Tuvalu

Introduction

Background
Voyagers from either Samoa or Tonga first populated Tuvalu in the first millennium A.D. The UK declared a protectorate over islands in 1892 and merged them with the Micronesian Gilbert Islands. The Tuvaluan islands gained independence in 1978 as Tuvalu.

Geography

Area
total : 26 sq km
land: 26 sq km
water: 0 sq km

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

Natural resources
fish, coconut (copra)

People and Society

Population
total: 11,733 (2024 est.)

Ethnic groups
Tuvaluan 97%, Tuvaluan/I-Kiribati 1.6%, Tuvaluan/other 0.8%, other 0.6% (2017 est.)

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

Religions
Protestant 92.7% (Congregational Christian Church of Tuvalu 85.9%, Brethren 2.8%, Seventh Day Adventist 2.5%, Assemblies of God 1.5%), Baha'i 1.5%, Jehovah's Witness 1.5%, other 3.9%, none or refused 0.4% (2017 est.)

Population growth rate
0.78% (2024 est.)

Government

Government type
parliamentary democracy under a constitutional monarchy; a Commonwealth realm

Capital
name: Funafuti

Executive branch
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)

Diplomatic representation in the US
chief of mission: Ambassador Tapugao FALEFOU (since 19 April 2023); note - also Permanent Representative to UN

Economy

Economic overview
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

Real GDP (purchasing power parity)
$57.055 million (2023 est.)
$54.938 million (2022 est.)
$54.568 million (2021 est.)

Real GDP per capita
$5,800 (2023 est.)
$5,500 (2022 est.)
$5,400 (2021 est.)

Exports
$2.232 million (2022 est.)
$2.745 million (2021 est.)
$3.089 million (2020 est.)

Exports - partners
Thailand 88%, Japan 6%, Philippines 3%, Ireland 1%, USA 1% (2023)

Exports - commodities
fish (2023)

Imports
$57.388 million (2022 est.)
$63.962 million (2021 est.)
$56.947 million (2020 est.)

Imports - partners
China 42%, Fiji 24%, Japan 11%, Australia 11%, NZ 4% (2023)

Imports - commodities
ships, refined petroleum, iron structures, fish, hand tools (2023)

Human Development Index

The country's Human Development Index (HDI) is 0.689, ranking it 129th out of 193 countries tested. (more information)