Tuvalu

democracyIndependence 1 October 1978 (from UK)

Tuvalu as the 1993 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 73 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

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

Populationas each edition published it

9,666 people July 1993 est. · 9,136 in 1990

Population growth% a year

1.74% 1993 est. · 0.75% in 2025

Median ageyears

Not in this edition 24.2 yrs in 2003

Life expectancyyears at birth

62.64 years 1993 est. · 69 yrs in 2025

Fertility ratechildren per woman

3.11 children per woman 1993 est. · 3.1 in 1990

Infant mortalitydeaths per 1,000 live births

26.8 deaths per 1,000 live births 1993 est. · 33 in 1990

GDP per capitaeach edition's own dollars

$530 1989 est. · $5,800 in 2025

GDP real growth% a year

Not in this edition 4% in 1994

Geography

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

13 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

Area

26km2

land area: 26 km2comparative area: about 0.1 times the size of Washington, DC

Coastline

24km

land boundaries: 0 kmcontiguous zone: 24 nmexclusive economic zone: 200 nmterritorial sea: 12 nm

Location

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

Map references

Oceania, Standard Time Zones of the World

Climate

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

People

14 fields

Population

9,666

(July 1993 est.)growth rate: 1.74% (1993 est.)

Per 1,000 population(1993 est.)

Birth

26.79Death

9.41Net migration

Religions

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

Infant mortality rate

26.8 deaths/1,000 live births (1993 est.)

Life expectancy at birth

total population:: 62.64 years
male:: 61.27 years
female:: 63.82 years (1993 est.)

Nationality

noun:: Tuvaluans(s)
adjective:: Tuvaluan

Literacy

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

Government

Democracy

20 fields

Names

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

Type

democracy;
began debating republic status in 1992;
referendum expected in 1993

Elections

Parliament:: last held 28 September 1989 (next to be held by NA September 1993);
results - percent of vote NA;
seats - (12 total)

Executive branch

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

Leaders

Chief of State:: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952), represented by Governor General Toaripi LAUTI (since NA 1992)
Head of Government:: Prime Minister Bikenibeu PAENIU (since 16 October 1989); Deputy Prime Minister Dr. Alesana SELUKA (since October 1989)

Member of

ACP, C (special), ESCAP, SPARTECA, SPC, SPF, UNESCO, UPU

Diplomatic representation in US

chief of mission: (vacant)

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 soil. | The country has no known mineral resources and few exports.

18 fields

GDP per capita, PPP

$530

(1989 est.)

Inflation, consumer prices

3.9%

(1984)

Budget

Revenues

$4.3 millionExpenditures

$4.3 million

expenditures, including capital expenditures of $NA (1989)

Tuvalu consists of a 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. 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.

National product

GNP - exchange rate conversion - $4.6 million (1989 est.)

National product real growth rate

NA%

Unemployment rate

NA%

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

External debt

$NA

Electricity

2,600 kW capacity; 3 million kWh produced, 330 kWh per capita (1990)

Industries

fishing, tourism, copra

Agriculture

coconuts

Economic aid

US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-87), $1 million; Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-89), $101 million

Currency

1 Tuvaluan dollar ($T) or 1 Australian dollar ($A) = 100 cents

Exchange rates

Tuvaluan dollars ($T) or Australian dollars ($A) per US$1 - 1.4837 (January 1993), 1.3600 (1992), 1.2835 (1991), 1.2799 (1990), 1.2618 (1989), 1.2752 (1988)