Tuvalu

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

• 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

noun:

Tuvaluan(s)

adjective:

Tuvaluan

total:

28.1 years (2025 est.)

male:

26.8 years

female:

28.8 years

at birth:

1.05 male(s)/female

0-14 years:

1.05 male(s)/female

15-64 years:

1.02 male(s)/female

65 years and over:

0.57 male(s)/female

total population:

0.98 male(s)/female (2024 est.)

total:

27.2 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.)

male:

31.3 deaths/1,000 live births

female:

24 deaths/1,000 live births

total population:

69 years (2024 est.)

male:

66.5 years

female:

71.6 years

total:

0.93 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

beer:

0.01 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

wine:

0.69 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

spirits:

0.22 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

other alcohols:

0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

total:

32.4% (2025 est.)

male:

46.2% (2025 est.)

female:

18.1% (2025 est.)

women married by age 15:

0% (2020)

women married by age 18:

1.8% (2020)

men married by age 18:

1.7% (2020)

• limited freshwater resources;
• beach erosion;
• deforestation;
• damage to coral reefs;
• rising sea levels

party to:

Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Desertification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Whaling

signed, but not ratified:

Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban

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

urban population:

66.2% of total population (2023)

rate of urbanization:

2.08% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

conventional long form:

none

conventional short form:

Tuvalu

local long form:

none

local short form:

Tuvalu

former:

Ellice Islands

etymology:

• the name in the local language means "group of eight" or "eight standing together," referring to eight of the country's nine islands;
• the remaining island, Nui, was left out of the original grouping because its inhabitants spoke a different language;
• the former name was given in honor of Canadian shipping company owner Alexander Ellice, who owned a ship that visited the islands in 1819

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

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

citizenship by birth:

yes

citizenship by descent only:

yes; for a child born abroad, at least one parent must be a citizen of Tuvalu

dual citizenship recognized:

yes

residency requirement for naturalization:

na

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

chief of mission:

Ambassador Tapugao FALEFOU (since 19 April 2023); note - also Permanent Representative to UN

chancery:

685 Third Avenue, Suite 1104, New York, NY 10017

telephone:

[1] (212) 490-0534

FAX:

[1] (212) 808-4975

email address and website:

[email protected]; [email protected]; https://www.un.int/tuvalu/about

note: the Tuvalu Permanent Mission to the UN serves as the Embassy

description:

light blue with the UK flag in the upper-left quadrant; the right half of the flag has nine five-pointed yellow stars

meaning:

the stars represent a map of the country, with each symbolizing an atoll in the ocean

title:

"Tuvalu mo te Atua" (Tuvalu for the Almighty)

lyrics/music:

Afaese MANOA

history:

adopted 1978; the anthem's name is also the nation's motto

title:

"God Save the King"

lyrics/music:

unknown

history:

used since 1745

• upper middle-income Pacific island economy;
• extremely environmentally fragile;
• currency pegged to Australian dollar;
• large international aid recipient;
• subsistence agrarian sector;
• Te Kakeega sustainable development;
• domain name licensing incomes

agriculture:

15.9% (2015 est.)

industry:

7% (2015 est.)

services:

70% (2012 est.)

note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data

• no TV stations;
• many households use satellite dishes to watch foreign TV;
• 1 state-owned radio station, Radio Tuvalu, includes relays from international broadcasters (2019)

total ports:

1 (2024)

large:

0

medium:

0

small:

0

very small:

1

ports with oil terminals:

1

key ports:

Funafuti Atoll