Kiribati
- Capital:
- South Tarawa
- Continent:
- Oceania
- Region(s):
- Micronesia
- Largest Cities:
- South Tarawa, Kiritimati, North Tarawa
- Abbreviation:
- KIR
138,445
As of Jan 1, 2026 - Source
138,445
As of Jan 1, 2026 - Source
Kiribati's population is projected to be 222,594 by 2097.
Historical
Switch the toggle to see projected data.
| Year ↓ | Population | Change | Pop. Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 138,445 | 1.52% | 193 |
| 2025 | 136,488 | 1.6% | 193 |
| 2020 | 126,099 | 1.76% | 193 |
| 2019 | 123,921 | 1.5% | 193 |
| 2018 | 122,084 | 1.5% | 193 |
| 2017 | 120,275 | 1.52% | 193 |
| 2015 | 116,815 | 1.45% | 193 |
| 2010 | 108,704 | 2.09% | 195 |
| 2005 | 98,035 | 2.04% | 198 |
| 2000 | 88,613 | 1.75% | 199 |
| Year ↑ | Population | Change | Pop. Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 138,445 | 1.52% | 193 |
| 2032 | 149,907 | 1.32% | 193 |
| 2037 | 159,186 | 1.21% | 193 |
| 2042 | 168,326 | 1.12% | 193 |
| 2047 | 177,388 | 1.05% | 191 |
| 2052 | 185,862 | 0.94% | 191 |
| 2057 | 193,388 | 0.8% | 191 |
| 2062 | 199,944 | 0.67% | 190 |
| 2067 | 205,554 | 0.56% | 190 |
| 2072 | 210,218 | 0.45% | 190 |
7.8K
20.8K
41.5K
70.1K
South Tarawa has a metropolitan area population of 70,074, comprising 50.62%% of Kiribati's total population.
| Rank | City | 2026 Pop. ↓ | % of National Pop. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | South Tarawa | 70,074 | 50.62% |
| 2 | Kiritimati | 8,151 | 5.89% |
| 3 | North Tarawa | 7,777 | 5.62% |
| 4 | Abaiang | 6,485 | 4.68% |
| 5 | North Tabiteuea | 4,551 | 3.29% |
| 6 | Abemama | 3,597 | 2.6% |
| 7 | Butaritari | 3,579 | 2.59% |
| 8 | Nonouti | 3,083 | 2.23% |
| 9 | Marakei | 3,025 | 2.18% |
| 10 | Maiana | 2,657 | 1.92% |
As of 2026, Kiribati has a total population of 138,445, ranking as the 193rd most populous nation in the world.
Kiribati has a net population change of approximately 5 people per day, driven by 9 births, 3 deaths, and net emigration of 1 people.
Kiribati represents < 0.01% of the total global population and 0.29% of Oceania's population.
Kiribati has a population density of 170.9 people per km² (approximately 442.7 per mi²), making it the 78th most densely populated country in the world.
Currently, 95.69% of the population resides in urban areas.
*Rates last updated: June 16, 2026
As of 2026, the largest ethnicity in Kiribati is I-Kiribati (95.78%) , followed by I-Kiribati/Mixed (3.8%) .
As of 2026, Roman Catholic is the largest religion in Kiribati, comprising 57.3% of the population.