Map of Tuvalu | Geography | People | Government | Economy | Energy | Communication
Military | Transportation | Transnational Issues | Year: Guide1989199019911992199319941995199619971998199920002001200220032004200520062007200820092010201120122013201420152016201720182019202020212022202320242025 | More stats

top of page


Background: In 1974 ethnic differences within the British colony of the Gilbert and Ellice Islands caused the Polynesians of the Ellice Islands to vote for separation from the Micronesians of the Gilbert Islands. The following year the Ellice Islands became the separate British colony of Tuvalu. Independence was granted in 1978. In 2000 Tuvalu negotiated a contract leasing its Internet domain name '.tv' for $50 million in royalties over the next dozen years.


top of page


Location: Oceania island group consisting of nine coral atolls in the South Pacific Ocean about one-half of the way from Hawaii to Australia

Geographic coordinates: 8 00 S 178 00 E

Map reference: Oceania

Area
Comparative: 0.1 times the size of Washington DC

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 24 km

Maritime claims

Climate: tropical; moderated by easterly trade winds (March to November); westerly gales and heavy rain (November to March)

Terrain: very low-lying and narrow coral atolls

Elevation

Natural resources: fish

Land use

Irrigated land: NA km²

Major rivers

Major watersheds area km²

Total water withdrawal

Total renewable water resources

Natural hazards: severe tropical storms are usually rare but in 1997 there were three cyclones; low-level of islands make them very sensitive to sea-level rise

Geography


top of page


Population: 10,838 (July 2000 est.)
Growth rate: 1.41% (2000 est.)
Below poverty line: NA%

Nationality

Ethnic groups: Polynesian 96%

Languages: Tuvaluan English

Religions: Church of Tuvalu (Congregationalist) 97% Seventh-Day Adventist 1.4% Baha'i 1% other 0.6%

Demographic profile

Age structure

Dependency ratios

Median age

Population growth rate: 1.41% (2000 est.)

Birth rate: 21.78 births/1000 population (2000 est.)

Death rate: 7.66 deaths/1000 population (2000 est.)

Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1000 population (2000 est.)

Population distribution

Urbanization

Major urban areas

Environment
Current issues: since there are no streams or rivers and groundwater is not potable most water needs must be met by catchment systems with storage facilities (the Japanese Government has built one desalination plant and plans to build one other); beachhead erosion because of the use of sand for building materials; excessive clearance of forest undergrowth for use as fuel; damage to coral reefs from the spread of the Crown of Thorns starfish; Tuvalu is very concerned about global increases in greenhouse gas emissions and their effect on rising sea levels which threaten the country's underground water table

Air pollutants

Sex ratio

Mothers mean age at first birth

Maternal mortality ratio

Infant mortality rate: 23.3 deaths/1000 live births (2000 est.)

Life expectancy at birth

Total fertility rate: 3.11 children born/woman (2000 est.)

Contraceptive prevalence rate

Drinking water source

Current health expenditure

Physicians density

Hospital bed density

Sanitation facility access

Hiv/Aids

Major infectious diseases

Obesity adult prevalence rate

Alcohol consumption

Tobacco use

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

Education expenditures

Literacy

School life expectancy primary to tertiary education

Youth unemployment


top of page


Country name

Government type: constitutional monarchy with a parliamentary democracy; began debating republic status in 1992

Capital: Funafuti

Administrative divisions: none

Dependent areas

Independence: 1 October 1978 (from UK)

National holiday: Independence Day 1 October (1978)

Constitution: 1 October 1978

Legal system: NA

International law organization participation

Citizenship

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch

Legislative branch: unicameral Parliament or Fale I Fono also called House of Assembly (12 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)

Judicial branch: eight Island Courts; High Court; note - a chief justice visits twice a year to preside over sessions of the High Court

Political parties and leaders: there are no political parties but members of Parliament usually align themselves in informal groupings

International organization participation: ACP AsDB C (special) ESCAP IFRCS (associate) Intelsat (nonsignatory user) ITU Sparteca SPC SPF UNESCO UPU WHO WTrO (applicant)

Diplomatic representation
In the us: Tuvalu does not have an embassy in the US
From the us: the US does not have an embassy in Tuvalu; the US ambassador to Fiji is accredited to Tuvalu

Flag description: light blue with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant; the outer half of the flag represents a map of the country with nine yellow five-pointed stars symbolizing the nine islands

National symbols

National anthem

National heritage


top of page


Economy overview: Tuvalu consists of a densely populated scattered group of nine coral atolls with poor soil. The country has no known mineral resources and few exports. Subsistence farming and fishing are the primary economic activities. Government revenues largely come from the sale of stamps and coins and worker remittances. About 1000 Tuvaluans work in Nauru in the phosphate mining industry. Nauru has begun repatriating Tuvaluans however as phosphate resources decline. Substantial income is received annually from an international trust fund established in 1987 by Australia NZ and the UK and supported also by Japan and South Korea. Thanks to wise investments and conservative withdrawals this Fund has grown from an initial $17 million to over $35 million in 1999. The US government is also a major revenue source for Tuvalu with 1999 payments from a 1988 treaty on fisheries at about $9 million a total which is expected to rise annually. In an effort to reduce its dependence on foreign aid the government is pursuing public sector reforms including privatization of some government functions and personnel cuts of up to 7%. In 1998 Tuvalu began deriving revenue from use of its area code for '900' lines and from the sale of its '.tv' Internet domain name. Royalites from these new technology sources could raise GDP three or more times over the next decade. Low-lying Tuvalu is particularly vulnerable to any rise in the sea level from future global warming.

Real gdp purchasing power parity

Real gdp growth rate: 8.7% (1995 est.)

Real gdp per capita: purchasing power parity - $800 (1995 est.)

Gross national saving

Gdp composition by end use

Gdp composition by sector of origin

Agriculture products: coconuts; fish

Industries: fishing tourism copra

Industrial production growth rate: NA%

Labor force: NA
By occupation: people make a living mainly through exploitation of the sea reefs and atolls and from wages sent home by those working abroad (mostly workers in the phosphate industry and sailors)

Unemployment rate: NA%

Youth unemployment

Population below poverty line: NA%

Gini index

Household income or consumption by percentage share

Distribution of family income gini index

Budget

Taxes and other revenues

Public debt

Revenue

Fiscal year: calendar year

Inflation rate consumer prices: 3.9% (average 1985-93)

Central bank discount rate

Commercial bank prime lending rate

Stock of narrow money

Stock of broad money

Stock of domestic credit

Market value of publicly traded shares

Current account balance

Exports: $165,000 (f.o.b. 1989)
Commodities: copra
Partners: Fiji Australia NZ

Imports: $4.4 million (c.i.f. 1989)
Commodities: food animals mineral fuels machinery manufactured goods
Partners: Fiji Australia NZ

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

Debt external: $N/A

Stock of direct foreign investment at home

Stock of direct foreign investment abroad

Exchange rates: Tuvaluan dollars ($T) or Australian dollars ($A) per US$1 - 1.5207 (January 2000) 1.5497 (1999) 1.5888 (1998) 1.3439 (1997) 1.2773 (1996) 1.3486 (1995)


top of page


Electricity
Production: 3 million kWh (1995)
Consumption: 3 million kWh (1995)
Exports: 0 kWh (1995)
Imports: 0 kWh (1995)

Coal

Petroleum

Crude oil

Refined petroleum

Natural gas

Carbon dioxide emissions

Energy consumption per capita


top of page


Telephones
Main lines in use: 400 (1994)
Mobile cellular: 0 (1994)

Telephone system

Broadcast media

Internet
Service providers isps: 1 (1999)

Broadband fixed subscriptions


top of page


Military expenditures
Dollar figure: $N/A
Percent of gdp: NA%

Military and security forces

Military service age and obligation

Space program

Terrorist groups


top of page


National air transport system

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

Airports: 1 (1999 est.)

Heliports

Pipelines

Railways: 0 km

Roadways

Waterways

Merchant marine

Ports and terminals


top of page


Disputes international: none

Refugees and internally displaced persons

Illicit drugs