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General Information Area: 810.5 sq km (312.9 sq miles). Population: 83,976 (1998). Population Density: 103.6 per sq km. Capital: South Tarawa. Population: 29,028 (1990). GEOGRAPHY: Kiribati (pronounced ‘Kiribass’, formerly the Gilbert Islands) consists of three groups in the central Pacific: Kiribati (including Banaba, formerly Ocean Island), the Line Islands and the Phoenix Islands. The 33 islands, scattered across two million square miles of the central Pacific, are low-lying coral atolls with coastal lagoons. The exception is Banaba, which is a coral formation rising to 80m (265ft). The soil is generally poor, apart from Banaba, and rainfall is variable. Coconut palms and pandanus trees comprise the main vegetation. There are no hills or streams throughout the group. Water is obtained from storage tanks or wells. Government: Republic. Gained independence from the UK in 1979. Head of State and Government: President Teburoro Tito since 1994. Language: Kiribati and English. Religion: Christianity (50 per cent Roman Catholic), the Bahai Faith and Islam. Time: GMT + 12, except as follows: Canton Island, Enderbury Island GMT +13; Christmas Island GMT +14. Electricity: 240 volts AC, 50Hz. Communications:  The Government provides radio and postal services to all inhabited islands. Telephone Country code: 686. Outgoing international code: 0. Most international calls from Kiribati have to go through the operator. IDD is available throughout urban Tarawa. Radio telephone calls can be arranged to most outer islands. Mobile telephone GSM 1800 and 900 networks in use. Network providers include Telecom Service Kiribati Ltd. Fax This is available at the local Telecoms Office. Telegram Available in Betio Mon-Fri 0800-1900 and on outer islands Mon-Fri 0800-1600. Telegrams may take several days to reach Europe. Internet ISPs include VPM Internet Services. There are no Internet cafes in Kiribati currently. Post Airmail to Western Europe takes up to two weeks. There is a weekly postal service for overseas mail. Post office hours: Mon-Fri 0900-1500. Press The weekly papers are Te Uekera and Kiribati Newstar, published in English and Kiribati. Kiribati Business Link is published in English. BBC World Service and Voice of America frequencies: From time to time these change. BBC (website: www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice): MHz 15.36 9.740 6.195 3.915 Voice of America (website: www.voa.gov): MHz 17.74 11.71 9.645 6.110 From www.columbusguides.com, Copyright © 2004 Highbury Columbus Travel Publishing Terms and Conditions apply.