Broadcast media [time series]

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 [time series]

.tv

Internet users (Internet hosts) [time series]

109,478 (2010) country comparison to the world: 77

Internet users [time series]

4,200 (2008) country comparison to the world: 205

Telecommunication systems (Telephone system) [time series]

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

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

1,700 (2009) country comparison to the world: 226

Telephones - mobile cellular [time series]

2,000 (2009) country comparison to the world: 215

Agricultural products (Agriculture - products) [time series]

coconuts; fish

Current account balance [time series]

-$11.68 million (2003) country comparison to the world: 62

Debt - external [time series]

$NA

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 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 [time series]

Tuvaluan dollars or Australian dollars (AUD) per US dollar - 1.1151 (2009), 1.2059 (2008), 1.2137 (2007), 1.3285 (2006)

Exports [time series]

$1 million (2004 est.) country comparison to the world: 218

Exports - commodities [time series]

copra, fish

GDP (official exchange rate) [time series]

$14.94 million (2002)

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

$14.94 million (2002 est.) country comparison to the world: 226

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

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

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

$1,600 (2002 est.) country comparison to the world: 199

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

3% (2006 est.) country comparison to the world: 123

Household income or consumption by percentage share [time series]

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

Imports [time series]

$12.91 million (2005) country comparison to the world: 220

Imports - commodities [time series]

food, animals, mineral fuels, machinery, manufactured goods

Industrial production growth rate [time series]

NA%

Industries [time series]

fishing, tourism, copra

Inflation rate (consumer prices) [time series]

3.8% (2006 est.) country comparison to the world: 111

Labor force [time series]

3,615 (2004 est.) country comparison to the world: 220

Labor force - by occupation [time series]

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 [time series]

NA%

Unemployment rate [time series]

NA%

Area [time series]

total: 26 sq km country comparison to the world: 237 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 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

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

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 [time series]

8 00 S, 178 00 E

Geography - note [time series]

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 [time series]

NA

Land boundaries [time series]

0 km

Land use [time series]

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

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]

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

Natural hazards [time series]

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 [time series]

fish

Terrain [time series]

low-lying and narrow coral atolls

Administrative divisions [time series]

none

Capital [time series]

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

Constitution [time series]

1 October 1978

Country name [time series]

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

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 - 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 [time series]

chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952); represented by Governor General Iakoba TAEIA Italeli (since May 2010) head of government: Prime Minister Willie TELAVI (since 24 December 2010) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the governor general on the recommendation of the prime minister (For more information visit theWorld Leaders website) 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 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

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 on a blue field symbolizing the nine atolls in the ocean

Government type [time series]

parliamentary democracy and a Commonwealth realm

Independence [time series]

1 October 1978 (from the UK)

International organization participation [time series]

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

Judicial branch [time series]

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 [time series]

English common law supplemented by local customary law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Legislative branch [time series]

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

National anthem(s) (National anthem) [time series]

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

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

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

none

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 a 12-year period.

Manpower fit for military service [time series]

males age 16-49: 1,981 females age 16-49: 2,005 (2010 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually [time series]

male: 120 female: 110 (2010 est.)

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

no regular military forces; Tuvalu Police Force (2009)

Military expenditures [time series]

NA

Age structure [time series]

0-14 years: 29.2% (male 1,841/female 1,770) 15-64 years: 65.6% (male 3,973/female 4,141) 65 years and over: 5.2% (male 240/female 408) (2010 est.)

Birth rate [time series]

23.01 births/1,000 population (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 74

Death rate [time series]

9.36 deaths/1,000 population (July 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 65

Education expenditure (Education expenditures) [time series]

NA

Ethnic groups [time series]

Polynesian 96%, Micronesian 4%

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate [time series]

NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths [time series]

NA

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS [time series]

NA

Infant mortality rate [time series]

total: 35.52 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 71 male: 38.66 deaths/1,000 live births female: 32.22 deaths/1,000 live births (2010 est.)

Languages [time series]

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

Life expectancy at birth [time series]

total population: 64.39 years country comparison to the world: 168 male: 62.36 years female: 66.51 years (2010 est.)

Literacy [time series]

NA

Median age [time series]

total: 23.9 years male: 22.4 years female: 26 years (2010 est.)

Nationality [time series]

noun: Tuvaluan(s) adjective: Tuvaluan

Net migration rate [time series]

-7.07 migrant(s)/1,000 population country comparison to the world: 207

Population [time series]

10,472 (July 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 224

Population growth rate [time series]

0.659% (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 144

Religions [time series]

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

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education) [time series]

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

Sex ratio [time series]

at birth: 1.051 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.95 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.73 male(s)/female total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2010 est.)

Total fertility rate [time series]

3.14 children born/woman (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 60

Urbanization [time series]

urban population: 49% of total population (2008) rate of urbanization: 1.3% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Disputes - international [time series]

none

Airports [time series]

1 (2010) country comparison to the world: 213

Airports - with unpaved runways [time series]

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

Merchant marine [time series]

total: 66 country comparison to the world: 64 by type: bulk carrier 7, cargo 20, chemical tanker 16, container 3, passenger 2, passenger/cargo 1, petroleum tanker 15, refrigerated cargo 1, vehicle carrier 1 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)

Ports (Ports and terminals) [time series]

Funafuti

Roadways [time series]

total: 8 km country comparison to the world: 221 paved: 8 km (2002)