1open jobs
1organisations hiring
0violent events in 3 months
To prepare a mission or a new post: the essential context, region by region. This briefing does not replace your organisation's security briefing on arrival.
presidential republic
I-Kiribati 95.78%, I-Kiribati/mixed 3.8%, Tuvaluan 0.2%, other 1.7% (2020 est.)
Gilbertese, English (official)
Roman Catholic 58.9%, Kiribati Uniting Church 21.2%, Kiribati Protestant Church 8.4%, Church of Jesus Christ 5.6%, Seventh Day Adventist 2.1%, Baha'i 2.1%, other 1.7% (2020 est.)
Country profiles: The World Factbook (CIA), public domain, last edition (2025-2026).
lower-middle income, Pacific island economy; environmentally fragile; sizable remittances; key phosphate mining fund; tourism and fishing industries; public sector-dominated economy; recent withdrawal from Pacific Islands Forum; ongoing constitutional crisis
136,488Population2025
63.4 %Urban population2025
$2,559GDP per capita2025
4.2 %GDP growth2025
6.5 %Inflation2025
0.9 %Extreme poverty (international line)2023
98.6 %Adult literacy2020
89.4 %Internet users2024
97.7 %Access to electricity2024
57refugees and asylum seekers from the country2025
Indicators: World Bank (CC BY 4.0); refugees and displaced people: UNHCR Refugee Data Finder. Latest available year for each figure.
Kiribati Police Service (includes Maritime Police) (2025)
Informative list, to be complemented by your organisation's security analysis and NGO security forums.
UK government (FCDO) travel advice. Some guidance is aimed at British nationals; always follow your organisation's instructions.
Escalation in the Middle East has caused widespread travel disruption, including airspace closures, delayed and cancelled flights.
Your travel plans may be affected, even if your destination is not in the Middle East. Before you travel:
No travel can be guaranteed safe. Read all the advice in this guide. You may also find it helpful to:
If you choose to travel, research your destinations and get appropriate travel insurance. Insurance should cover your itinerary, planned activities and expenses in an emergency.
The Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) provides advice about risks of travel to help you make informed decisions. Find out more about FCDO travel advice.
Sign up to get email notifications when this travel advice is updated.
Follow FCDO:
Organised violence events recorded by UCDP, July – September 2026.
No organised violence event recorded in the country over this period.
There is a high threat of terrorist attack globally affecting UK interests and British nationals, including from groups and individuals who view the UK and British nationals as targets. Stay aware of your surroundings at all times.
UK Counter Terrorism Policing has information and advice on staying safe and what to do in the event of a terrorist attack. Find out how to reduce your risk from terrorism while abroad.
Although there’s no recent history of terrorism in Kiribati, attacks cannot be ruled out.
You must always be able to show an official form of ID such as your passport. The police will usually accept a printed copy.
Possession or trafficking of drugs is a serious offence in Kiribati, and prison sentences may be heavy.
You should respect local customs about dress, including swimming costumes. Local laws ban public nudity and revealing swimming costumes.
Same-sex sexual acts are illegal. If found guilty, the penalty could be up to 14 years imprisonment.
Read more advice for LGBT+ travellers.
Internet and mobile phone services are available in some parts of Kiribati. Not all of the outer islands are connected. Services can be unreliable and expensive because of the country’s remote location.
Stray dogs have bitten visitors. Be cautious, particularly on the beach. If a dog approaches you, do not run. Reaching down as if to pick up something off the ground can be enough to scare dogs away. If a dog bites you, seek medical attention immediately.
Very few places accept credit cards in Kiribati. There are ATMs at branches of the Bank of Kiribati and ANZ in Betio, Bairiki and Bikenibeu on Tarawa atoll.
Do not swim in the lagoon in south Tarawa, as it is highly polluted.
Take great care when swimming in the sea around Kiribati. There are very strong rip tides along coast and reef areas.
Always wear safety equipment during boating trips. Squalls can happen at very short notice.
See water safety on holiday from the Royal Life Saving Society.
If you are planning to drive in Kiribati, see information on driving abroad.
You can use a UK photocard driving licence to drive in Kiribati. If you still have a paper driving licence, you may need to update it to a photocard licence or get the correct version of the international driving permit (IDP) as well.
Road conditions are poor on Tarawa, but driving standards are reasonable. Minibuses can be dangerously overloaded.
Find out what you can do to prepare for and respond to extreme weather and natural hazards.
During the wet season, which normally runs from November to April, there can be strong winds and sea swells. Flooding and coastal inundation can cause disruption to essential services and infrastructure.
Monitor regional and international weather updates from the World Meteorological Organization, the Fiji Meteorological Service and local newspapers.
There can be severe droughts in Kiribati. The authorities may put water restrictions in place.
66.6yearsLife expectancy2024
53.1per 1,000 live birthsUnder-5 mortality2024
80per 100,000 live birthsMaternal mortality2023
0.19per 1,000 peoplePhysicians2013
79.1 %Basic drinking water access2024
Before you travel check that:
This is particularly important if you have a health condition or are pregnant.
Call 994 and ask for an ambulance.
Contact your insurance company quickly if you’re referred to a medical facility for treatment.
At least 8 weeks before your trip:
See what health risks you’ll face in Kiribati, including Dengue.
Drink and use only boiled or bottled water and avoid ice in drinks. Do not eat local shellfish or lagoon fish on Tarawa.
The legal status and regulation of some medicines prescribed or bought in the UK can be different in other countries.
Read best practice when travelling with medicines on TravelHealthPro.
Medical facilities at the general hospital in Tarawa are modest. Elsewhere, nurse practitioners generally staff clinics.
Pharmaceuticals – both prescription and non-prescription medicines – are generally not available. Bring any medicines you need with you.
If you need any non-basic medical treatment, you will usually need medical evacuation from Kiribati. Make sure you have adequate travel health insurance and accessible funds to cover evacuation by air ambulance plus the cost of medical treatment abroad and repatriation.
Read FCDO guidance on travel and mental health. There is also mental health guidance on TravelHealthPro.
Passport Index Data (passportindex.org), MIT licence. Indicative, for a tourist stay; always check with the embassy or consulate. (17 February 2026)
This information is for people travelling on a full ‘British citizen’ passport from the UK. It is based on the UK government’s understanding of Kiribati’s current rules for the most common types of travel.
The authorities in Kiribati set and enforce entry rules. If you’re not sure how these requirements apply to you, contact the Fiji High Commission in the UK.
To enter Kiribati, your passport must have an ‘expiry date’ at least 6 months after the date you arrive and have at least 2 blank pages.
Check with your travel provider that your passport and other travel documents meet requirements. Renew your passport if you need to.
You will be denied entry if you do not have a valid travel document or try to use a passport that has been reported lost or stolen.
When returning to the UK, British citizens must carry a valid British passport or certificate of entitlement. See Dual citizenship.
You can visit Kiribati without a visa for up to one month.
You must hold a ticket for return or onward travel and enough funds for your stay.
The authorities will normally grant you a one-month stay on arrival. You can apply for one-month extensions, up to a maximum of 3 extra months, from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Immigration in Bairiki. Your passport must remain valid to extend your stay.
You must pay a 20 Australian dollar departure tax at the airport.
There are strict rules about goods you can take into or out of Kiribati. You must declare anything that may be prohibited or subject to tax or duty.
There is a strict quarantine regime for importing food, plant and animal (including fish) products to Kiribati. For further information, contact:
Biosecurity Services
SPC-Plant Protection Service
Private Mail Bag
Suva, Fiji Islands
Phone: (679) 3370 733
Fax: (679) 3370 021
Email: [email protected]
Strict Australian or New Zealand import regulations may apply to some Kiribati handicrafts, including straw products and shells. Check Australia travel advice and New Zealand travel advice for details. You can get a phyto-sanitary certificate in Kiribati, but the customs authorities may still confiscate items.
Before you arrive, register with the coordination bodies: they share alerts, cluster meetings and useful contacts.
Clusters: health, nutrition, protection, WASH, food security, shelter, education, logistics, emergency telecommunications and CCCM. OCHA publishes their meetings and contacts in each country where they are activated.
Organisations hiring in the country, based on open jobs on the site:
See jobs in KiribatiFunding ↗Tenders ↗Train in field security
Violence over the last 3 months, jobs and passages of official advice that mention the region.
No organised violence recorded over the period.
This information is for people travelling on a full ‘British citizen’ passport from the UK. It is based on the UK government’s understanding of Kiribati’s current rules for the most common types of travel.
The authorities in Kiribati set and enforce entry rules. If you’re not sure how these requirements apply to you, contact the Fiji High Commission in the UK.
No organised violence recorded over the period.
This briefing gathers public information to prepare a mission. It does not replace your organisation's security analysis, your security focal point's instructions or the country's authorities.