Population and Demographics of Kiribati
Population changed +1.5% in 2024 · median age 23 years
Annual population movement in Kiribati is +1.50% in 2024, with the 2050 medium scenario above the 2024 total. The age structure puts 61.07% in the 15-to-64 band, leaving a 30.45-point gap between children and older adults. Under the UN medium scenario, the 2050 total is 182.6 thousand, a 35.8% increase from 2024.
Population Over Time in Kiribati
Over the 24 years from 2000 to 2024, Kiribati added roughly 0.05 million people, leaving the 2024 total at 0.135M. For 2050, the medium projection is 0.183M. That is a difference of about 0.05 million people from the 2024 estimate. The chart connects dated reference points only and should not be read as an annual interpolated series.
Age Structure and Sex Balance
In 2024, Kiribati's age mix can be described as young on the broad UN age-group measures. Children under 15 make up 34.69% of the population, compared with 4.24% aged 65 or older, and 61.07% are 15 to 64. The age balance is weighted toward younger residents.
Population by broad age group
Kiribati's 2024 population is 51.5% female and 48.5% male in the World Bank series. Females exceed males by 3.0 percentage points.
Female and male population share
Females made up 51.5% of the population in the World Bank's 2024 series, compared with 48.5% males.
What Is Shaping Population Change
The 2024 population series for Kiribati records +1.50% annual change and a fertility rate of 3.1, with the youngest broad age group at 34.69% and the oldest at 4.24%.
The difference between the 2000 and 2024 population points is +51.8% in Kiribati, whereas the medium projection changes the population +35.8% by 2050; that contrast is reported without assigning unsupported causes.
2024 estimate for Kiribati. The world comparison value is 2.25 children per woman.
Kiribati vs. World
A same-year comparison shows Kiribati at +1.50% annual growth, 3.1 children per woman and a median age of 23, against world values of +0.87%, 2.25 and 30.6.
| Indicator | Kiribati | World | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Annual population change | +1.5% | +0.87% | 2024 |
| Total fertility rate | 3.1 | 2.25 | 2024 |
| Median age | 23 | 30.6 | 2024 |
For comparability, the growth, fertility and median-age rows are kept to the same 2024 harmonized dataset, which cites UN World Population Prospects 2024 as its demographic source.
Key Takeaways
At 0.135M, the 2024 population is paired with an annual change rate of +1.50%.
The 2024 age structure is 34.69% under 15, 61.07% aged 15 to 64 and 4.24% aged 65 or older.
Females make up 51.5% of the 2024 population in the World Bank indicator, with males at 48.5%.
The 2050 medium projection is 0.183M, 35.8% above the 2024 estimate.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the population of Kiribati?
The 2024 harmonized population estimate for Kiribati is 134,518 people.
Is the population of Kiribati growing or declining?
In the 2024 estimate, Kiribati's population is growing, with annual change of +1.50%.
What percentage of the population of Kiribati is aged 65 or older?
People aged 65 or older account for 4.24% of Kiribati's 2024 population in the UN WPP-based broad age data.
What is the projected population of Kiribati in 2050?
The UN World Population Prospects 2024 medium projection puts Kiribati's 2050 population at 182,621.
What is the fertility rate in Kiribati?
The 2024 harmonized fertility estimate for Kiribati is 3.1 children per woman.
Sources & methodology
This profile uses United Nations World Population Prospects 2024 as the primary framework for globally comparable population, age, fertility and projection data. The World Bank is the primary source for the female population share. Some country values were accessed through secondary retrieval interfaces that republish or organize UN data; those interfaces are identified below as secondary and are not treated as the original statistical publishers.
View sources used for this page
Primary global framework for the population estimates and projections.
Harmonized 2024 country table based on UN World Population Prospects 2024.
Harmonized broad age shares based on UN World Population Prospects 2024.
Harmonized reference for the 2000 population point.
Harmonized 2050 country projection based on UN World Population Prospects 2024.
Used for the 2024 female share; the male share is calculated as the remainder to 100%.