Capital of Kiribati: Tarawa
The capital of Kiribati is Tarawa. Kiribati sits in Oceania, has a population of 131,232, and uses the AUD. Official languages include English, Gilbertese.
Quick facts
- Capital: Tarawa
- Continent: Oceania
- Population: ~131,232
- Area: 811 km²
- Population density: 162 people per km²
- Official languages: English, Gilbertese
- Currency: AUD
- ISO code: KI
How big is Kiribati?
By population, Kiribati ranks 180th in the world, holding roughly well under a hundredth of a percent of all people on Earth. By land area it ranks 174th.
Those two numbers rarely match, and the gap between them is the interesting part. Kiribati has 162 people per square kilometre, which is about 2.7 times the world average of 59.4. It is more spacious than its population alone would suggest.
Within Oceania, Kiribati is the 8th most populous country of 14.
Countries of a similar size
The two countries closest to Kiribati in population are Grenada (125,438) and Micronesia (114,164).
By land area, its closest counterparts are Bahrain (765 km²) and Dominica (751 km²).
Comparisons like these are worth more than raw figures when you are trying to remember them. A number on its own is hard to hold; a number next to a country you already have a feel for is much easier.
Language and currency
English is spoken officially in 58 countries in this dataset, including Antigua and Barbuda, Australia, Bahamas, Barbados and Belize, and 52 others.
The AUD is not unique to Kiribati — it is also used by Australia, Nauru and Tuvalu. Shared currencies usually mark a monetary union or a long-standing peg, and they are a useful shortcut in quizzes: get one country's currency and you often get several.
Kiribati in Oceania
The largest countries by population sharing this continent are Australia, Papua New Guinea, New Zealand and Fiji.
If you are learning capitals region by region — far more effective than working alphabetically — Oceania is the block Kiribati belongs to, and its neighbours are the ones worth learning alongside it.
Try the Country to Capital Quiz, or the harder reverse direction. There is also a full country profile for Kiribati and a page on the flag of Kiribati.
Frequently asked questions
What is the capital of Kiribati?
The capital of Kiribati is Tarawa.
What is the population of Kiribati?
About 131,232, making it the 180th most populous country in the world.
How big is Kiribati?
811 square kilometres, ranking 174th by land area, at a density of 162 people per square kilometre.
What currency does Kiribati use?
The AUD, shared with 3 other countries.