Continued deficits in the trade balance are often met by grants from the UK to the government's current and capital accounts. Foreign aid, in fact, accounts for between 25% and 50% of GDP.
The US Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) reports that in 1998 the purchasing power parity of Kiribati's exports was US$6 million while imports totaled US$44 million resulting in a trade deficit of US$38 million.
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) reports that in 1994 Kiribati had exports of goods totaling US$6 million and imports totaling US$27 million. The services credit totaled US$18 million and debit US$17 million. The following table summarizes Kiribati's balance of payments as reported by the IMF for 1994 in millions of US dollars.
| Current Account | 1 |
| Balance on goods | -21 |
| Balance on services | 0 |
| Balance on income | 15 |
| Current transfers | 7 |
| Capital Account | 3 |
| Financial Account | -5 |
| Direct investment abroad | 0 |
| Direct investment in Kiribati | 0 |
| Portfolio investment assets | -7 |
| Portfolio investment liabilities | … |
| Other investment assets | … |
| Other investment liabilities | 1 |
| Net Errors and Omissions | -5 |
| Reserves and Related Items | 6 |