Kiribati Economy

PEOPLE OF KIRIBATI

Kiribati witnessed its primitive settlers coming from the Southeast Asian and the Samoa provinces. The local people of the region are called as I-Kirbati where the native of Banaba converses in Gilbertese dialect thereby sharing a commonality with the I-Kiribati community. Tuvaluans community even resides within the region of Kiribati along the Tarawa Island. Kirbati being a British colony accepted English as their official language within the province. The missionaries of American Protestant came up with the religion of Christianity thereby settling the belief within the area. Whereby about 52 percent of the residents belong to the Catholic community while the rest 40 per cent to the Congregational Protestant. Catholicism was even widespread in the northern region. The major beliefs on which the natives kept their faith on were te maka "the power" or "the magic" along with worshiping the Creator named as Nareau thereby believing in the spirits of ghosts.



ARTS, CULTURE AND MUSIC OF KIRIBATI

Art: The local natives of Kiribati indulge most of their time in crafting handicrafts like making baskets, designing hand made table mats, making cups out of pandanus leaves, using sea shells for ornamenting wonderful pieces of necklaces along with using shark teeth swords from the coconut shell pieces.

Culture: Tabiteuea or the traditional martial arts came into existence within this region. Natives resort to activities like canoe racing, volleyball and soccer along with indulging in native performances and functions.

Music: Kiribati folk music has gained wide popularity in the region, which is based on chanting and vocalizing, conveyed mainly through body thumping. The standing dance popularly called as Te Kaimatoa, or the hip dance known as the Te Buki accompanied with drumming instruments can be widely seen within the region. The native songs of the region are based on love themes that are played during an occasion based on religious ceremony, patriotism, war and wedding purposes. Stick dances known as 'tirere' are also carried out during an auspicious occasion. Kiribati Mwaie dancing, a popular dance form is constituted with elements like chorus, dance, ballet and lyric drama that are performed by natives wherein the dance reflects the life the people live within.

FLAG OF KIRIBATI

The Kiribati flag was officially accepted during the month of July 12, 1979. The flag is designed with a golden colored frigatebird flying above the bright rising sun towards the upper side of the flag that is set within a red colored background. The lower side is marked with wavy stripes alternatively colored in blue and white, of three stripes each that denotes the serene ocean within the province along with presence of three islands namely the Gilbert, Phoenix and Line Islands. The rays emitting from the sun accounts for 17 in numbers, which relates to the country's 16 Gilbert Islands along with the previous Ocean Island named now as Banaba. The symbol of the flying frigate bird soaring above the mounting sun is derived from the coat of arms, and carries the meaning of strength and supremacy from the sea.

ECONOMY OF KIRIBATI

As per the Gross National Product, Kiribati stands as one of the poorest state in the world. In was during the year 1979, Phosphates was exported from the area of Banaba Island, which got exhausted very soon, that created a major impact on the economic development within the country.

Presently Kiribati rests on the foreign aids and returns earned from the country's fishing permit that finances the imported needs within the state.

Kiribati earns a major portion of its earnings from abroad. The country gains from the fishing authorization, development aid, employee's remittance, and from the tourism industry.

Several food crops are grown within the region like bananas, breadfruit, and papaya. Coconut product copra, balances the country's financial needs to about two-thirds of the portion, which is a major source of export within the region.

Goods that are exported to other countries especially to Australia are pet fish, shark fins, and seaweeds.

The products that are cultivated here are copra, taro, breadfruit, sweet potatoes, vegetables and fish.