Islam in Kiribati

History

Compared to other nations in the Pacific region, Islam's history in Kiribati is relatively recent. During the colonial era under the British, there was no significant migration from British colonies in Africa or India to Kiribati. The presence of Islam in Kiribati began only in the late 20th century. In 1989, Ghanaian Muslim missionary Hafiz Jibril Ahmad Saeed was sent to the southern Pacific. By 1991, he arrived in Kiribati and established the first (Ahmadiyya) Muslim community in the country. The 2005 census did not report any data on Muslims, but religious organizations estimate around 140 Muslims in the country, constituting 0.01% of the population. In October 2016, U.S. politician Bob Riley visited Kiribati and engaged with Muslim community leaders to discuss challenges faced by religious minorities.