| Geographical Information |
| Map Location |
Oceania |
| Geographical Location |
8° 00' South Latitude
178° 00' East Longitude |
| Surface Area |
26 sq km |
| Climate |
Tropical; moderated by easterly trade winds (March to November); westerly gales and heavy rain (November to March) |
| Natural Resources |
Fish |
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| Political Information |
 |
|
| Country Name |
Tuvalu |
| Capital City |
Funafuti |
| Government Type |
Constitutional monarchy with a parliamentary democracy; began debating republic status in 1992 |
| Administrative Divisions |
none |
| Independence Day |
1 October 1978 (from UK) |
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| Demographical Information |
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| Population |
11,636 (July 2005 est.) |
| Nationality |
Tuvaluan |
| Ethnic Groups |
Polynesian 96%, Micronesian 4% |
| Religion |
Church of Tuvalu (Congregationalist) 97%, Seventh-Day Adventist 1.4%, Baha'i 1%, other 0.6% |
| Languages |
Tuvaluan, English, Samoan, Kiribati (on the island of Nui) |
| Population Growth Rate |
1.47% (2005 est.) |
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| Economical Information |
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| Currency |
Australian dollar (AUD); note - there is also a Tuvaluan dollar |
| Industries |
Fishing, tourism, copra |
| Labor Force |
7,000 (2001 est.) |
| Labor Force by Sectors |
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) |
| Agriculture Products |
Coconuts; fish |
| Export Commodities |
Copra,fish |
| Export Partners |
Germany 34.6%, Poland 25.9%, Philippines 12.5%, Fiji 8.4%, Italy 6.7%, UK 4.7% (2004) |
| Import Commodities |
Food, animals, mineral fuels, machinery, manufactured goods |
| Import Partners |
Fiji 43.1%, Japan 20%, Australia 10.6%, Poland 9.9% (2004) |
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| Transportation |
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| Railways |
- |
| Highways |
8 km |
| Pipelines |
- |
| Airports |
1 (2004 est.) |
| Ports and Harbors |
Funafuti, Nukufetau |
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| Communication |
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| Phone Code |
+688 |
| Internet Abbreviation |
.tv |
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| Other |
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| Short History |
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. |
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