Total population (thousands) in Kiribati
Kiribati: Total population (thousands) was 135.51 thousands in 2025. ▲ Rising
Latest (2025)
135.51 thousands
Change on year
up 1.5%
World rank
191st
of 233 countries
All-time high
135.51 thousands
in 2025
All-time low
56.93 thousands
in 1970
Years of data
56
1970–2025
Total population in Kiribati, 1970–2025
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in thousands.
Analysis
Kiribati recorded 135.51 thousands for total population in 2025. That is the highest value across all 56 years on record.
That represents a change of up 1.5% on the previous year and up 16.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, total population in Kiribati peaked at 135.51 thousands in 2025 and was at its lowest, 56.93 thousands, in 1970.
Kiribati ranks 191st of 233 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 56 years of available data.
Total population (thousands) in Kiribati, year by year
| Year | thousands | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 56.93 thousands | — |
| 1971 | 58.09 thousands | +2.0% |
| 1972 | 59.22 thousands | +1.9% |
| 1973 | 60.34 thousands | +1.9% |
| 1974 | 61.31 thousands | +1.6% |
| 1975 | 61.13 thousands | -0.3% |
| 1976 | 60.84 thousands | -0.5% |
| 1977 | 60.48 thousands | -0.6% |
| 1978 | 60.05 thousands | -0.7% |
| 1979 | 59.67 thousands | -0.6% |
| 1980 | 60.67 thousands | +1.7% |
| 1981 | 61.63 thousands | +1.6% |
| 1982 | 62.62 thousands | +1.6% |
| 1983 | 63.65 thousands | +1.7% |
| 1984 | 64.69 thousands | +1.6% |
| 1985 | 65.77 thousands | +1.7% |
| 1986 | 67.22 thousands | +2.2% |
| 1987 | 68.89 thousands | +2.5% |
| 1988 | 70.57 thousands | +2.4% |
| 1989 | 72.28 thousands | +2.4% |
| 1990 | 74.01 thousands | +2.4% |
| 1991 | 75.7 thousands | +2.3% |
| 1992 | 77.04 thousands | +1.8% |
| 1993 | 78.25 thousands | +1.6% |
| 1994 | 79.44 thousands | +1.5% |
| 1995 | 80.61 thousands | +1.5% |
| 1996 | 81.86 thousands | +1.6% |
| 1997 | 83.38 thousands | +1.9% |
| 1998 | 84.91 thousands | +1.8% |
| 1999 | 86.4 thousands | +1.8% |
| 2000 | 87.85 thousands | +1.7% |
| 2001 | 89.38 thousands | +1.7% |
| 2002 | 91.29 thousands | +2.1% |
| 2003 | 93.23 thousands | +2.1% |
| 2004 | 95.11 thousands | +2.0% |
| 2005 | 97.05 thousands | +2.0% |
| 2006 | 99.02 thousands | +2.0% |
| 2007 | 101.02 thousands | +2.0% |
| 2008 | 103.12 thousands | +2.1% |
| 2009 | 105.33 thousands | +2.1% |
| 2010 | 107.61 thousands | +2.2% |
| 2011 | 109.8 thousands | +2.0% |
| 2012 | 111.49 thousands | +1.5% |
| 2013 | 113.07 thousands | +1.4% |
| 2014 | 114.6 thousands | +1.4% |
| 2015 | 116.05 thousands | +1.3% |
| 2016 | 117.58 thousands | +1.3% |
| 2017 | 119.38 thousands | +1.5% |
| 2018 | 121.17 thousands | +1.5% |
| 2019 | 122.99 thousands | +1.5% |
| 2020 | 124.85 thousands | +1.5% |
| 2021 | 127.35 thousands | +2.0% |
| 2022 | 129.4 thousands | +1.6% |
| 2023 | 131.53 thousands | +1.6% |
| 2024 | 133.53 thousands | +1.5% |
| 2025 | 135.51 thousands | +1.5% |
Kiribati compared with similar countries
- Kiribati's 135.51 thousands is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 12,314 thousands, 1% of the median. (47 countries reporting)
- Kiribati's 135.51 thousands is below the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 1,410 thousands, 10% of the median. (37 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 59.81 thousands | 56.93 thousands | 61.31 thousands | 10 |
| 1980s | 65.8 thousands | 60.67 thousands | 72.28 thousands | 10 |
| 1990s | 80.16 thousands | 74.01 thousands | 86.4 thousands | 10 |
| 2000s | 96.24 thousands | 87.85 thousands | 105.33 thousands | 10 |
| 2010s | 115.38 thousands | 107.61 thousands | 122.99 thousands | 10 |
| 2020s | 130.36 thousands | 124.85 thousands | 135.51 thousands | 6 |
Countries ranked near Kiribati
- 188 Curacao 185.5 thousands compare
- 189 Saint Lucia 179.96 thousands compare
- 190 Guam 168.4 thousands compare
- 192 Seychelles 131.63 thousands compare
- 193 Grenada 117.26 thousands compare
- 194 Micronesia (country) 113.43 thousands compare
More population data for Kiribati
- Population regions with projections, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2100)
- Urban and rural population 2050, annual growth rate 0.7128 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population long run with projections, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2100)
- Un population 2024 vs 2022, annual growth rate 0.0327 % change on previous year (2100)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 05 - Demographic estimates 188.57 Persons (2050)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 03 - Annual population 1.43 Percent per annum (2030)
- Projected population under age 5, annual growth rate -0.4909 % change on previous year (2100)
- World population growth -0.0% (2100)
- Population density 274.88 people per km² (2100)
- Number of children under 5, by world region 14,189 people (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is total population in Kiribati?
- Total population in Kiribati was 135.51 thousands in 2025, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest total population recorded in Kiribati?
- The highest recorded value was 135.51 thousands in 2025.
- What is the lowest total population recorded in Kiribati?
- The lowest recorded value was 56.93 thousands in 1970.
- How does Kiribati rank for total population?
- Kiribati ranks 191st out of 233 countries with data for 2025.
- Is total population rising or falling in Kiribati?
- Over the last ten years it is up 16.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Kiribati data come from?
- The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as part of Total population (thousands). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 56 observations, free to reuse under CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO (UNESCO Institute for Statistics).
About this data
February 2026 Data Release