Government and power in Kiribati
Who leads Kiribati, how the World Bank's governance indicators score it, how many women sit in parliament and government, what the state spends and taxes, and the official bodies that hold power to account. System of government: Unitary presidential republic.
Who leads Kiribati?
- Head of state: Taneti Maamau (President and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Immigration of the Republic of Kiribati)
- Head of government: Taneti Maamau (Head of Government of the Republic of Kiribati)
- Foreign minister: Taneti Maamau (Minister for Foreign Affairs and Immigration of the Republic of Kiribati)
Source: Heads of State, Heads of Government, Ministers for Foreign Affairs: Public List (United Nations Protocol and Liaison Service), list dated 15 October 2026. All world leaders.
Governance scores
The World Bank's Worldwide Governance Indicators combine surveys of households and firms with assessments by public, private and non-governmental bodies. Each score runs from 0 to 100; higher means the sources rate governance better. They measure perceptions, and each has a margin of error.
- Voice and accountability
- Measures how far citizens can choose their government, and freedom of expression, association and the media.
- Political stability and absence of violence
- Measures the likelihood of political instability or politically motivated violence, including terrorism.
- Government effectiveness
- Measures the quality of public services and the civil service, and how independent they are from political pressure.
- Regulatory quality
- Measures the government's ability to make and carry out policies that let the private sector develop.
- Rule of law
- Measures confidence in and respect for the rules of society, including contract enforcement, property rights, the police and the courts.
- Control of corruption
- Measures how far public power is used for private gain, including petty and grand corruption and "capture" of the state by elites.
How does Kiribati score on voice and accountability?
Voice and accountability: 76.7 out of 100 in 2025, 34th highest of 193 UN member states with a score (regional median 65.7). Ten years earlier, in 2015, it was 70.9.
Source: World Bank · saved copyHow does Kiribati score on political stability?
Political stability and absence of violence: 87.5 out of 100 in 2025, 18th highest of 193 UN member states with a score (regional median 81.7). Ten years earlier, in 2015, it was 82.5.
Source: World Bank · saved copyHow does Kiribati score on government effectiveness?
Government effectiveness: 44.9 out of 100 in 2025, 125th highest of 193 UN member states with a score (regional median 54.5). Ten years earlier, in 2015, it was 43.5.
Source: World Bank · saved copyHow does Kiribati score on regulatory quality?
Regulatory quality: 48.3 out of 100 in 2025, 117th highest of 193 UN member states with a score (regional median 53.6). Ten years earlier, in 2015, it was 43.7.
Source: World Bank · saved copyHow does Kiribati score on the rule of law?
Rule of law: 73 out of 100 in 2025, 37th highest of 193 UN member states with a score (regional median 65.5). Ten years earlier, in 2015, it was 65.9.
Source: World Bank · saved copyHow does Kiribati score on control of corruption?
Control of corruption: 54 out of 100 in 2025, 68th highest of 193 UN member states with a score (regional median 54). Ten years earlier, in 2015, it was 53.8.
Source: World Bank · saved copyHow many women are in Kiribati's parliament?
Women held 11.1% of seats in the national parliament (single or lower chamber) in 2025, 160th highest of 184 countries with data. Source: Inter-Parliamentary Union, via the World Bank.
Source: World Bank · saved copyHow many of Kiribati's ministers are women?
Women held 14.3% of ministerial posts in 2025, 128th highest of 190.
Source: World Bank · saved copyHow much does the government of Kiribati spend?
Central government spending (expense) was 83.7% of GDP in 2023.
Source: World Bank · saved copyHow much tax does the government of Kiribati collect?
Central government tax revenue was 17.5% of GDP in 2023, 56th highest of 110.
Source: World Bank · saved copyHow good are Kiribati's official statistics?
The World Bank's Statistical Performance Indicator, which scores how well a country's official statistics system works, was 50 out of 100 in 2024, 162nd highest of 187.
Source: World Bank · saved copyHow many births are registered in Kiribati?
91.6% of births of children under 5 were registered with a civil authority (2019).
Source: World Bank · saved copyHow many people in Kiribati use the internet?
89.4% of people used the internet in 2024.
Source: World Bank · saved copyOfficial bodies that hold power in Kiribati
Government
- Office of Te Beretitenti (Office of the President)Government news, ministry list, gazettes, commission reports and presidential statements.
- Ministry of Finance and Economic DevelopmentNational budgets, fiscal reports and economic development plans.
Parliament
- House of AssemblyHansard, bills, acts and members of the House of Assembly.
Public audit
- Kiribati Audit OfficeAuditor-General reports on public accounts and state-owned enterprises.
Government below the national level
- Island councils (23) and urban councils (3: Betio, Teinainano Urban Council on South Tarawa, Kiritimati): Councillors elected by residents; plus nominated members, including the unimane representative
- Villages (about 180): Village life led by the maneaba and unimane by custom
How local power works in Kiribati
Places in Kiribati
Sources
- World Bank: Worldwide Governance Indicators: Voice and accountability (governance score 0-100), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 70f2804fd1e2…)
- World Bank: Worldwide Governance Indicators: Political stability and absence of violence (governance score 0-100), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 1317de0c85e1…)
- World Bank: Worldwide Governance Indicators: Government effectiveness (governance score 0-100), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 a775e808dc65…)
- World Bank: Worldwide Governance Indicators: Regulatory quality (governance score 0-100), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 83b57e36ff8c…)
- World Bank: Worldwide Governance Indicators: Rule of law (governance score 0-100), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 0bccc3c054e8…)
- World Bank: Worldwide Governance Indicators: Control of corruption (governance score 0-100), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 3b15a5340cdd…)
- World Bank: World Development Indicators: Seats held by women in national parliament (SG.GEN.PARL.ZS), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 1ae1dc13981a…)
- World Bank: World Development Indicators: Women in ministerial positions (SG.GEN.MNST.ZS), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 a4e448a5b8bd…)
- World Bank: World Development Indicators: Central government spending (GC.XPN.TOTL.GD.ZS), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 808094019f50…)
- World Bank: World Development Indicators: Tax revenue (GC.TAX.TOTL.GD.ZS), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 08c94b750f31…)
- World Bank: World Development Indicators: Statistical Performance Indicator (overall score) (IQ.SPI.OVRL), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 08ac7cde9129…)
- World Bank: World Development Indicators: Births registered (SP.REG.BRTH.ZS), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 f8d443034ba7…)
- World Bank: World Development Indicators: People using the internet (IT.NET.USER.ZS), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 0d78dc658329…)
Each saved copy is the file exactly as downloaded, kept so the figures can be checked even if the source changes. Report an error.