Kiribati - 57.15
79
“Better to jump off the sinking ship before it becomes a sinking ship on fire” - Scott Wozniak
Kiribati is a front-runner in the race to be the first country to sink. It is all but doomed to climate change, and will likely be underwater by 2050. Kiribati’s low-lying islands in an area especially prone to rising tides spell a bleak future for this archipelago nation. Kiribati suffers from a lack of infrastructure, as significant parts of the population lack access to electricity, running water, and healthcare. Both obesity and malnourishment are prevalent at unacceptably high levels. Corruption remains an issue and the government is generally slow to act. However, Kiribati has one of the strongest democracies in the world and has free expression with very few limitations. Kiribati is a country that will soon be little more than a shallow patch of ocean but if nothing else it demonstrated that a free and fair government can be run with very few resources.
Human Rights - 62
Kiribati has fully abolished the death penalty. Corporal punishment is a legal punishment for children but it is not enforced. Homosexuality is legal but it is not enforced. Abortion is legal to save the woman’s life.
Democracy - 99
The president is directly elected. Every assemblyman except for one is directly elected, and this position is elected by the legislature of displaced i-Kiribati living in Fiji. Elections are free and fair. Kiribati has a decent multi-party system but parties form and dissolve with regularity.
Freedom - 90
Drug possession and trafficking are both punishable by steep sentences. All guns are de facto illegal.
Economy - 29
Health - 12
Kiribati has a life expectancy of 68 years and an infant mortality rate and an infant mortality rate of 4%. 46% of i-Kiribati are obese and 19.2% are malnourished. Kiribati’s universal healthcare system leaves significant portions of the population without healthcare as the country’s only hospital is in Tarawa. Residents of outlying islands lack access to modern medicine and must take hours-long rides on water ambulances to get to Tawawa to seek proper care. Roughly 20% of i-Kiribati have running water access and there is very little access to running water outside of Tarawa. Kiribati has major problems with cholera as a result.
Corruption - 45
Graft is a major problem in Kiribati as poor administration of public funds has allowed for rampant embezzlement. Kiribati is known to sell international recognition. Kiribati recognized Taiwan until 2019 when it switched recognition to China after agreeing to a large foreign investment package. Prior to switching recognition, Kiribati received large amounts of foreign investment from Taiwan.
Competency - 30
The government is failing to provide for the people as large parts of the population lack access to modern medicine. Poverty remains rampant. The government has failed to respond to climate change. While this is an issue that is largely out of their control, former presidential administrations have outright denied climate change.
Future - 1
Kiribati will be underwater by 2050.
Actions Abroad - 64
Kiribati has no military of any kind and instead falls under the military protection of Australia and New Zealand. Kiribati is a commonwealth republic. Kiribati is known to sell international recognition, as it switched from recognizing Taiwan to China in 2019 after receiving a large foreign investment package. Kiribati receives large amounts of foreign investment from China, Australia, New Zealand, and the United States.
12.9% of i-Kiribati live below the international poverty line and 21.8% live below the national poverty line. 30.6% of i-Kiribati are unemployed. Kiribati has a low economic disparity. Kiribati has no minimum wage. Kiribati has a weak universal healthcare system as the country’s only hospital is in Tarawa. Outlying islands are reliant on primitive clinics without proper emergency care or they entirely lack access to modern medicine. Residents of these outer islands often must take hours-long rides on water ambulances to get to Tarawa for proper care. The i-Kiribati economy grew 2.5% in 2020 and 2.2% in 2019.