Kiribati ranked 192/197 by economy size with a GDP of $308M and 151/197 by GDP per capita at $2,289. Kiribati has $30.5M in government debt, with a debt-to-GDP ratio of 8.77%.
In 2025, Kiribati made up 0.0003% of the world's economy, compared to 0.0004% in 1970.
The chart below shows GDP in nominal terms, GDP adjusted for inflation (in constant dollars), and a bar chart of year-over-year inflation-adjusted growth.
| Year | GDP | GDP growth | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Current $ | Constant $ | ||
| 1970 | $11,560,877 | $84,746,575 | - |
| 1971 | $12,356,134 | $82,805,827 | 6.88% |
| 1972 | $15,314,346 | $92,808,131 | 23.9% |
| 1973 | $25,645,040 | $112,214,203 | 67.5% |
| 1974 | $69,256,489 | $163,050,326 | 170.1% |
| 1975 | $44,547,454 | $171,764,420 | -35.7% |
| 1976 | $33,246,817 | $125,786,121 | -25.4% |
| 1977 | $31,335,459 | $119,984,073 | -5.75% |
| 1978 | $36,563,965 | $121,255,417 | 16.7% |
| 1979 | $34,466,197 | $107,207,984 | -5.74% |
| 1980 | $33,157,723 | $106,050,818 | -3.8% |
| 1981 | $35,267,489 | $112,543,455 | 6.36% |
| 1982 | $32,742,713 | $111,316,560 | -7.16% |
| 1983 | $31,000,546 | $100,432,092 | -5.32% |
| 1984 | $34,394,167 | $114,410,720 | 10.9% |
| 1985 | $26,126,615 | $99,262,600 | -24% |
| 1986 | $25,993,009 | $96,815,059 | -0.51% |
| 1987 | $29,554,413 | $98,066,620 | 13.7% |
| 1988 | $38,278,810 | $119,685,813 | 29.5% |
| 1989 | $37,645,319 | $110,957,795 | -1.65% |
| 1990 | $36,534,295 | $103,872,769 | -2.95% |
| 1991 | $41,247,792 | $98,005,325 | 12.9% |
| 1992 | $61,491,369 | $121,486,649 | 49.1% |
| 1993 | $58,953,596 | $121,360,309 | -4.13% |
| 1994 | $67,055,334 | $123,842,439 | 13.7% |
| 1995 | $68,596,395 | $127,250,841 | 2.3% |
| 1996 | $81,456,854 | $127,184,611 | 18.7% |
| 1997 | $80,205,807 | $128,681,743 | -1.54% |
| 1998 | $74,905,706 | $134,398,139 | -6.61% |
| 1999 | $77,323,978 | $129,137,484 | 3.23% |
| 2000 | $74,910,527 | $137,844,792 | -3.12% |
| 2001 | $64,935,850 | $133,510,774 | -13.3% |
| 2002 | $74,743,869 | $135,442,881 | 15.1% |
| 2003 | $96,105,619 | $133,309,024 | 28.6% |
| 2004 | $104,085,892 | $132,497,215 | 8.3% |
| 2005 | $113,895,437 | $134,209,649 | 9.42% |
| 2006 | $112,338,353 | $141,962,853 | -1.37% |
| 2007 | $138,054,946 | $146,299,931 | 22.9% |
| 2008 | $147,017,895 | $141,933,271 | 6.49% |
| 2009 | $140,177,384 | $142,695,171 | -4.65% |
| 2010 | $165,458,433 | $144,444,545 | 18% |
| 2011 | $195,970,140 | $149,158,821 | 18.4% |
| 2012 | $207,001,546 | $157,815,491 | 5.63% |
| 2013 | $201,730,861 | $170,016,084 | -2.55% |
| 2014 | $200,287,282 | $172,164,514 | -0.72% |
| 2015 | $191,559,399 | $191,559,399 | -4.36% |
| 2016 | $206,467,819 | $205,137,195 | 7.78% |
| 2017 | $222,875,736 | $212,828,030 | 7.95% |
| 2018 | $233,514,717 | $220,233,253 | 4.77% |
| 2019 | $216,985,388 | $227,422,300 | -7.08% |
| 2020 | $220,897,999 | $224,083,588 | 1.8% |
| 2021 | $285,259,894 | $243,085,289 | 29.1% |
| 2022 | $270,040,457 | $254,185,355 | -5.34% |
| 2023 | $288,610,732 | $260,926,379 | 6.88% |
| 2024 | $307,862,547 | $274,669,108 | 6.67% |
Economic Statistics of Kiribati
Kiribati
|
Rank | |
|---|---|---|
| Gross domestic product |
$308M
2024 |
192/197 |
| GDP growth |
6.67%
2023-2024 |
80/196 |
| GDP per capita |
$2,289
2024 |
151/197 |
| GDP per capita, PPP |
$3,702
2024 |
169/197 |
| Government debt |
$30.5M
2024 |
183/185 |
| Debt-to-GDP ratio |
8.77%
2025 |
180/185 |
| Government debt per person |
$226.9
2024 |
181/185 |
| Average annual personal income after taxes |
$2,170
2025 |
162/197 |
| Income share by richest 10% |
22.8%
2019 |
151/169 |
| Income share by poorest 10% |
4%
2019 |
14/169 |
| Government expenditure, % of GDP |
126.6%
2025 |
2/195 |
| Consumer prices inflation |
7.8%
2024-2025 |
38/195 |
| Unemployment rate |
2.79%
2023 |
156/196 |
| Population |
138067
|
180/197 |
Kiribati's GDP per capita
Kiribati has a GDP per capita of $2,289, ranking 151/197, a GDP per capita based on purchasing power parity (PPP) of $3,702, ranking 169/197, and a median annual after tax income of $2,170, ranking 162/197.
| Year | Current $ | |
|---|---|---|
| GDP per capita | GDP per capita, PPP | |
| 1970 | $201 | - |
| 1971 | $210.7 | - |
| 1972 | $256.2 | - |
| 1973 | $422 | - |
| 1974 | $1,131 | - |
| 1975 | $730 | - |
| 1976 | $548 | - |
| 1977 | $520 | - |
| 1978 | $611 | - |
| 1979 | $573 | - |
| 1980 | $542 | - |
| 1981 | $568 | - |
| 1982 | $519 | - |
| 1983 | $483 | - |
| 1984 | $527 | - |
| 1985 | $393 | - |
| 1986 | $382 | - |
| 1987 | $424 | - |
| 1988 | $536 | - |
| 1989 | $515 | - |
| 1990 | $488 | $1,192 |
| 1991 | $540 | $1,139 |
| 1992 | $792 | $1,421 |
| 1993 | $748 | $1,431 |
| 1994 | $838 | $1,469 |
| 1995 | $844 | $1,518 |
| 1996 | $986 | $1,519 |
| 1997 | $953 | $1,535 |
| 1998 | $874 | $1,593 |
| 1999 | $887 | $1,526 |
| 2000 | $845 | $1,638 |
| 2001 | $719 | $1,591 |
| 2002 | $810 | $1,605 |
| 2003 | $1,021 | $1,578 |
| 2004 | $1,083 | $1,579 |
| 2005 | $1,162 | $1,617 |
| 2006 | $1,123 | $1,728 |
| 2007 | $1,353 | $1,792 |
| 2008 | $1,411 | $1,735 |
| 2009 | $1,317 | $1,718 |
| 2010 | $1,522 | $1,724 |
| 2011 | $1,771 | $1,786 |
| 2012 | $1,844 | $1,896 |
| 2013 | $1,772 | $2,049 |
| 2014 | $1,737 | $2,084 |
| 2015 | $1,640 | $2,311 |
| 2016 | $1,743 | $2,463 |
| 2017 | $1,853 | $2,562 |
| 2018 | $1,913 | $2,672 |
| 2019 | $1,751 | $2,763 |
| 2020 | $1,752 | $2,711 |
| 2021 | $2,222 | $3,020 |
| 2022 | $2,070 | $3,329 |
| 2023 | $2,178 | $3,486 |
| 2024 | $2,289 | $3,702 |
Kiribati's government spending, deficit, and chart
This chart shows Kiribati's government spending, budget balance, and debt over time, each expressed as a share of GDP.
Over the past 36 years, Kiribati recorded a fiscal deficit in 20 years — average annual deficit equal to -0.79% of GDP. In 2024, government spending reached $302M (126.6% of GDP), with a deficit of -15.1%.
The national debt reached $30.5M, ranking 183rd out of 185 countries by total size, with a debt-to-GDP ratio of 8.77%, ranking 180th.
| Year | % of GDP | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Government spending | Government debt | Government deficit/surplus | |
| 1990 | 105.5% | 7.72% | -4.62% |
| 1991 | 82.1% | 8.43% | 3.87% |
| 1992 | 65.9% | 7.31% | 0.79% |
| 1993 | 55.3% | 10.9% | 6.27% |
| 1994 | 54.6% | 12.3% | 0.74% |
| 1995 | 69.6% | 12.3% | -5.14% |
| 1996 | 68.4% | 11% | -20.2% |
| 1997 | 70.9% | 10.7% | 5.92% |
| 1998 | 74.7% | 9.81% | 14.6% |
| 1999 | 77.6% | 11.8% | -1.81% |
| 2000 | 66% | 12.7% | -0.03% |
| 2001 | 101.3% | 17% | -10.9% |
| 2002 | 96.9% | 13.3% | 3.13% |
| 2003 | 84.4% | 12.3% | -8.93% |
| 2004 | 103.8% | 13.6% | -19.2% |
| 2005 | 95.6% | 12.1% | -9.96% |
| 2006 | 82.1% | 12.9% | -12.3% |
| 2007 | 77.3% | 11.1% | -12.5% |
| 2008 | 79.4% | 13.9% | -15.8% |
| 2009 | 74.7% | 10.3% | -8.56% |
| 2010 | 75.7% | 9.43% | -7.8% |
| 2011 | 80.9% | 8.8% | -17.6% |
| 2012 | 83.9% | 8.13% | -5.43% |
| 2013 | 78% | 8.86% | 11.8% |
| 2014 | 101.2% | 8.97% | 35% |
| 2015 | 90.9% | 18.8% | 42.5% |
| 2016 | 99% | 21.2% | 20.1% |
| 2017 | 92.1% | 20.2% | 34.1% |
| 2018 | 108.8% | 19% | 5.18% |
| 2019 | 108.3% | 19% | 10.8% |
| 2020 | 102.2% | 21% | 3.57% |
| 2021 | 84% | 17.3% | -10.8% |
| 2022 | 87.5% | 16.3% | -18.3% |
| 2023 | 95.3% | 11.4% | 0.13% |
| 2024 | 98.1% | 9.92% | -22% |
| 2025 | 126.6% | 8.77% | -15.1% |
Inflation rate by year
Over the past 20 years, Kiribati has had an average annual inflation rate of 2.63%. In 2025, inflation was 7.8%. The bar chart below shows consumer price inflation by year.
| Year | Inflation |
|---|---|
| 1980 | 16.1% |
| 1981 | 7.7% |
| 1982 | 5.5% |
| 1983 | 6.3% |
| 1984 | 5.4% |
| 1985 | 4.5% |
| 1986 | 6.6% |
| 1987 | -10.2% |
| 1988 | 1.1% |
| 1989 | 5.6% |
| 1990 | 4% |
| 1991 | 6.1% |
| 1992 | 4.2% |
| 1993 | 6.1% |
| 1994 | 4% |
| 1995 | 4.1% |
| 1996 | -1.7% |
| 1997 | 2.6% |
| 1998 | 3.7% |
| 1999 | 1.8% |
| 2000 | 0.4% |
| 2001 | 6% |
| 2002 | 3.2% |
| 2003 | 1.6% |
| 2004 | -0.7% |
| 2005 | -0.4% |
| 2006 | -1% |
| 2007 | 3.6% |
| 2008 | 13.7% |
| 2009 | 9.8% |
| 2010 | -3.9% |
| 2011 | 1.5% |
| 2012 | -3% |
| 2013 | -1.5% |
| 2014 | 2.1% |
| 2015 | 0.6% |
| 2016 | 1.9% |
| 2017 | 0.4% |
| 2018 | 0.6% |
| 2019 | -1.8% |
| 2020 | 2.6% |
| 2021 | 2.1% |
| 2022 | 5.3% |
| 2023 | 9.3% |
| 2024 | 2.5% |
| 2025 | 7.8% |
Balance of trade
|
Kiribati
|
Rank | |
|---|---|---|
Current account balance
|
-$59.5M
2024 |
81/189 |
| Current account balance, % of GDP |
-19.3%
2024 |
177/189 |
| Goods imports |
$227M
2024 |
181/188 |
| Goods exports |
$8.49M
2024 |
186/188 |
| Service imports |
$108M
2024 |
182/188 |
| Service exports |
$7M
2024 |
186/188 |
| Imports of goods and services, % of GDP |
94.9%
2024 |
12/180 |
| Exports of goods and services, % of GDP |
6.27%
2024 |
189/193 |
Kiribati's top 10 trading partners
Kiribati's biggest trading partner accounting for 17.3%% of all exports and imports is Fiji, with a trade balance between the two of -$27.2M — Kiribati exports $1.15M worth of goods and services to Fiji and imports $28.3M.
Below is the list of the top 10 trade partners of Kiribati.
| Rank | Country | Trade value | Share of total trade | Export to | Import from | Top export to | Top import from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
Fiji
|
$29.5M | 17.3% | $1.15M | $28.3M | Raw agricultural goods | Processed food, beverages & tobacco |
| 2 |
China
|
$27.6M | 16.2% | $163K | $27.4M | Animal & marine products | Machinery & equipment |
| 3 |
Australia
|
$25.2M | 14.8% | $0 | $25.2M | Machinery & equipment | Processed food, beverages & tobacco |
| 4 |
Singapore
|
$22.5M | 13.2% | $28K | $22.5M | Metals | Raw materials & minerals |
| 5 |
New Zealand
|
$15.9M | 9.33% | $99K | $15.8M | Animal & marine products | Processed food, beverages & tobacco |
| 6 |
Japan
|
$9.91M | 5.83% | $1.69M | $8.22M | Animal & marine products | Machinery & equipment |
| 7 |
Vanuatu
|
$9.68M | 5.69% | $22K | $9.66M | Machinery & equipment | Raw agricultural goods |
| 8 |
Indonesia
|
$4.31M | 2.53% | $226K | $4.08M | Processed food, beverages & tobacco | Processed food, beverages & tobacco |
| 9 |
United States
|
$3.82M | 2.25% | $921K | $2.9M | Animal & marine products | Machinery & equipment |
| 10 |
Denmark
|
$3.79M | 2.23% | $0 | $3.79M | Animal & marine products | Processed food, beverages & tobacco |
Kiribati's top 10 exports
|
Kiribati
|
Rank | |
|---|---|---|
| Processed food, beverages & tobacco | $4.4M | 169/192 |
| Animal & marine products | $2.66M | 168/192 |
| Raw agricultural goods | $1.57M | 175/193 |
| Transport & tourism services | $553K | 188/188 |
| Business & finance services | $374K | 188/188 |
| Manufacturing & construction services | $230K | 158/164 |
| Textiles & consumer goods | $99K | 185/193 |
| Chemicals & pharma | $62K | 187/193 |
| Metals | $60K | 188/192 |
| Machinery & equipment | $19K | 190/193 |
Kiribati's top 10 imports
|
Kiribati
|
Rank | |
|---|---|---|
| Processed food, beverages & tobacco | $40.1M | 184/193 |
| Transport & tourism services | $33.2M | 185/188 |
| Machinery & equipment | $32.9M | 188/193 |
| Raw materials & minerals | $24.8M | 188/193 |
| Raw agricultural goods | $22.8M | 184/193 |
| Government & miscellaneous services | $20.3M | 127/180 |
| Textiles & consumer goods | $14.7M | 187/193 |
| Chemicals & pharma | $9.58M | 189/193 |
| Animal & marine products | $9.18M | 186/193 |
| Wood & paper products | $8.92M | 184/193 |
Economic freedom indices
|
Kiribati
|
Rank | |
|---|---|---|
| Economic freedom | 50.9 | 159/197 |
| Property rights | 68.5 | 56/182 |
| Government integrity | 48.9 | 56/182 |
| Judicial effectiveness | 59.9 | 56/182 |
| Tax burden | 72.9 | 135/181 |
| Government spending | 0 | 178/180 |
| Fiscal health | 19.7 | 155/181 |
| Business freedom | 62.8 | 102/182 |
| Labor freedom | 65.3 | 29/182 |
| Monetary freedom | 72.5 | 76/180 |
| Trade freedom | 80 | 25/181 |
| Investment freedom | 30 | 153/181 |
| Financial freedom | 30 | 141/181 |
Kiribati's economic freedom by year
Kiribati is ranked 145/180 for economic freedom with a score of 50.9, compared to 162/178 and a score of 45.7 in 2009.
| Year | Index | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Economic freedom | Judicial effectiveness | Tax burden | Government spending | Fiscal health | |
| 2009 | 45.7 | - | 42.2 | 0 | - |
| 2010 | 43.7 | - | 42.2 | 0 | - |
| 2011 | 44.8 | - | 60.3 | 0 | - |
| 2012 | 46.9 | - | 72.4 | 0 | - |
| 2013 | 45.9 | - | 71.2 | 0 | - |
| 2014 | 46.3 | - | 71.4 | 0 | - |
| 2015 | 46.4 | - | 73 | 0 | - |
| 2016 | 46.2 | - | 73.3 | 0 | - |
| 2017 | 50.9 | 33 | 73.6 | 0 | 99.5 |
| 2018 | 50.8 | 35.3 | 72.4 | 0 | 98.5 |
| 2019 | 47.3 | 34.3 | 73 | 0 | 98.6 |
| 2020 | 45.2 | 34.2 | 72.4 | 0 | 99 |
| 2021 | 44.4 | 33.1 | 70.7 | 0 | 98.9 |
| 2022 | 59.2 | 81.8 | 69.3 | 0 | 99.4 |
| 2023 | 58.8 | 51.9 | 69.5 | 0 | 82.8 |
| 2024 | 51.3 | 66.7 | 70.7 | 0 | 19.5 |
| 2025 | 50.9 | 59.9 | 72.9 | 0 | 19.7 |
More economic indicators
|
Kiribati
|
Rank | |
|---|---|---|
| Services, % of GDP |
65.7%
2022 |
39/191 |
| Industry, % of GDP |
9.86%
2022 |
182/194 |
| Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, % of GDP |
27.8%
2022 |
16/193 |
|
GNI, Atlas method
|
$487M
2024 |
190/194 |
| GNI per capita, PPP |
$5,990
2024 |
149/191 |
|
Net foreign direct investment
|
-$8.06M
2024 |
46/188 |
|
Net inflows of foreign direct investment
|
$8.07M
2024 |
167/193 |
|
Net outflows of foreign direct investment
|
$16.4K
2024 |
150/187 |
| Poverty at national poverty lines |
5.5%
2023 |
167/176 |
|
Gross capital formation, % of GDP
|
20.4%
2022 |
121/176 |
Compare countries by 7 more topics
GDP per capita map
GDP per capita
Relevant pages:
Kiribati topic pages:
Economy comparisons
The current account balance is the sum of net trade in goods and services, net earnings from cross-border investments, and net transfer payments. It reflects a country's economic transactions with the rest of the world and is a fundamental component of the balance of payments. A surplus indicates that a country exports more than it imports, while a deficit shows the opposite.
Gross National Income (GNI) measures a country's total income. It encompasses income earned by residents, businesses, and foreign sources, defined as employee compensation and investment profits. GNI adds product taxes not included elsewhere and subtracts subsidies. It accounts for income from residents working abroad but excludes earnings from foreigners within the country.
A negative value for Net Foreign Direct Investment indicates a country is a net receiver of investments, as foreign inflows exceed outflows after Balance of Payments adjustments. A positive value indicates a net provider, with outflows exceeding inflows. Inflows are credits (increasing foreign claims on domestic assets), while outflows are debits (increasing domestic assets abroad).
Foreign direct investment (FDI, net inflows) shows how much capital foreign investors bring into a country after accounting for any funds that flow back in the opposite direction. It represents the net value of overseas companies establishing, expanding, or financing businesses in the reporting country. A positive number means more capital entered the country than was withdrawn, while a negative number means foreign investors pulled out more than they invested.
Foreign direct investment (FDI, net outflows) shows how much capital residents of a country invest abroad after accounting for any funds that flow back in the opposite direction. It represents the net value of domestic companies establishing, expanding, or financing businesses in other countries. A positive number means more capital was invested abroad than withdrawn, while a negative number means residents pulled back more than they invested.
Formerly gross domestic investment, gross capital formation measures the share of a country’s economic output invested in fixed assets, including buildings, machinery, and infrastructure. It indicates how much of the economy is devoted to building productive capacity.