AusAid-Kiribati Partnership

Kiribati finds itself at the center of several socioeconomic and environmental challenges to sustainable development. It has a rapidly rising population — just slightly above 100,000 — spread throughout 23 islands that are only about 2 meters above sea level, on average, making its inhabitants highly vulnerable to environmental shocks caused by climate change. Kiribati’s water and food supply are also unstable, and isolation from its trading partners means higher costs for goods and services.

Across Kiribati, unemployment remains a huge problem. The majority of families are often supported by one or two wage earners who are most likely working abroad. The high unemployment rate in the country is attributed to poor standards in education, leading to a largely unskilled population.