Tuvalu

Tuvalu

General Information
Geography
Government
Economy
Population
Health
Communications and media
Chronology


GENERAL INFORMATION

National name Fakavae Aliki-Malo i Tuvalu/Constitutional Monarchy of Tuvalu Area 25 sq km/9.6 sq mi Capital Fongafale (on Funafuti atoll) Language Tuvaluan, English (both official), a Gilbertese dialect (on Nui) Religion Protestant 96% (Church of Tuvalu) Time difference GMT +12 Major holidays 1 January, 4 March, 15 June, 5 August, 1–2 October, 14 November, 25–26 December; variable: Good Friday, Easter Monday


GEOGRAPHY

Physical features nine low coral atolls forming a chain of 579 km/650 mi in the Southwest Pacific Airports one international airport; no internal air service Railways none Roads total road network: 8 km/5 mi (1999 est)


GOVERNMENT

Head of state Queen Elizabeth II from 1978, represented by Governor General Filoimea Telito from 2005 Head of government Apisai Ielemia from 2006 Political system liberal democracy Political executive parliamentary Administrative divisions one town council and eight island councils Political parties none; members are elected to parliament as independents Death penalty laws do not provide for the death penalty for any crime Armed forces no standing defence force Health spend (% GDP) 7.8 (2000 est)


ECONOMY

Currency Australian dollar GDP (US$) 27.5 million (2002) Real GDP growth (% change on previous year) -4 (2004 est) GNI (US$) 15 million (2001) GNI per capita (PPP) (US$) 1,300 (2001) Consumer price inflation 3.7% (2004 est) Labour force 25% agriculture, 20% industry, 55% services (2002 est) Major trading partners Belgium, Australia, Fiji, New Zealand, EU Industries processing of agricultural products (principally coconuts), soap, handicrafts, tourism; a large source of income is from Tuvaluans working abroad, especially in the phosphate industry on Nauru Exports copra, handicrafts, garments, stamps, fisheries licences. Principal market: Germany 60.5% (2005) Imports food and live animals, beverages, tobacco, consumer goods, machinery and transport equipment, mineral fuels. Principal source: Fiji 46.1% (2005) Arable land 0% (2006 est) Agricultural products coconuts, pulaka, taro, papayas, screw-pine (pandanus), bananas; livestock rearing (pigs, poultry, and goats); honey production and fishing supplement basic subsistence; fishing is largely unexploited, although Japan, Taiwan, and South Korea have been granted licences to fish since the late 1980s


POPULATION

Population 11,800 (2006 est) Population growth rate 1.5% (2005–10) Population density (per sq km) 472 (2006 est) Urban population (% of total) 57 (2005 est) Age distribution (% of total population) 0–14 33%, 15–59 57%, 60+ 10% (2001 est) Ethnic groups almost entirely of Polynesian origin, maintaining close ties with Samoans and Tokelauans to the south and east Life expectancy 65 (men); 69 (women) (2001 est) Child mortality rate (under 5, per 1,000 live births) 51 (2004) Education (compulsory years) 8 Literacy rate 93% (1997 est)


HEALTH

Physicians (per 10,000 people) 5.7 (2004 est) Hospital beds (per 1,000 people) 4.6 (1998 est) Access to drinking-water source (% of total population) 94 (urban); 92 (rural) (2002)


COMMUNICATIONS AND MEDIA

Radios (per 1,000 people) 384 (1997) TV sets (per 1,000 people) 9 (1999 est)


CHRONOLOGY

c. 300 BC First settled by Polynesian peoples. 16th century Invaded and occupied by Samoans. 1765 Islands first reached by Europeans. 1850–75 Population decimated by European slave traders capturing Tuvaluans to work in South America and by exposure to European diseases. 1856 The four southern islands, including Funafuti, claimed by USA. 1865 Christian mission established. 1877 Came under control of British Western Pacific High Commission (WPHC), with its headquarters in the Fiji Islands. 1892 Known as the Ellice Islands, they were joined with Gilbert Islands (now Kiribati) to form a British protectorate. 1916 Gilbert and Ellice Islands colony formed. 1942–43 Became a base for US airforce operations when Japan occupied the Gilbert Islands during World War II. 1975 Following a referendum, the predominantly Melanesian-peopled Ellice Islands, fearing domination by Micronesian-peopled Gilbert Islands in an independent state, were granted separate status. 1978 Independence achieved within Commonwealth, with Toaripi Lauti as prime minister; reverted to former name Tuvalu (‘eight standing together’). 1979 USA signed friendship treaty, relinquishing its claim to four southern atolls in return for continued access to military bases. 1986 Islanders rejected proposal for republican status. 1999 Ionatana Ionatana became prime minister. 2000 Tuvalu joined United Nations. Ionatana died; replaced by Lagitupu Tuilimu. 2001 Faimalaga Luka elected prime minister. New Zealand offered to resettle inhabitants threatened by rising sea levels. Australia's overseas aid programme commissioned land and sea-level monitoring station in Tuvalu. 2002 Following general elections, Saufatu Sopoanga became prime minister. 2004 Sopoanga unable to win vote of confidence and Maatia Toafa elected prime minister by parliament. 2005 Filoimea Telito sworn in as governor general. 2006 Eight new members elected in general elections; only Toafa retained seat. Apisai Ielemia elected prime minister.


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