KATHMANDU: Nepal has established diplomatic relations with Republic of Kiribati.

Nepal has diplomatic relations with 183 countries including Kiribati.

Kiribati (pronounced Kiribas), which is located in the central Pacific Ocean, gained independence on 12 July 1979 from Britain.

It has a total land area of 811 square kilometers with a population of over 120,000 people. Kiribati became a member of the United Nations on 14 September 1999.

Both Nepal and Kiribati are members of G77 and China and the Least Developed Countries.

Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Nepal to the United Nations Lok Bahadur Thapa and Ambassador and Permanent Representative of the Republic of Kiribati to the United Nations Teburoro Tito signed a Joint Communiqué to this effect in a brief ceremony held at the Permanent Mission of Nepal in New York, today.

They also signed a joint letter informing the Secretary-General of the United Nations about the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries.