 |
| Government type | republic |
| Head of State | head of state and head of government: President HE Anote Tong |
| Independence | 12 July 1979 (from the UK) |
| Constitution | 12 July 1979 |
| Legal system | English common law supplemented by local, customary law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction. |
| Suffrage | 18 years of age; universal |
| Administrative divisions | 3 units; Gilbert Islands, Line Islands, Phoenix Islands; note - in addition, there are 6 districts (Banaba, Central Gilberts, Line Islands, Northern Gilberts, Southern Gilberts, Tarawa) and 21 island councils - one for each of the inhabited islands (Abaiang, Abemama, Aranuka, Arorae, Banaba, Beru, Butaritari, Kanton, Kiritimati, Kuria, Maiana, Makin, Marakei, Nikunau, Nonouti, Onotoa, Tabiteuea, Tabuaeran, Tamana, Tarawa, Teraina) |