Tuvalu

Tuvalu 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.

Tuvalu Information

• Population: 11,468 (July 2004 est.)
• Nationality: noun: Tuvaluan(s) adjective: Tuvaluan
• Location:: Oceania, island group consisting of nine coral atolls in the South Pacific Ocean, about one-half of the way from Hawaii to Australia
• Religions:: Church of Tuvalu (Congregationalist) 97%, Seventh-Day Adventist 1.4%, Baha'i 1%, other 0.6%
• Ethnic Groups:: Polynesian 96%, Micronesian 4%
• Land Boundaries:: 0 km
• Area: total: 26 sq km water: 0 sq km land: 26 sq km
• Coast Line: 24 km
• 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
• Maritime Claims: territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm
• Land Use: arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (2001)
• Environmental 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 becau
• Natural Resources: fish
• Highways: total: 8 km paved: 0 km unpaved: 8 km (1999 est.)
• Railways:
• Ports & Harbours: Funafuti, Nukufetau
• Airports: 1 (2003 est.)