Broadcast media (Radio) [time series]

broadcast stations: AM 1, FM 0, shortwave 0 radios: 4,000

Telecommunication systems (Telephone system) [time series]

108 telephones; 300 radiotelephones local: NA intercity: NA international: NA

Broadcast media (Television) [time series]

broadcast stations: 0 televisions: NA

Military and security forces (Branches) [time series]

no military forces; Police Force

Military expenditures (Defense expenditures) [time series]

$NA, NA% of GDP UGANDA

Agricultural products (Agriculture) [time series]

coconuts and fish

Budget [time series]

revenues: $4.3 million expenditures: $4.3 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1989 est.)

Exchange rates (Currency) [time series]

1 Tuvaluan dollar ($T) or 1 Australian dollar ($A) = 100 cents

Economic aid [time series]

recipient: US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-87), $1 million; Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-89), $101 million

Electricity [time series]

capacity: 2,600 kW production: 3 million kWh consumption per capita: 330 kWh (1990)

Exchange rates [time series]

Tuvaluan dollars ($T) or Australian dollars ($A) per US$1 - 1.3058 (January 1995), 1.3667 (1994), 1.4704 (1993), 1.3600 (1992), 1.2835 (1991), 1.2799 (1990)

Exports [time series]

$165,000 (f.o.b., 1989) commodities: copra partners: Fiji, Australia, NZ

Debt - external (External debt) [time series]

$NA

Fiscal year [time series]

NA

Imports [time series]

$4.4 million (c.i.f., 1989) commodities: food, animals, mineral fuels, machinery, manufactured goods partners: Fiji, Australia, NZ

Industrial production growth rate (Industrial production) [time series]

growth rate NA%

Industries [time series]

fishing, tourism, copra

Inflation rate (consumer prices) [time series]

2.9% (1989)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) (National product) [time series]

GDP - purchasing power parity - $7.8 million (1993 est.)

Real GDP per capita (National product per capita) [time series]

$800 (1993 est.)

Real GDP growth rate (National product real growth rate) [time series]

NA%

Economic overview (Overview) [time series]

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, NZ, and the UK and supported also by Japan and South Korea.

Unemployment rate [time series]

NA%

Area [time series]

total area: 26 sq km land area: 26 sq km comparative area: about 0.1 times the size of Washington, DC

Climate [time series]

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

Coastline [time series]

24 km

Environment - current issues (Environment) [time series]

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 natural hazards: severe tropical storms are rare international agreements: party to - Climate Change, Endangered Species, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution; signed, but not ratified - Biodiversity, Law of the Sea

Disputes - international (International disputes) [time series]

none

Irrigated land [time series]

NA sq km

Land boundaries [time series]

0 km

Land use [time series]

arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% meadows and pastures: 0% forest and woodland: 0% other: 100% note: Tuvalu's nine coral atolls have enough soil to grow coconuts and support subsistence agriculture

Location [time series]

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 [time series]

Oceania

Maritime claims [time series]

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

Natural resources [time series]

fish

Terrain [time series]

very low-lying and narrow coral atolls

Administrative divisions [time series]

none

Capital [time series]

Funafuti

Constitution [time series]

1 October 1978

Digraph [time series]

TV

Diplomatic representation in the US (Diplomatic representation in US) [time series]

Tuvalu has no mission in the US

Executive branch [time series]

chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952), represented by Governor General Tulaga MANUELLA (since NA June 1994) head of government: Prime Minister Kamuta LATASI (since 10 December 1993); Deputy Prime Minister Otinielu TAUSI (since 10 December 1993) cabinet: Cabinet; appointed by the governor general on recommendation of the prime minister

Flag [time series]

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

Independence [time series]

1 October 1978 (from UK)

Judicial branch [time series]

High Court

Legal system [time series]

NA

Legislative branch [time series]

unicameral

International organization participation (Member of) [time series]

ACP, AsDB, C (special), ESCAP, IFRCS (associate), INTELSAT (nonsignatory user), SPARTECA, SPC, SPF, UNESCO, UPU, WHO

Country name (Names) [time series]

conventional long form: none conventional short form: Tuvalu former: Ellice Islands

National holiday [time series]

Independence Day, 1 October (1978)

Legislative branch (Parliament (Palamene)) [time series]

elections last held 25 November 1993 (next to be held by NA 1997); results - percent of vote NA; seats - (12 total)

Political parties (Political parties and leaders) [time series]

none

Suffrage [time series]

18 years of age; universal

Government type (Type) [time series]

democracy; began debating republic status in 1992

Diplomatic representation from the US (US diplomatic representation) [time series]

none

Age structure [time series]

0-14 years: 36% (female 1,787; male 1,852) 15-64 years: 59% (female 3,105; male 2,764) 65 years and over: 5% (female 258; male 225) (July 1995 est.)

Birth rate [time series]

24.82 births/1,000 population (1995 est.)

Death rate [time series]

9.01 deaths/1,000 population (1995 est.)

Ethnic groups (Ethnic divisions) [time series]

Polynesian 96%

Infant mortality rate [time series]

27.9 deaths/1,000 live births (1995 est.)

Labor force [time series]

NA by occupation: NA

Languages [time series]

Tuvaluan, English

Life expectancy at birth [time series]

total population: 63.15 years male: 61.87 years female: 64.34 years (1995 est.)

Literacy [time series]

NA%

Nationality [time series]

noun: Tuvaluans(s) adjective: Tuvaluan

Net migration rate [time series]

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1995 est.)

Population [time series]

9,991 (July 1995 est.)

Population growth rate [time series]

1.58% (1995 est.)

Religions [time series]

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

Total fertility rate [time series]

3.11 children born/woman (1995 est.)

Airports [time series]

total: 1 with unpaved runways 1,524 to 2,438 m: 1

Roadways (Highways) [time series]

total: 8 km unpaved: gravel 8 km

Merchant marine [time series]

total: 8 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 44,473 GRT/73,652 DWT ships by type: cargo 1, chemical tanker 4, oil tanker 1, passenger-cargo 1, refrigerated cargo 1

Ports [time series]

Funafuti, Nukufetau

Railways (Railroads) [time series]

0 km