Kiribati

See the Department of State’s Fact Sheet on Kiribati for additional information on U.S.- Kiribati relations. 

Transportation

Road Conditions and Safety: Traffic moves on the left side of the road in Kiribati. While satisfactory is some areas, roads in urban Tarawa and Christmas Island generally need repair. After heavy rains and high tides, some road sections temporaryily flood.  Traffic proceeds at a relatively slow rate. Drinking and driving is commonplace, especially on the weekends. Since visibility is poor, with no streetlights, drivers should be especially careful when driving at night. For specific information concerning Kiribati drivers’ permits, vehicle inspection, road tax and mandatory insurance, please contact the Consulate of the Republic of Kiribati in Honolulu, Hawaii at (808) 834-7603 or KiribatiConsul@aol.com.

Traffic Laws:   The traffic speed has been reduced in places to 20 km/h or less as a result of road damage, and driving conditions are hazardous, particularly after rain.

Public Transportation: The road network is very small, comprising approximately 546 km of main roads and 262 km of minor roads, of which 119.4 km and 13.8km, respectively, are sealed roads. The main sealed roads are on South Tarawa and Kirimati, and the unsealed roads are distributed among 20 islands.  While the lightly travelled roads of Kirimati are in relatively good condition, the heavily used South Tarawa roads are deteriorating rapidly, and the impact of poor road conditions is significant.  Road safety is a major concern with a growing incidence of road accidents due to increased traffic, the age and condition of vehicles and dangerous driving.

Please refer to our Road Safety page for more information.

Aviation Safety Oversight: As there is no direct commercial air service to the United States by carriers registered in Kiribati], the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has not assessed the government of Kiribati’s Civil Aviation Authority for compliance with International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) aviation safety standards.  Further information may be found on the FAA’s safety assessment page.

Safety and Security

Crime:  The crime rate in Kiribati is low; however, you should still not be complacent regarding your personal safety or protecting your valuables.

See the Department of State and the FBI pages for information on scams.

Victims of Crime:  Report crimes to the local police at 999 and contact the U.S. Embassy at +(679) 772-8049.  You can also reach individual emergency services by directly dialing 992 for police, 993 for fire, and 994 for ambulance.  Remember that local authorities are responsible for investigating and prosecuting the crime.

See our webpage on help for U.S. victims of crime overseas.

We can:

• help you find appropriate medical care
• assist you in reporting a crime to the police
• contact relatives or friends with your written consent
• explain the local criminal justice process in general terms
• provide a list of local attorneys
• provide our information on victim’s compensation programs in the U.S.
• provide an emergency loan for repatriation to the United States and/or limited medical
• support in cases of destitution
• help you find accommodation and arrange flights home
• replace a stolen or lost passport

Domestic Violence:  U.S. citizen victims of domestic violence may contact the Embassy for assistance.

For further information:

• Enroll in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) to receive security messages and make it easier to locate you in an emergency. 
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• See the State Department's travel website for Worldwide Caution, Travel Warnings, and Travel Alerts.
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• See our Traveler's Checklist for useful travel tips.