1993 Edition
CIA World Factbook 1993 (Project Gutenberg)
Geography
Area
total area: 26 km2 land area: 26 km2 comparative area: about 0.1 times the size of Washington, DC
Climate
tropical; moderated by easterly trade winds (March to November); westerly gales and heavy rain (November to March)
Coastline
24 km
Environment
severe tropical storms are rare
International disputes
none
Irrigated land
NA km2
Land boundaries
0 km
Land use
arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% meadows and pastures: 0% forest and woodland: 0% other: 100%
Location
Oceania, 3,000 km east of Papua New Guinea in the South Pacific Ocean
Map references
Oceania, Standard Time Zones of the World
Maritime claims
contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 12 nm
Natural resources
fish
Terrain
very low-lying and narrow coral atolls
People and Society
Birth rate
26.79 births/1,000 population (1993 est.)
Death rate
9.41 deaths/1,000 population (1993 est.)
Ethnic divisions
Polynesian 96%
Infant mortality rate
26.8 deaths/1,000 live births (1993 est.)
Labor force
NA by occupation: NA
Languages
Tuvaluan, English
Life expectancy at birth
total population: 62.64 years male: 61.27 years female: 63.82 years (1993 est.)
Literacy
total population: NA% male: NA% female: NA%
Nationality
noun: Tuvaluans(s) adjective: Tuvaluan
Net migration rate
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1993 est.)
Population
9,666 (July 1993 est.)
Population growth rate
1.74% (1993 est.)
Religions
Church of Tuvalu (Congregationalist) 97%, Seventh-Day Adventist 1.4%, Baha'i 1%, other 0.6%
Total fertility rate
3.11 children born/woman (1993 est.)
Government
Administrative divisions
none
Capital
Funafuti
Chief of State
Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952), represented by Governor General Toaripi LAUTI (since NA 1992)
Constitution
1 October 1978
Digraph
TV
Diplomatic representation in US
chief of mission: (vacant)
Executive branch
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
Head of Government
Prime Minister Bikenibeu PAENIU (since 16 October 1989); Deputy Prime Minister Dr. Alesana SELUKA (since October 1989)
Independence
1 October 1978 (from UK)
Judicial branch
High Court
Legal system
NA
Legislative branch
unicameral Parliament (Palamene)
Member of
ACP, C (special), ESCAP, SPARTECA, SPC, SPF, UNESCO, UPU
Names
conventional long form: none conventional short form: Tuvalu former: Ellice Islands
National holiday
Independence Day, 1 October (1978)
Parliament
last held 28 September 1989 (next to be held by NA September 1993); results - percent of vote NA; seats - (12 total)
Political parties and leaders
none
Suffrage
18 years of age; universal
Type
democracy; began debating republic status in 1992; referendum expected in 1993
US diplomatic representation
none
Economy
Agriculture
coconuts
Budget
revenues $4.3 million; expenditures $4.3 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1989)
Currency
1 Tuvaluan dollar ($T) or 1 Australian dollar ($A) = 100 cents
Economic aid
US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-87), $1 million; Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-89), $101 million
Electricity
2,600 kW capacity; 3 million kWh produced, 330 kWh per capita (1990)
Exchange rates
Tuvaluan dollars ($T) or Australian dollars ($A) per US$1 - 1.4837 (January 1993), 1.3600 (1992), 1.2835 (1991), 1.2799 (1990), 1.2618 (1989), 1.2752 (1988)
Exports
$1.0 million (f.o.b., 1983 est.) commodities: copra partners: Fiji, Australia, NZ
External debt
$NA
Fiscal year
NA
Imports
$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%
Industries
fishing, tourism, copra
Inflation rate (consumer prices)
3.9% (1984)
National product
GNP - exchange rate conversion - $4.6 million (1989 est.)
National product per capita
$530 (1989 est.)
National product real growth rate
NA%
Overview
Tuvalu consists of a 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. 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
NA%
Communications
Airports
total: 1 useable: 1 with permanent-surface runways: with runways over 3,659 m: with runways 2,440-3,659 m: with runways 1,220-2,439 m: 1
Highways
8 km gravel
Merchant marine
6 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 33,220 GRT/58,518 DWT; includes 1 passenger-cargo, 1 oil tanker, 4 chemical tanker
Ports
Funafuti, Nukufetau
Telecommunications
broadcast stations - 1 AM, no FM, no TV; 300 radiotelephones; 4,000 radios; 108 telephones
Military and Security
Branches
Police Force
Defense expenditures
exchange rate conversion - $NA, NA% of GNP
Manpower availability
NA