Kiribati population pyramid 2026
138,445 people in 2026 (projected). Kiribati’s pyramid is still broad-based, with a third of people under 15, but it has a notch at ages 20–24 and a clear shortage of older men.
- 2026 population
- 138.4Krank 193 of 237
- Median age
- 23.0 yearsoldest rank 179
- Fertility rate
- 3.06births per woman · above replacement
- Structure
- Youthful4.5% age 65+
Kiribati population pyramid
2026 · Share of total by five-year age group and sex
Hover over or tap a bar to see exact values.
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The UN series provides historical estimates through 2023. Figures from 2024 onward—including 2026—are medium-scenario projections, not counts or predictions guaranteed to occur.
Kiribati age distribution in 2026
Children under 15 account for 34.0% of the population, while 4.5% are aged 65 or older. The remaining 61.5% are in the conventional working-age range of 15–64. On these shares, the site classifies Kiribati’s age structure as youthful; the guide to expansive population pyramids explains what that shape implies.
The total age dependency ratio is 62.6: about 63 people under 15 or 65+ for every 100 people aged 15–64 (55.2 children and 7.4 older people). This is an age-balance indicator, not a literal count of economic dependants per worker.
What shapes Kiribati’s population pyramid
A young atoll nation
Kiribati, a nation of mostly low-lying atolls in the central Pacific with about 138,000 people, has an expansive pyramid. Fertility has fallen slowly, from about 6.4 children per woman in 1960 to about 3.1 today, so each band of children is still larger than the one above it and births outnumber deaths more than three to one.
With so few people, single five-year bands can swing by several hundred for reasons that are hard to pin down, and the chart should be read with that in mind. The 20–24 band in 2026, born about 2002–06, is about 14% smaller than its neighbours; the chart alone cannot show whether this reflects fewer births in those years or young adults leaving, for example through temporary labour schemes in Australia and New Zealand. Net emigration has been large for so small a population, about 26,000 between 1950 and 1999, a period that included organised resettlement of I-Kiribati families to the Solomon Islands, and about 13,000 since.
Women outnumber men from the early thirties onward, and the gap widens with age: about 80 men per 100 women at 60–64 and 64 at 70–74. Men live about four years less than women, and life expectancy overall has barely risen since 2010, at about 66.5 years. Under the medium scenario the population reaches about 183,000 in 2050 and levels off near 223,000 by the end of the century.
What to notice across the years
Distinctive cohorts and turning points
Comparing each five-year band with its neighbours picks out the cohorts that break a smooth slope. These irregularities usually record past surges or deficits in births, or migration concentrated at particular ages; the pattern alone does not identify which. The guide to baby booms and echo cohorts explains how to date and interpret them.
| Age band in 2026 | Born about | Feature | Versus neighbouring bands |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20–24 | 2002–2006 | Notch (smaller cohort) | −14% |
In the UN medium scenario births outnumber deaths in every year through 2100. Children under 15 outnumber people aged 65 and older in every pyramid year through 2100.
Births, deaths, and migration
A pyramid changes in only three ways: births add to the base, deaths remove people at every age, and migration adds or removes people mainly in young adulthood. In 2026, Kiribati is projected to record 3,370 births (about 9 births a day) and 981 deaths, a natural increase of 2,389. Net migration adds −441 people, ranking #200 in the net migration rate ranking.
Between 2000 and 2023 the UN estimates 77,117 births, 18,751 deaths, and cumulative net migration of −12,688. Over that period the balance of births and deaths moved the total more than migration did. See how migration shapes a pyramid and birth rate versus fertility rate. The medium scenario assumes net migration of −9,878 between 2026 and 2050.
Annual values 1950–2100; dashed lines after 2023 are the UN medium projection. The trend table below lists the values by decade.
Life expectancy and mortality
- Life expectancy, women
- 68.6 years46.9 in 1950
- Life expectancy, men
- 64.9 years44.5 in 1950
- Further years at 65
- 13.5 yearsboth sexes
- Infant mortality
- 41.3per 1,000 births · 146 in 1950
- Under-five mortality
- 52.3per 1,000 births
- Mother’s mean age at birth
- 29.0 yearssex ratio at birth 107.1
Women in Kiribati are projected to live 3.7 years longer than men, which is why the female side of the pyramid widens relative to the other at older ages (see the life expectancy gap ranking). Infant mortality has fallen from 146 to 41.3 deaths per 1,000 live births since 1950, ranking #24 of 237 in the infant mortality ranking (highest first). A mean age at childbearing of 29.0 years sets the spacing between generations, and so how far apart echo cohorts sit in the pyramid.
Median age, fertility rate, and global ranks for Kiribati
The median age of 23.0 years splits the population into two equal halves. A total fertility rate of 3.06 births per woman is above the replacement level of roughly 2.1, and life expectancy at birth is 66.9 years.
These ranks compare all 237 countries and areas in this dataset using the same 2026 UN medium projection. Ranks use the stored source precision, so displayed rounding can make adjacent values look identical; small differences should not be overinterpreted.
| Indicator | 2026 value | Global rank | Ranking direction |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 138,445 | #193 | Largest first |
| Median age | 23.0 years | #179 | Oldest first |
| Fertility rate | 3.06 | #55 | Highest first |
| Annual growth | +1.4% | #72 | Fastest first |
| Life expectancy | 66.9 years | #200 | Highest first |
| Population aged 65+ | 4.5% | #176 | Highest share first |
Largest age groups in Kiribati
The five largest cohorts identify where the 2026 population is concentrated. They can reflect past birth patterns, survival, and migration; the chart alone does not establish which cause dominates.
| Rank | Age group | Population | Share of total | Male / female |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 0–4 | 16,139 | 11.7% | 8.3K / 7.8K |
| 2 | 5–9 | 15,780 | 11.4% | 8.1K / 7.7K |
| 3 | 10–14 | 15,098 | 10.9% | 7.6K / 7.5K |
| 4 | 15–19 | 13,564 | 9.8% | 6.7K / 6.9K |
| 5 | 25–29 | 11,347 | 8.2% | 5.6K / 5.7K |
Sex ratio and the balance by age
In the 2026 projection, Kiribati has 67,330 males and 71,115 females. That is 94.7 males per 100 females, ranking #182 when the dataset is ordered from the highest male-to-female ratio to the lowest.
Males account for 48.6% of the population and females for 51.4%. There are 3,785 more females than males overall. Among people aged 65 and older, the ratio is 65.0 males per 100 females.
The overall balance can conceal large differences by age; how sex ratios change with age explains the usual pattern. The ratio reflects the male/female categories in the UN source and is not a measure of gender identity. Compare all profiles in the sex-ratio ranking.
At birth, 107.1 boys are projected to be born for every 100 girls in 2026, close to the biological norm of about 105 (compare the sex ratio at birth ranking). The ratio at birth sets the balance at the base of the pyramid; how it changes with age then depends on survival and migration.
How Kiribati has changed since 1950
The population has increased from 37,846 in 1950 to 138,445 in 2026, a change of 266%. Over the same span, median age moved from 21.1 to 23.0 years.
The under-15 share changed from 37.4% to 34.0%, while the share aged 65 and older changed from 7.1% to 4.5%. These shifts show why total population growth and age-structure change need to be read separately.
How the population could change by 2050
Under the UN medium scenario, Kiribati’s population is projected to grow by about 32%, reaching 182,621 in 2050. The median age changes from 23.0 to 27.6 years.
The 65+ share is projected to rise by 2.9 percentage points to 7.4%. At the same time, the under-15 share is projected at 27.4%. How UN projections work explains the assumptions behind these figures.
The annual UN series reaches its highest projected population of 222,649 in 2099. That turning point depends on the medium scenario and may move in later revisions. Compare timing across countries in the population peak ranking.
Population trend: 1950–2100
Mid-year population for every year. Estimates through 2023; dashed line shows the UN medium projection.
| Year | Population | Median age | Fertility | Life exp. | Births | Deaths | Net migration | Growth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 37,846 | 21.1 | 6.13 | 45.7 | 1,641 | 883 | 0 | +2.0% |
| 1960 | 47,157 | 17.7 | 6.44 | 48.0 | 2,051 | 911 | 0 | +2.4% |
| 1970 | 57,510 | 16.4 | 5.71 | 54.4 | 2,189 | 801 | −233 | +2.0% |
| 1980 | 61,148 | 17.5 | 4.96 | 57.3 | 2,252 | 681 | −610 | +1.6% |
| 1990 | 74,854 | 19.2 | 4.67 | 61.0 | 2,824 | 698 | −441 | +2.3% |
| 2000 | 88,613 | 18.7 | 4.07 | 64.7 | 2,791 | 638 | −629 | +1.7% |
| 2010 | 108,704 | 20.3 | 3.90 | 65.9 | 3,397 | 753 | −456 | +2.0% |
| 2020 | 126,099 | 22.2 | 3.25 | 65.2 | 3,449 | 953 | 0 | +2.0% |
| 2023 | 132,530 | 22.7 | 3.15 | 66.5 | 3,421 | 934 | −485 | +1.5% |
| 2024* | 134,518 | 22.8 | 3.12 | 66.6 | 3,405 | 950 | −471 | +1.5% |
| 2026* | 138,445 | 23.0 | 3.06 | 66.9 | 3,370 | 981 | −441 | +1.4% |
| 2030* | 146,126 | 23.3 | 2.94 | 67.4 | 3,376 | 1,054 | −426 | +1.3% |
| 2040* | 164,700 | 25.4 | 2.69 | 68.6 | 3,512 | 1,279 | −452 | +1.1% |
| 2050* | 182,621 | 27.6 | 2.48 | 69.7 | 3,526 | 1,514 | −336 | +0.9% |
| 2060* | 197,513 | 29.6 | 2.32 | 70.7 | 3,405 | 1,756 | −379 | +0.6% |
| 2070* | 208,468 | 31.5 | 2.20 | 71.8 | 3,334 | 2,025 | −395 | +0.4% |
| 2080* | 216,097 | 33.3 | 2.10 | 72.9 | 3,202 | 2,208 | −362 | +0.3% |
| 2090* | 221,156 | 35.2 | 2.01 | 74.0 | 3,017 | 2,379 | −256 | +0.2% |
| 2100* | 222,645 | 36.8 | 1.95 | 75.1 | 2,858 | 2,573 | −293 | -0.0% |
* 2024 onward is the UN medium projection. Fertility is births per woman; life expectancy is years at birth; births, deaths, and net migration are counts for that calendar year.
Download every year, 1950–2100 (CSV)
2026 population by age and sex
The table provides the counts behind the chart. Age groups are five-year bands, with everyone aged 100 or older combined.
| Age group | Male | Female | Total | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0–4 | 8,305 | 7,834 | 16,139 | 11.7% |
| 5–9 | 8,078 | 7,702 | 15,780 | 11.4% |
| 10–14 | 7,595 | 7,503 | 15,098 | 10.9% |
| 15–19 | 6,662 | 6,902 | 13,564 | 9.8% |
| 20–24 | 5,362 | 5,356 | 10,718 | 7.7% |
| 25–29 | 5,647 | 5,700 | 11,347 | 8.2% |
| 30–34 | 5,218 | 5,596 | 10,814 | 7.8% |
| 35–39 | 4,518 | 5,013 | 9,531 | 6.9% |
| 40–44 | 3,918 | 4,370 | 8,288 | 6.0% |
| 45–49 | 3,039 | 3,401 | 6,440 | 4.7% |
| 50–54 | 2,330 | 2,745 | 5,075 | 3.7% |
| 55–59 | 2,237 | 2,744 | 4,981 | 3.6% |
| 60–64 | 1,946 | 2,438 | 4,384 | 3.2% |
| 65–69 | 1,208 | 1,631 | 2,839 | 2.1% |
| 70–74 | 652 | 1,026 | 1,678 | 1.2% |
| 75–79 | 373 | 641 | 1,014 | 0.7% |
| 80–84 | 179 | 349 | 528 | 0.4% |
| 85–89 | 54 | 130 | 184 | 0.1% |
| 90–94 | 9 | 28 | 37 | 0.0% |
| 95–99 | 1 | 4 | 5 | 0.0% |
| 100+ | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0% |
Countries with the most similar age structure
These profiles have the 2026 age distributions closest to Kiribati’s, measured by the total difference in the share of the population in each five-year band. Similar shapes can arise from very different histories, so the match is a starting point for comparison, not an explanation.
- Tajikistan98% overlap · median age 22.4
- Papua New Guinea97% overlap · median age 23.0
- Namibia97% overlap · median age 21.5
- Ghana97% overlap · median age 21.6
- Eswatini96% overlap · median age 22.7
- Gabon96% overlap · median age 21.6
To calculate school-age, working-age, or older groups with other boundaries, use the age-group calculator for Kiribati.
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APA
World Population Pyramid. (2026, October 19). Kiribati Population Pyramid 2026. https://worldpopulationpyramid.com/countries/kiribati/
MLA
“Kiribati Population Pyramid 2026.” World Population Pyramid, 19 Oct. 2026, worldpopulationpyramid.com/countries/kiribati/.
Chicago
World Population Pyramid. “Kiribati Population Pyramid 2026.” Last modified October 19, 2026. https://worldpopulationpyramid.com/countries/kiribati/.
Underlying data: United Nations, Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division (2024). World Population Prospects 2024.
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Kiribati in 2026?
Under the UN World Population Prospects 2024 medium scenario, Kiribati's population in 2026 is projected at 138,445.
What is the median age in Kiribati?
The projected median age in Kiribati in 2026 is 23.0 years: half the population is younger and half is older.
What is the fertility rate in Kiribati?
The projected total fertility rate in 2026 is 3.06 births per woman, above the replacement level of about 2.1 in low-mortality populations.
Is Kiribati's population projected to grow?
Between 2026 and 2050, the UN medium scenario indicates the population will grow by about 32%, from 138.4K to 182.6K.
What share of Kiribati is aged 65 or older?
In 2026, 4.5% of the projected population is aged 65 or older. By 2050, the medium scenario places the share at 7.4%.
How many babies are born in Kiribati each year?
The UN medium scenario projects 3,370 births and 981 deaths in 2026, about 9 births a day. Births exceed deaths by 2,389.
What is life expectancy in Kiribati for men and women?
Life expectancy at birth in 2026 is projected at 68.6 years for women and 64.9 years for men, a gap of 3.7 years in favour of women.
Does Kiribati have more immigrants or emigrants?
Kiribati is projected to lose about 441 more people through emigration than it gains in 2026. Between 2000 and 2023 the UN estimates cumulative net migration of −12,688.
What is the sex ratio in Kiribati?
The projected 2026 population sex ratio is 94.7 males per 100 females. This all-age ratio is different from the sex ratio at birth and can vary substantially by age.
Sources and notes
- United Nations, DESA, Population Division: World Population Prospects 2024, medium scenario.
- Population values are mid-year figures. Source values published in thousands are converted to people; displayed figures may imply more precision than is appropriate for planning.
- Historical values through 2023 are estimates. Values from 2024 onward are projections.
- Calculations follow the site methodology.