Tuvalu

democracyIndependence 1 October 1978 (from UK

Tuvalu as the 1990 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 66 fields, one of 36 editions from 1990 to 2025.

field in that editiontext changed from the edition beforenot in that editionthe open editionEach field below ends in its editions, 1990 to 2025. Point at a year above to follow it down.

CapitalFunafuti
Area26 km2
1990

Every edition of Tuvalu

Populationas each edition published it
9,136 people July 1990 · 11,824 in 2025
Population growth% a year
Not in this edition 1.74% in 1993
Median ageyears
Not in this edition 24.2 yrs in 2003
Life expectancyyears at birth
Not in this edition 62.64 yrs in 1993
Fertility ratechildren per woman
3.1 children per woman 1990 · 2.76 in 2025
Infant mortalitydeaths per 1,000 live births
33 deaths per 1,000 live births 1990 · 27.2 in 2025
GDP per capitaeach edition's own dollars
Not in this edition $530 in 1993
GDP real growth% a year
Not in this edition 4% in 1994

Geography

12 fields

Land useshare of 26 km2

forest and woodland 0%other 100%arable land 0% in all · permanent crops 0% in all · meadows and pastures 0% in all
Total area
26km2
land area: 26 km2Comparative area: about 0.1 times the size of Washington, DC
Coastline
24km
land boundaries: noneTerritorial sea: 12 nm

Climate

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

Terrain

very low-lying and narrow coral atolls

Environment

severe tropical storms are rare

Note

located 3,000 km east of Papua New Guinea in the South Pacific Ocean

People

14 fields
Population
9,136
(July 1990), growth rate 2.0% (1990)

Per 1,000 population(1990)

Birth
30Death
10Net migration
0

Infant mortality rate

33 deaths/1,000 live births (1990)

Life expectancy at birth

60 years male, 63 years female (1990)

Total fertility rate

3.1 children born/woman (1990)

Nationality

noun--Tuvaluans(s); adjective--Tuvaluan

Ethnic divisions

96% Polynesian

Religion

Christian, predominantly Protestant

Language

Tuvaluan, English

Literacy

less than 50%

Government

Democracy

15 fields

Type

democracy

Capital

Funafuti

Independence

1 October 1978 (from UK; formerly Ellice Islands)

Constitution

1 October 1978

National holiday

Independence Day, 1 October (1978)

Executive branch

British monarch, governor general, prime minister, deputy prime minister, Cabinet

Legislative branch

unicameral Parliament

Judicial branch

  • High Court Chief of State--Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952), represented by Governor General Tupua LEUPENA (since 1 March 1986);
  • Head of Government--Prime Minister Bikenibeu PAENIU (since 16 October 1989);
  • Deputy Prime Minister Dr. Alesana SELUKA (since October 1989)

Suffrage

  • universal at age 18 Parliament--last held 28 September 1989 (next to be held by September 1993);
  • results--percent of vote NA;
  • seats--(12 total)

Member of

ACP, ESCAP (associate member), GATT (de facto), SPF, SPC, UPU

Diplomatic representation

Ambassador (vacant); US--none

Flag

  • 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

Economy

Tuvalu consists of a scattered group of nine coral atolls with poor-quality soil.

16 fields

Budget

Revenues
$2.59 millionExpenditures
$3.6 million
expenditures, including capital expenditures of NA (1983 est.)

Overview

Tuvalu consists of a scattered group of nine coral atolls with poor-quality soil. The country has a small economy, 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, New Zealand, and the UK and supported also by Japan and South Korea.

GNP

$4.6 million, per capita $530; real growth rate NA% (1989 est.)

Exports

  • $1.0 million (f.o.b., 1983 est.);
  • commodities--copra;
  • partners--Fiji, Australia, NZ

Imports

  • $2.8 million (c.i.f., 1983 est.);
  • commodities--food, animals, mineral fuels, machinery, manufactured goods;
  • partners--Fiji, Australia, NZ

Industrial production

growth rate NA

Electricity

2,600 kW capacity; 3 million kWh produced, 350 kWh per capita (1989)

Industries

fishing, tourism, copra

Agriculture

coconuts, copra

Aid

US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-87), $1 million; Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-87), $84 million

Currency

Tuvaluan dollar and Australian dollar (plural--dollars); 1 Tuvaluan dollar ($T) or 1 Australian dollar ($A) = 100 cents

Exchange rates

Tuvaluan dollars ($T) or Australian dollars ($A) per US$1--1.2784 (January 1990), 1.2618 (1989), 1.2752 (1988), 1.4267 (1987), 1.4905 (1986), 1.4269 (1985)

Communications

6 fields

Highways

8 km gravel

Ports

Funafuti, Nukufetau

Merchant marine

1 passenger-cargo (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 1,043 GRT/450 DWT

Civil air

no major transport aircraft

Airports

1 with runway 1,220-2,439 m

Telecommunications

  • stations--1 AM, no FM, no TV;
  • 300 radiotelephones;
  • 4,000 radio receivers;
  • 108 telephones

Defense Forces

NA

3 fields

Central Intelligence Agency. “Tuvalu.” The World Factbook 1990. Archived by The Factbook, thefactbook.org/tuvalu/1990.

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