1989 Edition

Climate

tropical; marine; moderated by trade winds; sunny and relatively dry

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

Coastline

389 km

24 km

Comparative area

slightly less than 2.5 times the size of Washington, DC

about 0.1 times the size of Washington, DC

Environment

30 islands (eight inhabited); subject to frequent hurricanes

severe tropical storms are rare

Exclusive fishing zone

200 nm

Extended economic zone

200 nm

Land boundaries

none

none

Land use

2% arable land; 0% permanent crops; 0% meadows and pastures; 0% forest and woodland; 98% other

0% arable land; 0% permanent crops; 0% meadows and pastures; 0% forest and woodland; 100% other

Natural resources

spiny lobster, conch-

fish

Note

located 190 km north of the Dominican Republic in the North Atlantic Ocean

located 3,000 km east of Papua New Guinea in the South Pacific Ocean

Terrain

low, flat limestone; extensive marshes and mangrove swamps

very low-lying and narrow coral atolls

Territorial sea

12 nm

1 2 nm

Total area

430 km2; land area: 430 km2

26 km2; land area: 26 km2

Total area

50km Q Provide'nciales ffwesl Caicos North Caicos ^Middle Caicos ast Caicos Cockburn J GRAND TURK* Harbour O ICockburn/l/ Town) \f S>" .'': Cat(, -' ' Turks Islands North Atlantic Ocean Stc regional map III

Birth rate

25 births/ 1 ,000 population (1990)

30 births/ 1,000 population (1990)

Death rate

5 deaths/ 1 ,000 population (1990)

10 deaths/ 1, 000 population (1990)

Ethnic divisions

majority of African descent

96% Polynesian

Infant mortality rate

14 deaths/ 1,000 live births (1990)

33 deaths/ 1,000 live births (1990)

Labor force

NA; majority engaged in fishing and tourist industries; some subsistence agriculture

Language

English (official)

Tuvaluan, English

Life expectancy at birth

72 years male, 78 years female (1990)

60 years male, 63 years female (1990)

Literacy

99% (est.)

Nationality

no noun or adjectival forms

noun — Tuvaluans(s); adjective— Tuvaluan

Net migration rate

4 migrants/ 1 ,000 population (1990)

0 migrants/ 1 ,000 population (1990)

Organized labor

St. George's Industrial Trade Union

Population

9,761 (July 1990), growth rate 2.3% (1990)

9,136 (July 1990), growth rate 2.0% (1990)

Religion

Anglican, Roman Catholic, Baptist, Methodist, Church of God, SeventhDay Adventist

Christian, predominantly Protestant

Total fertility rate

3.8 children born/ woman (1990)

3.1 children born/ woman (1990)

Administrative divisions

none (dependent territory of the UK)

none

Capital

Grand Turk (Cockburn Town)

Funafuti

Communists

none

Constitution

introduced 30 August 1 976, suspended in 1986, and a Constitutional Commission is currently reviewing its contents

1 October 1978

Diplomatic representation

as a dependent territory of the UK, the interests of the Turks and Caicos Islands are represented in the US by the UK; US— none

Ambassador (vacant); US — none

Elections

Legislative Council — last held on 3 March 1988 (next to be held NA); results— PDM 60%, PNP 30%, others 10%; seats— (20 total, 13 elected) PDM 11, PNP 2

Parliament — last held 28 September 1 989 (next to be held by September 1993); results — percent of vote NA; seats— (12 total)

Executive branch

British monarch, governor, Executive Council

British monarch, governor general, prime minister, deputy prime minister, Cabinet

Flag

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

Hag

blue with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant and the colonial shield centered on the outer half of the flag; the shield is yellow and contains a conch shell, lobster, and cactus

Independence

none (dependent territory of the UK)

I October 1978 (from UK; formerly Ellice Islands)

Judicial branch

Supreme Court

High Court

Leaders

Chief of State— Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1953), represented by Governor Michael J. BRADLEY (since 1987); Head of Government — Chief Minister Oswald O. SKIPPINGS (since 3 March 1988) Political parties and leaders: People's Democratic Movement (PDM), Oswald Skippings; Progressive National Party (PNP), Dan Malcolm and Norman Saunders; National Democratic Alliance (NDA), Ariel Missick

Chief of State— Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952), represented by Governor General Tupua LEUPEN A (since 1 March 1986); Head of Government — Prime Minister Bikenibeu PAENIU (since 16 October 1989); Deputy Prime Minister Dr. Alesana SELUKA (since October 1989) Political parties and leaders: none

Legal system

based on laws of England and Wales with a small number adopted from Jamaica and The Bahamas

Legislative branch

unicameral Legislative Council

unicameral Parliament

Long-form name

none

none

Member of

ACP, ESCAP (associate member), GATT (de facto), SPF, SPC, UPU

National holiday

Constitution Day, 30 August (1976)

Independence Day, 1 October (1978)

Suffrage

universal at age 18

universal at age 1 8

Type

dependent territory of the UK

democracy

Agriculture

subsistence farming prevails, based on corn and beans; fishing more important than farming; not self-sufficient in food

coconuts, copra

Aid

Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (197087), $92.8 million

US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-87), $1 million; Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-87), $84 million

Budget

revenues $ 1 2.4 million; expenditures $15.8 million, including capital expenditures of $2.6 million (FY87)

revenues $2.59 million; expenditures $3.6 million, including capital expenditures of NA (1983 est.)

Currency

US currency is used

Tuvaluan dollar and Australian dollar (plural — dollars); I Tuvaluan dollar ($T) or 1 Australian dollar ($A) = 100 cents

Electricity

9,050 kW capacity; 1 1 million kWh produced, 1,160 kWh per capita (1989)

2,600 kW capacity; 3 million kWh produced, 350 kWh per capita (1989)

Exchange rates

US currency is used

Tuvaluan dollars ($T) or Australian dollars ($A) per US$1— 1.2784 (January 1990), 1.2618(1989), 1.2752 (1988), 1.4267(1987), 1.4905(1986), 1.4269(1985)

Exports

$2.9 million (f.o.b., FY84); commodities— lobster, dried and fresh conch, conch shells; partners — US, UK

$1.0 million (f.o.b., 1983 est.); commodities — copra; partners — Fiji, Australia, NZ

External debt

SNA

SNA

Fiscal year

calendar year

NA

GDP

$44.9 million, per capita $5,000; real growth rate NA% (1986)

GNP

$4.6 million, per capita $530; real growth rate NA% (1989 est.)

Imports

$26.3 million (c.i.f., FY84); commodities— foodstuffs, drink, tobacco, clothing; partners — US, UK

$2.8 million (c.i.f., 1983 est.); commodities — food, animals, mineral fuels, machinery, manufactured goods; partners— Fiji, Australia, NZ

Industrial production

growth rate NA%

growth rate NA

Industries

fishing, tourism, offshore financial services

fishing, tourism, copra

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

NA%

3.9% (1984)

Overview

The economy is based on fishing, tourism, and offshore banking. Subsistence farming — corn and beans — exists only on the Caicos Islands, so that most foods, as well as nonfood products, must be imported.

Tuvalu consists of a scattered group of nine coral atolls with poor-quality soil. The country has a small economy, no known mineral resources, and few exports. Subsistence farming and fishing are the primary economic activities. The islands are too small and too remote for development of a tourist industry. Government revenues largely come from the sale of stamps and coins and worker remittances. Substantial income is received annually from an international trust fund established in 1987 by Australia, New Zealand, and the UK and supported also by Japan and South Korea.

Unemployment rate

12% (1989)

NA%

Airports

7 total, 7 usable; 4 with permanent-surface runways; none with runways over 2,439 m; 4 with runways 1, 220-2,439 m

1 with runway 1,220-2,439 m

Branches

NA Military manpower NA

Civil air

Air Turks and Caicos (passenger service) and Turks Air Ltd. (cargo service)

no major transport aircraft

Defense expenditures

NA

Highways

121 km, including 24 km tarmac

8 km gravel

Labor force

NA

Literacy

less than 50%

Merchant marine

1 passenger-cargo (1,000 CRT or over) totaling 1,043 CRT/ 450 DWT

Note

defense is the responsibility of the UK Tuvalu Nanurnea Nonumanga Nw

Organized labor

none tVanupu Nukutelaug FUNAFUTI South Pacific Ocean See regional mtp X t» Funafuti Nurakita

Ports

Grand Turk, Salt Cay, Providenciales, Cockburn Harbour

Funafuti, Nukufetau

Telecommunications

fair cable and radio services; 1,446 telephones; stations — 3 AM, no FM, several TV; 2 submarine cables; 1 Atlantic Ocean INTELSAT earth station Defense Forces

stations — 1 AM, no FM, no TV; 300 radiotelephones; 4,000 radio receivers; 108 telephones Defense Forces