2011 Edition

CIA World Factbook 2011 Archive (HTML)

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Countries

262

Data Records

58,325

Tuvalu

2011 Edition · 187 data fields

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Introduction

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 a 12-year period.

Geography

Area

26 sq km 26 sq km 0 sq km
total: 26 sq km
water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative

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

Elevation extremes

Pacific Ocean 0 m unnamed location 5 m
highest point: unnamed location 5 m
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m

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 concerned about global increases in greenhouse gas emissions and their effect on rising sea levels, which threaten the country's underground water table; in 2000, the government appealed to Australia and New Zealand to take in Tuvaluans if rising sea levels should make evacuation necessary

Environment - international agreements

Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Whaling none of the selected agreements
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Whaling
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geographic coordinates

8 00 S, 178 00 E

Geography - note

one of the smallest and most remote countries on Earth; six of the nine coral atolls - Nanumea, Nui, Vaitupu, Nukufetau, Funafuti, and Nukulaelae - have lagoons open to the ocean; Nanumaya and Niutao have landlocked lagoons; Niulakita does not have a lagoon

Irrigated land

Land boundaries

0 km

Land use

0% 66.67% 33.33% (2005)
arable land: 0%
other: 33.33% (2005)
permanent crops: 66.67%

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

12 nm 24 nm 200 nm
contiguous zone: 24 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
territorial sea: 12 nm

Natural hazards

severe tropical storms are usually rare, but in 1997 there were three cyclones; low level of islands make them sensitive to changes in sea level

Natural resources

fish

Terrain

low-lying and narrow coral atolls

People and Society

Age structure

30.6% (male 1,656/female 1,569) 64% (male 3,294/female 3,459) 5.4% (male 238/female 328) (2011 est.)
0-14 years: 30.6% (male 1,656/female 1,569)
15-64 years: 64% (male 3,294/female 3,459)
65 years and over: 5.4% (male 238/female 328) (2011 est.)

Birth rate

23.24 births/1,000 population (2011 est.)

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

1.6% (2007)

Death rate

9.2 deaths/1,000 population (July 2011 est.)

Drinking water source

urban: 98% of population rural: 97% of population total: 97% of population urban: 2% of population rural: 3% of population total: 3% of population (2008)
rural: 3% of population
total: 3% of population (2008)
urban: 2% of population

Education expenditures

Ethnic groups

Polynesian 96%, Micronesian 4%

Health expenditures

9.9% of GDP (2009)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

HIV/AIDS - deaths

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

Hospital bed density

5.56 beds/1,000 population (2001)

Infant mortality rate

34.52 deaths/1,000 live births 37.56 deaths/1,000 live births 31.33 deaths/1,000 live births (2011 est.)
female: 31.33 deaths/1,000 live births (2011 est.)
total: 34.52 deaths/1,000 live births

Languages

Tuvaluan (official), English (official), Samoan, Kiribati (on the island of Nui)

Life expectancy at birth

64.75 years 62.7 years 66.9 years (2011 est.)
female: 66.9 years (2011 est.)
total population: 64.75 years

Literacy

Median age

24.1 years 22.7 years 26.1 years (2011 est.)
female: 26.1 years (2011 est.)
male: 22.7 years
total: 24.1 years

Nationality

Tuvaluan(s) Tuvaluan
adjective: Tuvaluan
noun: Tuvaluan(s)

Net migration rate

-7.02 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2011 est.)

Physicians density

0.636 physicians/1,000 population (2008)

Population

10,544 (July 2011 est.)

Population growth rate

0.702% (2011 est.)

Religions

Protestant 98.4% (Church of Tuvalu (Congregationalist) 97%, Seventh-Day Adventist 1.4%), Baha'i 1%, other 0.6%

Sanitation facility access

urban: 88% of population rural: 81% of population total: 84% of population urban: 12% of population rural: 19% of population total: 16% of population (2008)
rural: 19% of population
total: 16% of population (2008)
urban: 12% of population

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)

11 years 10 years 11 years (2001)
female: 11 years (2001)
male: 10 years
total: 11 years

Sex ratio

1.042 male(s)/female 1.06 male(s)/female 0.95 male(s)/female 0.73 male(s)/female 0.97 male(s)/female (2011 est.)
15-64 years: 0.95 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.73 male(s)/female
at birth: 1.042 male(s)/female
total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2011 est.)
under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female

Total fertility rate

3.11 children born/woman (2011 est.)

Urbanization

50% of total population (2010) 1.4% annual rate of change (2010-15 est.)
rate of urbanization: 1.4% annual rate of change (2010-15 est.)
urban population: 50% of total population (2010)

Government

Administrative divisions

none

Capital

Funafuti 8 30 S, 179 12 E UTC+12 (17 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) administrative offices are in Vaiaku Village on Fongafale Islet
geographic coordinates: 8 30 S, 179 12 E
name: Funafuti
time difference: UTC+12 (17 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

Constitution

1 October 1978

Country name

none Tuvalu none Tuvalu Ellice Islands "Tuvalu" means "group of eight" referring to the country's eight traditionally inhabited islands
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Tuvalu
former: Ellice Islands
local long form: none
local short form: Tuvalu

Diplomatic representation from the US

the US does not have an embassy in Tuvalu; the US ambassador to Fiji is accredited to Tuvalu

Diplomatic representation in the US

Tuvalu does not have an embassy in the US - the country's only diplomatic post is in Fiji - Tuvalu does, however, have a UN office located at 800 2nd Avenue, Suite 400D, New York, NY 10017, telephone: [1] (212) 490-0534, fax: [1] (212) 937-0692
Tuvalu does not have an embassy in the US - the country's only diplomatic post is in Fiji - Tuvalu does, however, have a UN office located at 800 2nd Avenue, Suite 400D, New York, NY 10017, telephone: [1] (212) 490-0534, fax: [1] (212) 937-0692

Executive branch

Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952); represented by Governor General Iakoba TAEIA Italeli (since May 2010) Prime Minister Willie TELAVI (since 24 December 2010) Cabinet appointed by the governor general on the recommendation of the prime minister the monarchy is hereditary; governor general appointed by the monarch on the recommendation of the prime minister; prime minister and deputy prime minister elected by and from the members of parliament following parliamentary elections Willie TELAVI elected prime minister in a parliamentary election on 24 December 2010 following a no-confidence vote on 21 December 2010 that ousted Maatia TOAFA
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the governor general on the recommendation of the prime minister
chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952); represented by Governor General Iakoba TAEIA Italeli (since May 2010)
election results: Willie TELAVI elected prime minister in a parliamentary election on 24 December 2010 following a no-confidence vote on 21 December 2010 that ousted Maatia TOAFA
elections: the monarchy is hereditary; governor general appointed by the monarch on the recommendation of the prime minister; prime minister and deputy prime minister elected by and from the members of parliament following parliamentary elections
head of government: Prime Minister Willie TELAVI (since 24 December 2010)

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 on a blue field symbolizing the nine atolls in the ocean

Government type

parliamentary democracy and a Commonwealth realm

Independence

1 October 1978 (from the UK)

International law organization participation

has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; non-party state to the ICCt

International organization participation

ACP, ADB, AOSIS, C, FAO, IBRD, IDA, IFRCS (observer), ILO, IMF, IMO, IOC, ITU, OPCW, PIF, Sparteca, SPC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WHO

Judicial branch

High Court (a chief justice visits twice a year to preside over its sessions; its rulings can be appealed to the Court of Appeal in Fiji); eight Island Courts (with limited jurisdiction)

Legal system

mixed legal system of English common law and local customary law

Legislative branch

unicameral Parliament or Fale I Fono, also called House of Assembly (15 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms) last held on 16 September 2010 (next to be held in 2014) percent of vote - NA; seats - independents 15; 10 members reelected
election results: percent of vote - NA; seats - independents 15; 10 members reelected
elections: last held on 16 September 2010 (next to be held in 2014)

National anthem

"Tuvalu mo te Atua" (Tuvalu for the Almighty) Afaese MANOA adopted 1978; the anthem's name is also the nation's motto
lyrics/music: Afaese MANOA
name: "Tuvalu mo te Atua" (Tuvalu for the Almighty)

National holiday

Independence Day, 1 October (1978)

Political parties and leaders

there are no political parties but members of parliament usually align themselves in informal groupings

Political pressure groups and leaders

none

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Economy

Agriculture - products

coconuts; fish

Budget

$21.54 million $23.05 million (2006)
expenditures: $23.05 million (2006)
revenues: $21.54 million

Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-)

-4.7% of GDP (2006)

Current account balance

-$11.68 million (2003)

Debt - external

$NA

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 and is almost entirely dependent upon imported food and fuel. Subsistence farming and fishing are the primary economic activities. Fewer than 1,000 tourists, on average, visit Tuvalu annually. Job opportunities are scarce and public sector workers make up most of those employed. About 15% of the adult male population work as seamen on merchant ships abroad, and remittances are a vital source of income contributing around $2 million in 2007. Substantial income is received annually from the Tuvalu Trust Fund (TTF) 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 grew from an initial $17 million to an estimated value of $77 million in 2006. The TTF contributed nearly $9 million towards the government budget in 2006 and is an important cushion for meeting shortfalls in the government's budget. The US Government is also a major revenue source for Tuvalu because of payments from a 1988 treaty on fisheries. In an effort to ensure financial stability and sustainability, the government is pursuing public sector reforms, including privatization of some government functions and personnel cuts. Tuvalu also derives royalties from the lease of its ".tv" Internet domain name with revenue of more than $2 million in 2006. A minor source of government revenue comes from the sale of stamps and coins. With merchandise exports only a fraction of merchandise imports, continued reliance must be placed on fishing and telecommunications license fees, remittances from overseas workers, official transfers, and income from overseas investments. Growing income disparities and the vulnerability of the country to climatic change are among leading concerns for the nation.

Exchange rates

Tuvaluan dollars or Australian dollars (AUD) per US dollar - 1.0902 (2010) 1.2822 (2009) 1.2137 (2007) 1.3285 (2006)

Exports

$1 million (2004 est.)

Exports - commodities

copra, fish

GDP - composition by sector

16.6% 27.2% 56.2% (2002)
agriculture: 16.6%
industry: 27.2%
services: 56.2% (2002)

GDP - per capita (PPP)

$3,400 (2010 est.) $2,900 (2009 est.) $3,000 (2008 est.)

GDP - real growth rate

0.2% (2010 est.) -1.7% (2009 est.) 7% (2008 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate)

$32 million (2010 est.)

GDP (purchasing power parity)

$36 million (2010 est.) $36.34 million (2009 est.) $36.68 million (2008 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

NA% NA%
highest 10%: NA%
lowest 10%: NA%

Imports

$12.91 million (2005)

Imports - commodities

food, animals, mineral fuels, machinery, manufactured goods

Industrial production growth rate

NA%

Industries

fishing, tourism, copra

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

3.8% (2006 est.)

Labor force

3,615 (2004 est.)

Labor force - by occupation

people make a living mainly through exploitation of the sea, reefs, and atolls and from wages sent home by those abroad (mostly workers in the phosphate industry and sailors)
note: people make a living mainly through exploitation of the sea, reefs, and atolls and from wages sent home by those abroad (mostly workers in the phosphate industry and sailors)

Population below poverty line

NA%

Taxes and other revenues

67.3% of GDP (2006)

Unemployment rate

NA%

Communications

Broadcast media

no television broadcast stations; many households use satellite dishes to watch foreign TV stations; 1 government-owned radio station, Radio Tuvalu, includes relays of programming from international broadcasters (2009)

Internet country code

.tv

Internet hosts

109,478 (2010)

Internet users

4,200 (2008)

Telephone system

serves particular needs for internal communications radiotelephone communications between islands country code - 688; international calls can be made by satellite
domestic: radiotelephone communications between islands
general assessment: serves particular needs for internal communications
international: country code - 688; international calls can be made by satellite

Telephones - main lines in use

1,600 (2010)

Telephones - mobile cellular

2,500 (2010)

Transportation

Airports

1 (2010)

Airports - with unpaved runways

1 (2010)
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2010)
total: 1

Merchant marine

bulk carrier 7, cargo 20, chemical tanker 16, container 3, passenger 2, passenger/cargo 1, petroleum tanker 15, refrigerated cargo 1, vehicle carrier 1 49 (Thailand 1, Vietnam 6, Turkey 1, Switzerland 1, South Korea 1, Singapore 25, Maldives 1, Malaysia 1, Kenya 1, Hong Kong 1, China 9, Ukraine 1) (2010)
foreign-owned: 49 (Thailand 1, Vietnam 6, Turkey 1, Switzerland 1, South Korea 1, Singapore 25, Maldives 1, Malaysia 1, Kenya 1, Hong Kong 1, China 9, Ukraine 1) (2010)
total: 66