1996 Edition

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

Location

8 00 S, 178 00 E -- Oceania, island group consisting of nine coral atolls in the South Pacific Ocean, about one-half of the way from Hawaii to Australia Flag ----

Area

comparative area

0.1 times the size of Washington, DC

land area

26 sq km

total area

26 sq km

Climate

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

Coastline

24 km

Environment

current issues

since there are no streams or rivers and groundwater is not potable, all water needs must be met by catchment systems with storage facilities; 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

international agreements

party to - Climate Change, Endangered Species, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Whaling; signed, but not ratified - Biodiversity, Law of the Sea

natural hazards

severe tropical storms are rare

Geographic coordinates

8 00 S, 178 00 E

International disputes

none

Irrigated land

NA sq km

Land boundaries

0 km

Land use

arable land

0%

forest and woodland

0%

meadows and pastures

0%

note

Tuvalu's nine coral atolls have enough soil to grow coconuts and support subsistence agriculture

other

100%

permanent crops

0%

Location

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

Map references

Oceania

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

highest point

unnamed location 5 m

lowest point

Pacific Ocean 0 m

Age structure

0-14 years: 36% (male 1,865; female 1,798) 15-64 years: 59% (male 2,831; female 3,162) 65 years and over: 5% (male 227; female 263) (July 1996 est.)

Birth rate

23.95 births/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Death rate

8.87 deaths/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Ethnic divisions

Polynesian 96%

Infant mortality rate

27.6 deaths/1,000 live births (1996 est.)

Languages

Tuvaluan, English

Life expectancy at birth

female

64.59 years (1996 est.)

male

62.15 years

total population

63.34 years

Literacy

NA

Nationality

adjective

Tuvaluan

noun

Tuvaluan(s)

Net migration rate

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Population

10,146 (July 1996 est.)

Population growth rate

1.51% (1996 est.)

Religions

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

Sex ratio

all ages

0.94 male(s)/female (1996 est.)

at birth

1.05 male(s)/female

under 15 years

1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.9 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.86 male(s)/female

Total fertility rate

3.11 children born/woman (1996 est.)

Administrative divisions

none

Capital

Funafuti

Constitution

1 October 1978

Data code

TV

Diplomatic representation in US

Tuvalu does not have an embassy in the US

Executive branch

cabinet

Cabinet was appointed by the governor general on recommendation of the prime minister

chief of state

Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952) is a hereditary monarch, represented by Governor General Manuella TULAGA (since NA June 1994) who was appointed by the queen on recommendation of the prime minister

head of government

Prime Minister Kamuta LATASI (since 10 December 1993) and Deputy Prime Minister Otinielu TAUSI (since 10 December 1993) were elected by and from the members of Parliament

Independence

1 October 1978 (from UK)

International organization participation

ACP, AsDB, C (special), ESCAP, Intelsat (nonsignatory user), Sparteca, SPC, SPF, UNESCO, UPU, WHO

Judicial branch

High Court

Legal system

NA

Legislative branch

unicameral

Name of country

conventional long form

none

conventional short form

Tuvalu

former

Ellice Islands

National holiday

Independence Day, 1 October (1978)

Parliament (Fale I Fono)

members elected for four-year terms; elections last held 25 November 1993 (next to be held by NA 1997); results - percent of vote NA; seats - (12 total) independents 12

Political parties and leaders

none

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Type of government

democracy; began debating republic status in 1992

US diplomatic representation

the US does not have an embassy in