Internet users (Internet Service Providers (ISPs)) [time series]

1 (1999)

Broadcast media (Radio broadcast stations) [time series]

AM 1, FM 0, shortwave 0 (1998)

Radios [time series]

4,000 (1997)

Telecommunication systems (Telephone system) [time series]

domestic: radiotelephone communications between islands international: NA

Telephones - fixed lines (Telephones - main lines in use) [time series]

400 (1994)

Telephones - mobile cellular [time series]

0 (1994)

Broadcast media (Television broadcast stations) [time series]

0 (1997)

Televisions [time series]

NA

Agricultural products (Agriculture - products) [time series]

coconuts; 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

Debt - external [time series]

$NA

Economic aid (Economic aid - recipient) [time series]

$7.9 million (1995); note - substantial annual support from an international trust fund

Economic overview (Economy - overview) [time series]

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. Subsistence farming and fishing are the primary economic activities. Government revenues largely come from the sale of stamps and coins and worker remittances. About 1,000 Tuvaluans work in Nauru in the phosphate mining industry. Nauru has begun repatriating Tuvaluans, however, as phosphate resources decline. 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. Thanks to wise investments and conservative withdrawals, this Fund has grown from an initial $17 million to over $35 million in 1999. The US government is also a major revenue source for Tuvalu, with 1999 payments from a 1988 treaty on fisheries at about $9 million, a total which is expected to rise annually. In an effort to reduce its dependence on foreign aid, the government is pursuing public sector reforms, including privatization of some government functions and personnel cuts of up to 7%. In 1998, Tuvalu began deriving revenue from use of its area code for "900" lines and from the sale of its ".tv" Internet domain name. Royalites from these new technology sources could raise GDP three or more times over the next decade. Low-lying Tuvalu is particularly vulnerable to any rise in the sea level from future global warming.

Electricity - consumption [time series]

3 million kWh (1995)

Electricity - exports [time series]

0 kWh (1995)

Electricity - imports [time series]

0 kWh (1995)

Electricity - production [time series]

3 million kWh (1995)

Electricity - production by source [time series]

fossil fuel: NA% hydro: NA% nuclear: NA% other: NA%

Exchange rates [time series]

Tuvaluan dollars ($T) or Australian dollars ($A) per US$1 - 1.5207 (January 2000), 1.5497 (1999), 1.5888 (1998), 1.3439 (1997), 1.2773 (1996), 1.3486 (1995)

Exports [time series]

$165,000 (f.o.b., 1989)

Exports - commodities [time series]

copra

Exports - partners [time series]

Fiji, Australia, NZ

Fiscal year [time series]

calendar year

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

purchasing power parity - $7.8 million (1995 est.)

GDP - composition, by sector of origin (GDP - composition by sector) [time series]

agriculture: NA% industry: NA% services: NA%

Real GDP per capita (GDP - per capita) [time series]

purchasing power parity - $800 (1995 est.)

Real GDP growth rate (GDP - real growth rate) [time series]

8.7% (1995 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share [time series]

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

Imports [time series]

$4.4 million (c.i.f., 1989)

Imports - commodities [time series]

food, animals, mineral fuels, machinery, manufactured goods

Imports - partners [time series]

Fiji, Australia, NZ

Industrial production growth rate [time series]

NA%

Industries [time series]

fishing, tourism, copra

Inflation rate (consumer prices) [time series]

3.9% (average 1985-93)

Labor force [time series]

NA

Labor force - by occupation [time series]

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

Population below poverty line [time series]

NA%

Unemployment rate [time series]

NA%

Area [time series]

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

Area - comparative [time series]

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

Elevation (Elevation extremes) [time series]

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

Environment - current issues [time series]

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 very concerned about global increases in greenhouse gas emissions and their effect on rising sea levels, which threaten the country's underground water table

International environmental agreements (Environment - international agreements) [time series]

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

Geographic coordinates [time series]

8 00 S, 178 00 E

Irrigated land [time series]

NA sq km

Land boundaries [time series]

0 km

Land use [time series]

arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% permanent pastures: 0% forests and woodland: 0% other: 100% (1993 est.)

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 hazards [time series]

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

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

Country name [time series]

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

Data code [time series]

TV

Diplomatic representation from the US [time series]

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

Diplomatic representation in the US [time series]

Tuvalu does not have an embassy in the US

Executive branch [time series]

chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952), represented by Governor General Sir Tomasi PUAPUA (since 26 June 1998) head of government: Prime Minister Ionatana IONATANA (since NA April 1999) and Deputy Prime Minister Lagitupu (of Nanumea) TUILIMU (since NA April 1999) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the governor general on the recommendation of the prime minister elections: the monarch 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; election last held 27 April 1999 (next to be held NA 2002) election results: Ionatana IONATANA elected prime minister; percent of Parliament vote - NA; Lagitupu (of Nanumea) TUILIMU elected deputy prime minister; percent of Parliament vote - NA

Flag (Flag description) [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

Government type [time series]

constitutional monarchy with a parliamentary democracy; began debating republic status in 1992

Independence [time series]

1 October 1978 (from UK)

International organization participation [time series]

ACP, AsDB, C (special), ESCAP, IFRCS (associate), Intelsat (nonsignatory user), ITU, Sparteca, SPC, SPF, UNESCO, UPU, WHO, WTrO (applicant)

Judicial branch [time series]

eight Island Courts; High Court; note - a chief justice visits twice a year to preside over sessions of the High Court

Legal system [time series]

NA

Legislative branch [time series]

unicameral Parliament or Fale I Fono, also called House of Assembly (12 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms) elections: last held 26-27 March 1998 (next to be held by NA 2002) election results: percent of vote - NA; seats - independents 12

National holiday [time series]

Independence Day, 1 October (1978)

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

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

Suffrage [time series]

18 years of age; universal

Background [time series]

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 the next dozen years.

Military and security forces (Military branches) [time series]

no regular military forces; Police Force includes Maritime Surveillance Unit for search and rescue missions and surveillance operations

Military expenditures - dollar figure [time series]

$NA

Military expenditures (Military expenditures - percent of GDP) [time series]

NA%

Age structure [time series]

0-14 years: 34% (male 1,872; female 1,802) 15-64 years: 61% (male 3,149; female 3,458) 65 years and over: 5% (male 239; female 318) (2000 est.)

Birth rate [time series]

21.78 births/1,000 population (2000 est.)

Death rate [time series]

7.66 deaths/1,000 population (2000 est.)

Ethnic groups [time series]

Polynesian 96%

Infant mortality rate [time series]

23.3 deaths/1,000 live births (2000 est.)

Languages [time series]

Tuvaluan, English

Life expectancy at birth [time series]

total population: 66.32 years male: 64.21 years female: 68.53 years (2000 est.)

Literacy [time series]

definition: NA total population: NA% male: NA% female: NA%

Nationality [time series]

noun: Tuvaluan(s) adjective: Tuvaluan

Net migration rate [time series]

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2000 est.)

Population [time series]

10,838 (July 2000 est.)

Population growth rate [time series]

1.41% (2000 est.)

Religions [time series]

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

Sex ratio [time series]

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.91 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.75 male(s)/female total population: 0.94 male(s)/female (2000 est.)

Total fertility rate [time series]

3.11 children born/woman (2000 est.)

Disputes - international [time series]

none [Country Listing] [ The World Factbook Home]

Airports [time series]

1 (1999 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways [time series]

total: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (1999 est.)

Roadways (Highways) [time series]

total: 8 km (1996 est.) paved: NA km unpaved: NA km

Merchant marine [time series]

total: 8 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 44,500 GRT/63,978 DWT ships by type: cargo 5, passenger/cargo 1, petroleum tanker 1, roll-on/roll-off 1 (1999 est.)

Ports (Ports and harbors) [time series]

Funafuti, Nukufetau

Railways [time series]

0 km