 | 2.0% | 4.0% | 12.3% | 80K | 62.8 | 15.8% |
| 1993 | $59M | $748 | $1,431 | −0.1% | 6.1% | 10.9% | 78.8K | 62.4 | 16.1% |
| 1992 | $61.5M | $792 | $1,421 | 24.0% | 4.2% | 7.3% | 77.6K | 62.0 | 16.2% |
| 1991 | $41.2M | $540 | $1,139 | −5.6% | 6.1% | 8.4% | 76.4K | 61.5 | 24.9% |
| 1990 | $36.5M | $488 | $1,192 | −6.4% | 4.0% | 7.7% | 74.9K | 61.0 | 22.4% |
| 1989 | $37.6M | $515 | −7.3% | 5.6% | 5.0% | 73.1K | 60.5 | 25.9% | |
| 1988 | $38.3M | $536 | 22.0% | 1.1% | 2.5% | 71.4K | 60.1 | 25.6% | |
| 1987 | $29.6M | $424 | 1.3% | −10.2% | 69.7K | 59.6 | 33.8% | ||
| 1986 | $26M | $382 | −2.5% | 6.6% | 68.1K | 59.1 | 39.2% | ||
| 1985 | $26.1M | $393 | −13.2% | 4.5% | 66.5K | 58.7 | 36.0% | ||
| 1984 | $34.4M | $527 | 13.9% | 5.4% | 65.2K | 58.4 | 48.9% | ||
| 1983 | $31M | $483 | −9.8% | 6.3% | 64.2K | 58.0 | 34.2% | ||
| 1982 | $32.7M | $519 | −1.1% | 5.5% | 63.1K | 57.8 | 33.3% | ||
| 1981 | $35.3M | $568 | 6.1% | 7.7% | 62.1K | 57.5 | 35.8% | ||
| 1980 | $33.2M | $542 | −1.1% | 16.1% | 61.1K | 57.3 | 55.6% | ||
| 1979 | $34.5M | $573 | −11.6% | 60.2K | 57.1 | 75.8% | |||
| 1978 | $36.6M | $611 | 1.1% | 59.9K | 56.9 | 67.9% | |||
| 1977 | $31.3M | $520 | −4.6% | 60.3K | 56.1 | 69.0% | |||
| 1976 | $33.2M | $548 | −26.8% | 60.7K | 56.6 | 69.7% | |||
| 1975 | $44.5M | $730 | 5.3% | 61K | 56.4 | 83.6% | |||
| 1974 | $69.3M | $1,131 | 45.3% | 61.2K | 56.1 | 85.8% | |||
| 1973 | $25.6M | $422 | 20.9% | 60.8K | 55.8 | 65.0% | |||
| 1972 | $15.3M | $256 | 12.1% | 59.8K | 55.3 | 54.5% | |||
| 1971 | $12.4M | $211 | −2.3% | 58.7K | 54.9 | ||||
| 1970 | $11.6M | $201 | 57.5K | 54.4 | |||||
| 1969 | 56.4K | 53.8 | |||||||
| 1968 | 55.5K | 53.1 | |||||||
| 1967 | 55K | 52.5 | |||||||
| 1966 | 54.4K | 51.7 | |||||||
| 1965 | 53.4K | 51.0 | |||||||
| 1964 | 52.1K | 50.4 | |||||||
| 1963 | 50.8K | 49.7 | |||||||
| 1962 | 49.5K | 49.0 | |||||||
| 1961 | 48.3K | 48.5 | |||||||
| 1960 | 47.2K | 48.0 |
e: IMF estimate; f: IMF forecast. Inflation: IMF data for 1980–2006, World Bank for the other years.
Nearby economies in East Asia & Pacific
Nearest by distance between capitals, with GDP per capita.
American Samoa · Australia · Brunei · Cambodia · China · Fiji · French Polynesia · Guam · Hong Kong · Indonesia · Japan · Kiribati · Laos · Macao · Malaysia · Marshall Islands · Micronesia · Mongolia · Myanmar · Nauru · New Caledonia · New Zealand · North Korea · Northern Mariana Islands · Palau · Papua New Guinea · Philippines · Samoa · Singapore · Solomon Islands · South Korea · Thailand · Timor-Leste · Tonga · Tuvalu · Vanuatu · Vietnam
Rankings
GDP by country · GDP per capita · Real GDP growth · Inflation by country · Government debt to GDP · Stock market to GDP · Population by country · Unemployment by country
Data and methods
- GDP: gross domestic product in current US dollars, converted from the local currency at market exchange rates (World Bank); not adjusted for inflation.
- Purchasing power parity (PPP): GDP per person in international dollars, which buy the same basket of goods and services in every country. It compares living standards across countries in the same year; it is not adjusted for inflation over time.
- In 2025 dollars: the charts can remove US inflation (US consumer price index, annual average) so that dollar amounts from different years compare in today's money. Exchange rate swings still show.
- Growth and inflation: World Bank data (calendar years). Years the World Bank does not cover yet, and the estimates and forecasts, come from the IMF World Economic Outlook (October 2026): its forecasts start in 2026, and the years after a country's last actual year are IMF estimates.
- Government debt: gross debt of the general government (central, state and local government and social security funds) as a percentage of GDP, IMF. The World Bank's central government debt is narrower and covers fewer countries.
- Stock market capitalization: the end-of-year value of domestic companies listed on the country's exchanges (World Federation of Exchanges via the World Bank; before 2016, Standard & Poor's), as a percentage of GDP: the “Buffett indicator”. Investment funds are excluded, and so are companies listed only abroad; companies from elsewhere that list on an exchange count for its country (Hong Kong lists many mainland Chinese companies).
- Unemployment: ILO modeled estimates (share of the labor force); comparable across countries, but they may differ from national figures.
Source: World Bank, World Development Indicators (CC BY 4.0)
Source: International Monetary Fund, World Economic Outlook (October 2026)