🇰🇮Kiribati Political Stability: 47.9/100

As of the November 2020 census, Kiribati has a population of 119,940, with about 90% residing in the Gilbert Islands. The majority of the population lives in South Tarawa, which has seen significant urban migration in recent years. The native people are known as I-Kiribati, who primarily speak Gilbertese, with English as a second official language, though it is less commonly used outside urban areas.

World Bank governance: rule of law 54th percentile, corruption control 50th percentile, political stability 70th percentile.

Kiribati's strongest governance dimension is Political Stability at 70/100, placing it in the upper half globally. This reflects a relatively low likelihood of politically motivated violence or instability.

The weakest dimension is Regulatory Quality at 22/100. Regulatory challenges may create an unpredictable environment for economic activity and daily life.

A wide 48-point gap between the highest and lowest indicators signals deeply uneven governance. Strong performance in Political Stability contrasts sharply with weakness in Regulatory Quality. This kind of imbalance often means that day-to-day experiences can vary dramatically depending on which government functions are involved.

Kiribati's moderate governance scores suggest travelers should prepare for some institutional inconsistency. Public services may be unreliable in certain areas, and regulatory enforcement can be uneven. Travel insurance and advance planning are recommended.

The U.S. State Department currently rates Kiribati as Level 1 (Exercise Normal Precautions). This aligns with a governance profile that, while not without challenges, provides a baseline of institutional functioning.