Tuvalu

parliamentary democracy under a constitutional monarchy; a Commonwealth realm

name: Funafuti geographic coordinates: 8 31 S, 179 13 E time difference: UTC+12 (17 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time) etymology: the town has the same name as the island it is located on; the name may either come from the Polynesian word futi (banana) or the name Futi, one of the wives of a local ruler, with the word funa added as a feminine prefix note: the capital is an atoll of 29 islets; administrative offices are in Vaiaku Village on Fongafale Islet

chief of state: King CHARLES III (since 8 September 2022); represented by Governor General Tofiga Vaevalu FALANI (since 29 August 2021) head of government: Prime Minister Feleti Penitala TEO (since 27 February 2024) cabinet: Cabinet members selected by the prime minister election/appointment process: the monarchy is hereditary; governor general appointed by the monarch on recommendation of the prime minister and the parliament; prime minister and deputy prime minister elected by and from members of House of Assembly following parliamentary elections election results: 2024: TEO was the only candidate nominated by the House of Assembly 2019: Kausea NATANO elected prime minister by House of Assembly; House of Assembly vote - 10 to 6

legislature name: Parliament (Palamene) legislative structure: unicameral chamber name: Parliament of Tuvalu (Palamene o Tuvalu) number of seats: 16 (all directly elected) electoral system: plurality/majority scope of elections: full renewal term in office: 4 years most recent election date: 1/26/2024 percentage of women in chamber: 0% expected date of next election: January 2028

highest court(s): Court of Appeal (consists of the chief justice and not less than 3 appeals judges); High Court (consists of the chief justice); appeals beyond the Court of Appeal are heard by the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council (in London) judge selection and term of office: Court of Appeal judges appointed by the governor general on the advice of the Cabinet; judge tenure based on terms of appointment; High Court chief justice appointed by the governor general on the advice of the Cabinet; chief justice serves for life; other judges appointed by the governor general on the advice of the Cabinet after consultation with chief justice; judge tenure set by terms of appointment subordinate courts: magistrates' courts; island courts; land courts

history: previous 1978 (at independence); latest effective 1 October 1986 amendment process: proposed by the House of Assembly; passage requires at least two-thirds majority vote by the Assembly membership in the final reading

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

no regular military forces; Tuvalu Police Force

as part of the Falepili Union treaty between Australia and Tuvalu, which entered into force in August 2024, Australia committed to assist Tuvalu in response to a major natural disaster, health pandemic, or military aggression; Tuvalu pledged to mutually agree with Australia any partnership, arrangement, or engagement with any other State or entity on security and defense-related matters in Tuvalu Tuvalu has a "shiprider" agreement with the US, which allows local maritime law enforcement officers to embark on US Coast Guard (USCG) and US Navy (USN) vessels, including to board and search vessels suspected of violating laws or regulations within Tuvalu's designated exclusive economic zone (EEZ) or on the high seas; "shiprider" agreements also enable USCG personnel and USN vessels with embarked USCG law enforcement personnel to work with host nations to protect critical regional resources (2025)

$57.055 million (2023 est.) $54.938 million (2022 est.) $54.568 million (2021 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars

$5,800 (2023 est.) $5,500 (2022 est.) $5,400 (2021 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars

3.9% (2023 est.) 0.7% (2022 est.) 1.8% (2021 est.) note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency

11.5% (2022 est.) 6.2% (2021 est.) 1.9% (2020 est.) note: annual % change based on consumer prices

47.2% of GDP (2016 est.)

$2.232 million (2022 est.) $2.745 million (2021 est.) $3.089 million (2020 est.) note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars

$57.388 million (2022 est.) $63.962 million (2021 est.) $56.947 million (2020 est.) note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars

revenues: $87 million (2019 est.) expenditures: $88 million (2019 est.) note: revenue data include Official Development Assistance from Australia

fishing

coconuts, vegetables, tropical fruits, bananas, root vegetables, pork, chicken, eggs, pork fat, pork offal (2023) note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage

total: 11,824 (2025 est.) male: 5,865 female: 5,959

0.75% (2025 est.)

0-14 years: 29.2% (male 1,754/female 1,672) 15-64 years: 63.2% (male 3,736/female 3,675) 65 years and over: 7.6% (2024 est.) (male 326/female 570)

21.57 births/1,000 population (2025 est.)

7.78 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.)

-6.26 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.)

total population: 69 years (2024 est.) male: 66.5 years female: 71.6 years

urban population: 66.2% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 2.08% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

Tuvaluan 97%, Tuvaluan/I-Kiribati 1.6%, Tuvaluan/other 0.8%, other 0.6% (2017 est.)

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

Protestant 92.7% (Congregational Christian Church of Tuvalu 85.9%, Brethren 2.8%, Seventh Day Adventist 2.5%, Assemblies of God 1.5%), Baha'i 1.5%, Jehovah's Witness 1.5%, other 3.9%, none or refused 0.4% (2017 est.)

total population: 100% (2022 est.) male: 100% (2022 est.) female: 100% (2022 est.)

fish, coconut (copra)

1 (2025)

total: 270 (2023) by type: bulk carrier 21, container ship 3, general cargo 29, oil tanker 19, other 198

total subscriptions: 9,880 (2022 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 99 (2022 est.)

percent of population: 74% (2023 est.)