Yearbook 2016
Kiribati. The current population of Kiribati is 119,460. The parliamentary elections, the first round of which was held at the end of December 2015, were completed in January. Boutokaan Te Koaua (BTK) was given 26 seats while Tobwaan Kiribati Pati (TKP), formed in January through a merger of Karikirakean Tei-Kiribati (KTK) and Maurin Kiribati Pati (MKP), was given 19 seats.
According to thereligionfaqs, the candidates in the Kiribati presidential election are nominated by MPs. The president is both head of state and government. Ahead of the March elections, TKP launched Taneti Maamau as its candidate. He was brought against Rimeta Beniamina and Tianeti Ioane, both of whom were supported by BTK. Maamau took a clear victory with 60% of the vote and thus became the country’s fifth president.
In September, an agreement was signed between Kiribati and the EU on support for an energy project in the island nation. The EU will contribute US $ 5.6 million to increase energy production and expand the electricity grid in Kiribati.