Kiribati — Population growth
Population Growth (Annual %) for Kiribati, 1961–2025.
Population growth for Kiribati was 1.45% in 2025, according to the latest World Bank data. The series covers 65 years, from 1961 to 2025. The highest recorded value was 2.56% in 1965. The lowest was -0.67% in 1978 (about -2.2× the low point). Across that span the compound annual growth rate works out to -0.81% per year.
Kiribati ranks 73 of 217 economies on this measure (1 = highest), putting it in the top 34%. The median for East Asia & Pacific is 0.64%, so Kiribati sits above it. It peaked in 1965 and has fallen 43% since. Over the last decade (2015–2025) the figure moved up 13%. Within East Asia & Pacific it ranks 5 of 37 economies; Lao PDR (1.32%) is just below it. Its sharpest one-year move was up 214% in 1980. That is 5% below this series' own ten-year average.
Data highlights
World ranking. Climbed: 96th of 216 in 1961 → 121st of 216 in 1970 → 125th of 216 in 1980 → 87th of 216 in 1990 → 85th of 217 in 2000 → 61st of 217 in 2010 → 68th of 217 in 2020 → 73rd of 217 in 2025.
Key figures
Full history — 1961 to 2025
| Year | annual % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 1.45% | -0.0 pp |
| 2024 | 1.49% | -0.1 pp |
| 2023 | 1.57% | -0.0 pp |
| 2022 | 1.62% | -0.2 pp |
| 2021 | 1.79% | +0.0 pp |
| 2020 | 1.74% | +0.2 pp |
| 2019 | 1.49% | +0.0 pp |
| 2018 | 1.49% | -0.0 pp |
| 2017 | 1.51% | +0.1 pp |
| 2016 | 1.41% | +0.1 pp |
| 2015 | 1.28% | -0.0 pp |
| 2014 | 1.3% | -0.1 pp |
| 2013 | 1.37% | -0.1 pp |
| 2012 | 1.47% | -0.3 pp |
| 2011 | 1.77% | -0.3 pp |
| 2010 | 2.08% | -0.1 pp |
| 2009 | 2.13% | +0.0 pp |
| 2008 | 2.09% | +0.1 pp |
| 2007 | 2.03% | +0.0 pp |
| 2006 | 2% | -0.0 pp |
| 2005 | 2.01% | +0.0 pp |
| 2004 | 2.01% | -0.0 pp |
| 2003 | 2.05% | -0.1 pp |
| 2002 | 2.11% | +0.2 pp |
| 2001 | 1.92% | +0.2 pp |
| 2000 | 1.69% | -0.0 pp |
| 1999 | 1.7% | -0.1 pp |
| 1998 | 1.78% | -0.0 pp |
| 1997 | 1.83% | +0.1 pp |
| 1996 | 1.7% | +0.2 pp |
| 1995 | 1.5% | +0.0 pp |
| 1994 | 1.49% | -0.0 pp |
| 1993 | 1.53% | -0.1 pp |
| 1992 | 1.65% | -0.3 pp |
| 1991 | 2% | -0.3 pp |
| 1990 | 2.31% | -0.1 pp |
| 1989 | 2.38% | -0.0 pp |
| 1988 | 2.4% | -0.0 pp |
| 1987 | 2.43% | +0.1 pp |
| 1986 | 2.32% | +0.4 pp |
| 1985 | 1.93% | +0.3 pp |
| 1984 | 1.64% | +0.0 pp |
| 1983 | 1.63% | +0.0 pp |
| 1982 | 1.62% | +0.0 pp |
| 1981 | 1.58% | -0.0 pp |
| 1980 | 1.61% | +1.1 pp |
| 1979 | 0.51% | +1.2 pp |
| 1978 | -0.67% | -0.0 pp |
| 1977 | -0.65% | -0.1 pp |
| 1976 | -0.54% | -0.2 pp |
| 1975 | -0.38% | -1.0 pp |
| 1974 | 0.65% | -1.1 pp |
| 1973 | 1.73% | -0.2 pp |
| 1972 | 1.9% | -0.1 pp |
| 1971 | 1.97% | -0.1 pp |
| 1970 | 2.02% | +0.5 pp |
| 1969 | 1.49% | +0.5 pp |
| 1968 | 0.96% | -0.1 pp |
| 1967 | 1.04% | -0.8 pp |
| 1966 | 1.83% | -0.7 pp |
| 1965 | 2.56% | +0.0 pp |
| 1964 | 2.52% | +0.0 pp |
| 1963 | 2.5% | +0.0 pp |
| 1962 | 2.48% | +0.0 pp |
| 1961 | 2.44% | — |
Frequently asked questions
What was Kiribati’s Population growth in 1962?
2.48% (1962). The full year-by-year table above lists every published year, most recent first.
Are changes in this series measured in percentage points?
Yes. The series is a share expressed in annual %, so year-over-year movements in the Change column are percentage points (pp), not percent.
Is Kiribati’s Population growth growing or shrinking?
Between 1961 and 2025 the series was shrinking overall: -40.5% in total — about 0.8% a year compounded.
Where does this data come from?
World Bank Open Data (CC BY-4.0), indicator SP.POP.GROW. Values are reproduced as published; this page only computes summary statistics such as change, CAGR and extremes.
What are the most recent published figures?
The last five published years: 2025: 1.45%; 2024: 1.49%; 2023: 1.57%; 2022: 1.62%; 2021: 1.79%. Earlier years are in the full-history table below.
Related data
SP.POP.GROW — Population Growth (Annual %). Data licensed under CC BY 4.0. Values are reproduced as published; this page computes the summary statistics (change, CAGR, extremes) from the underlying annual series. View the original dataset on data.worldbank.org.