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Kiribati vs Marshall Islands
Side-by-side comparison of Kiribati and Marshall Islands from official statistics: size, economy, people, trade, natural resources, health, infrastructure and military, with world ranks, years and sources.
Kiribati
East Asia & Pacific · nation age 47 years
Marshall Islands
East Asia & Pacific · nation age 40 years
In short
Kiribati scores 31.1 in the NationsTree Index (161st in the world) and Marshall Islands scores 21.0 (187th), a gap of 10.2 points. Their trees are 0.4 m and 0.3 m tall; tree height grows with real GDP and is adjusted by the index.
Kiribati has 3.8 times the population of Marshall Islands. Kiribati is 4.5 times larger than Marshall Islands by land area. The economy of Kiribati is 65% larger than that of Marshall Islands (GDP at purchasing power parity). Population: Kiribati 136,488 and Marshall Islands 36,282 (2025).
GDP per person at purchasing power parity is $8,964 in Marshall Islands and $3,937 in Kiribati (2025, international dollars). Life expectancy is almost the same: 66.6 and 67.1 years.
Of 26 indicators reported by both countries, Kiribati ranks higher in the world on 11 and Marshall Islands on 15. Kiribati is clearly stronger in natural resources and land & people. Marshall Islands is clearly stronger in trade, economy and environment & energy.
As a nation, Kiribati is the older of the two (statehood since 1979, 47 years), compared with Marshall Islands (since 1986). Over the last five years Kiribati improved faster (direction score 10 vs 0 out of 100).
Where they differ most
The indicators with the biggest gap in world position between Kiribati and Marshall Islands.
Kiribati
-14.5%
188th of 192
Marshall Islandsbetter
4.8%
7th of 192
Internet usersInfrastructure & digital
Kiribatibetter
89.4%
62nd of 186
Marshall Islands
65.9%
131st of 186
Renewable energyEnvironment & energy
Kiribatibetter
41.9%
57th of 212
Marshall Islands
12.2%
131st of 212
DPT immunizationSociety & health
Kiribatibetter
94%
66th of 193
Marshall Islands
85%
132nd of 193
Tertiary enrolmentSociety & health
Kiribati
5.0%
147th of 150
Marshall Islandsbetter
37.7%
98th of 150
Over time
How the two countries moved against each other, from the yearly data.
Kiribati overtook Marshall Islands in the NationsTree Index in 2024 and has stayed ahead since.
Marshall Islands overtook Kiribati in life expectancy in 2018 and has stayed ahead since.
Kiribati overtook Marshall Islands in GDP (PPP) in 1997 and has stayed ahead since.
Marshall Islands has been ahead of Kiribati in GDP per person (PPP) in every year since 1990.
Kiribati has been ahead of Marshall Islands in population in every year since 1990.
Strength by category
Average world percentile of the indicators in each category (0–100, direction taken into account). i
KiribatiMarshall Islands All indicators
Latest available value for each country with its year and world rank. Green: the better world position of the two, red: the weaker one.
| Indicator | Kiribati | Marshall Islands |
|---|---|---|
| Land & people | ||
| Surface area km² | 811180th/216 · 2024 | 181205th/216 · 2024 |
| Land area km² | 811179th/216 · 2024 | 181204th/216 · 2024 |
| Population people | 136,488187th/217 · 2025 | 36,282212th/217 · 2025 |
| Population growth % | 1.45%73rd/217 · 2025 | -3.43%216th/217 · 2025 |
| Population density people/km² | 165.971st/216 · 2024 | 207.465th/216 · 2024 |
| Urban population % | 63.4%114th/217 · 2025 | 79.1%64th/217 · 2025 |
| Population aged 0–14 % | 34.4%53rd/217 · 2025 | 33.9%55th/217 · 2025 |
| Population aged 65+ % | 4.4%159th/217 · 2025 | 4.9%150th/217 · 2025 |
| Economy | ||
| GDP USD | $349.2 m206th/210 · 2025 | $308.0 m208th/210 · 2025 |
| GDP (PPP) intl. USD | $537.3 m194th/199 · 2025 | $325.2 m197th/199 · 2025 |
| Real GDP (PPP, constant 2021 prices) intl. USD 2021 | $459.1 m194th/199 · 2025 | $277.9 m197th/199 · 2025 |
| GDP per person USD | $2,559169th/210 · 2025 | $8,489110th/210 · 2025 |
| GDP per person (PPP) intl. USD | $3,937177th/199 · 2025 | $8,964145th/199 · 2025 |
| GNI per person (Atlas) USD | $3,930141st/201 · 2025 | $9,71095th/201 · 2025 |
| GDP growth % | 4.2%74th/210 · 2025 | 2.3%138th/210 · 2025 |
| Inflation % | 6.5%145th/180 · 2025 | — |
| Central government debt % of GDP | — | 41.6%2019 |
| General government gross debt % of GDP | 8.0%7th/189 · 2025 | 8.8%8th/189 · 2025 |
| Government budget balance % of GDP | -14.5%188th/192 · 2025 | 4.8%7th/192 · 2025 |
| Main industries | ||
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing % of GDP | 23.2%24th/197 · 2024 | 19.9%39th/197 · 2024 |
| Industry incl. construction % of GDP | 11.8%177th/200 · 2024 | 13.4%168th/200 · 2024 |
| Manufacturing % of GDP | 4.2%159th/192 · 2024 | 3.2%169th/192 · 2024 |
| Services % of GDP | 70.3%34th/200 · 2024 | 68.2%41st/200 · 2024 |
| Trade | ||
| Exports of goods & services USD | $15.5 m182nd/182 · 2024 | $111.0 m177th/182 · 2025 |
| Imports of goods & services USD | $334.9 m178th/182 · 2024 | $246.0 m180th/182 · 2025 |
| Exports % of GDP | 4.5%181st/183 · 2024 | 36.0%92nd/183 · 2025 |
| Imports % of GDP | 97.6%11th/183 · 2024 | 79.9%20th/183 · 2025 |
| Trade openness % of GDP | 102.1%59th/183 · 2024 | 115.9%44th/183 · 2025 |
| Fuel exports % of merchandise exports | 0.0%148th/170 · 2021 | — |
| Manufactures exports % of merchandise exports | 2.1%161st/171 · 2021 | — |
| Food exports % of merchandise exports | 97.2%2nd/171 · 2021 | — |
| Ores & metals exports % of merchandise exports | 0.6%148th/171 · 2021 | — |
| High-tech exports % of manufactured exports | 2.3%128th/168 · 2021 | — |
| Current account balance % of GDP | -15.2%178th/191 · 2025 | 33.8%2nd/191 · 2025 |
| Foreign direct investment, inflows % of GDP | 1.2%134th/196 · 2025 | 1.0%138th/196 · 2025 |
| Natural resources | ||
| Natural resource rents % of GDP | 0.0%165th/209 · 2021 | 0.0%187th/209 · 2021 |
| Oil rents % of GDP | 0.00%120th/197 · 2021 | — |
| Natural gas rents % of GDP | 0.00%100th/197 · 2021 | — |
| Coal rents % of GDP | 0.00%68th/195 · 2021 | — |
| Mineral rents % of GDP | 0.00%91st/209 · 2021 | 0.00%91st/209 · 2021 |
| Forest rents % of GDP | 0.04%130th/209 · 2021 | 0.00%183rd/209 · 2021 |
| Arable land % of land area | 2.5%164th/206 · 2024 | 2.8%159th/206 · 2024 |
| Tourism | ||
| International tourist arrivals arrivals | 12,000188th/194 · 2019 | 6,100191st/194 · 2019 |
| Tourism receipts USD | $5.2 m172nd/175 · 2017 | $20.1 m163rd/175 · 2018 |
| Tourism receipts % of exports | 17.6%38th/168 · 2017 | 15.6%41st/168 · 2018 |
| Society & health | ||
| Life expectancy years | 66.6180th/217 · 2024 | 67.1178th/217 · 2024 |
| Under-5 mortality per 1,000 births | 53.1172nd/196 · 2024 | 26.7135th/196 · 2024 |
| Physicians per 1,000 people | 0.192013 | 0.472012 |
| Hospital beds per 1,000 people | 1.92016 | 2.82010 |
| DPT immunization % of children 12–23 months | 94%66th/193 · 2024 | 85%132nd/193 · 2024 |
| Completed lower secondary, 25+ % of adults | 77.3%77th/153 · 2024 | 94.0%2019 |
| Secondary enrolment % gross | 90.3%103rd/173 · 2024 | 85.8%117th/173 · 2024 |
| Social protection coverage (incl. pensions) % of population | 51.7%29th/55 · 2019 | 62.7%20th/55 · 2019 |
| Old-age dependency ratio % of working-age population | 7.1%159th/217 · 2025 | 8.0%145th/217 · 2025 |
| Health spending % of GDP | 10.9%17th/193 · 2023 | 13.4%5th/193 · 2023 |
| Adult literacy % | 98.6%18th/98 · 2020 | 95.8%35th/98 · 2021 |
| Tertiary enrolment % gross | 5.0%147th/150 · 2024 | 37.7%98th/150 · 2024 |
| Human Development Index index 0–1 | 0.644140th/193 · 2023 | 0.733108th/193 · 2023 |
| Income inequality (Gini) index | 24.73rd/108 · 2023 | 35.52019 |
| Extreme poverty % of population | 0.9%48th/108 · 2023 | 2.1%2019 |
| Infrastructure & digital | ||
| Access to electricity % of population | 97.7%143rd/215 · 2024 | 97.2%145th/215 · 2024 |
| Safely managed drinking water % of population | 15.1%144th/150 · 2024 | — |
| Safely managed sanitation % of population | 24.6%121st/144 · 2024 | — |
| Internet users % of population | 89.4%62nd/186 · 2024 | 65.9%131st/186 · 2024 |
| Mobile subscriptions per 100 people | 54198th/210 · 2024 | 40204th/210 · 2022 |
| Fixed broadband per 100 people | 0.0200th/208 · 2024 | 2.4156th/208 · 2022 |
| Air passengers carried passengers | 58,879142nd/161 · 2023 | 29,502150th/161 · 2023 |
| Environment & energy | ||
| CO₂ emissions per person t CO₂e | 0.5949th/203 · 2024 | 0.008th/203 · 2024 |
| Renewable energy % of final energy use | 41.9%57th/212 · 2022 | 12.2%131st/212 · 2022 |
| Air pollution (PM2.5) µg/m³ | 3.95th/200 · 2023 | 4.16th/200 · 2023 |
| Forest area % of land area | 1.3%193rd/214 · 2024 | 53.6%46th/214 · 2024 |
| Energy use per person kg oil eq. | 1082007 | 6152007 |
| Institutions & safety | ||
| Government effectiveness score 0–100 | 44.9135th/205 · 2025 | 45.1134th/205 · 2025 |
| Control of corruption score 0–100 | 54.077th/207 · 2025 | 55.274th/207 · 2025 |
| Rule of law score 0–100 | 73.043rd/207 · 2025 | 74.339th/207 · 2025 |
| Political stability score 0–100 | 87.521st/207 · 2025 | 92.23rd/207 · 2025 |
| Regulatory quality score 0–100 | 48.3129th/205 · 2025 | 42.9156th/205 · 2025 |
| Voice & accountability score 0–100 | 76.739th/205 · 2025 | 74.743rd/205 · 2025 |
| Homicide rate per 100,000 | 7.12012 | 4.21994 |
| Military | ||
| Arms imports (SIPRI TIV) TIV | 7.0 m117th/163 · 2021 | 6.0 m1991 |
| Science & innovation | ||
| Scientific articles articles | 2194th/197 · 2023 | 1195th/197 · 2023 |
Questions and answers
Which has more people, Kiribati or Marshall Islands?
Kiribati has the larger population: 136,488 (2025) compared with 36,282 for Marshall Islands (2025). Source: World Bank, SP.POP.TOTL.
Which is bigger by area, Kiribati or Marshall Islands?
Kiribati is larger: 811 km² (2024) compared with 181 km² for Marshall Islands (2024). Source: World Bank, AG.SRF.TOTL.K2.
Which economy is larger, Kiribati or Marshall Islands?
Kiribati has the larger economy at purchasing power parity: $537.3 m intl. (2025) compared with $325.2 m intl. for Marshall Islands (2025). Source: World Bank, NY.GDP.MKTP.PP.CD.
Which is richer per person, Kiribati or Marshall Islands?
Marshall Islands has the higher GDP per person (PPP): $8,964 intl. (2025) compared with $3,937 intl. for Kiribati (2025). Source: World Bank, NY.GDP.PCAP.PP.CD.
Where do people live longer, in Kiribati or Marshall Islands?
Marshall Islands has the higher life expectancy at birth: 67.1 years (2024) compared with 66.6 years for Kiribati (2024). Source: World Bank, SP.DYN.LE00.IN.
Which ranks higher in the NationsTree Index, Kiribati or Marshall Islands?
Kiribati: 31.1 points (161st in the world); Marshall Islands: 21.0 points (187th). The index combines foundations, economic strength, quality of life, problems and 5-year direction from public statistics.
Micronesia
Palau
Tonga
Vanuatu
Naoero
TuvaluSources
World Bank World Development Indicators and Worldwide Governance Indicators, compiling UN agencies, the IMF, WHO, SIPRI and national statistical offices; every row links to its world ranking with the source series. See Sources & licences and Methodology.
Cite as: NationsTree (2026). Kiribati vs Marshall Islands — country comparison. https://nationstree.org/compare/kiribati-vs-marshall-islands. Data as of 26 October 2026.