Tuvalu:

Region: Oceania – Polynesia

Capital: Funafuti

Official Language/s: Tuvaluan, English

Population: 12000

Currency: Australian Dollar

Government: Parliamentary Democracy with a Constitutional Monarchy

Geography: Tuvalu consists of four reef islands and five narrow coral atolls. The land is very low lying and the quality of soil is poor. Tuvalu has a total land area of only about 26 square kilometers making it the fourth smallest country in the world. The highest elevation is five meters above sea level giving Tuvalu the second-lowest elevation of any country. This low elevation puts Tuvalu at risk of submergence by any future sea level rise. As a result the population may be forced to evacuate to New Zealand or the Fijian island of Kioa. The soil in Tuvalu is unsuitable for agriculture and there is almost no reliable supply of drinking water for the people.

Economy: Tuvalu has virtually no natural resources and its main form of income comes from foreign aid. The government provides nearly all the jobs in the islands that pay a steady wage or salary. Subsistence farming and fishing remain the primary economic activities, particularly off the capital island of Funafuti. Government revenues are raised primarily through the sale of stamps and coins, fishing licenses and worker remittances.

Demographics: The population of Tuvalu has more than doubled since 1980 and was estimated to reach 1,810 in July 2006. The large majority of Tuvaluan residents are of Polynesian background with 4% being Micronesian.

Religion: Approximately 97% of Tuvaluans are members of the Church of Tuvalu which is a Protestant Christian church. The main religion consists of a mix of Christianity with some elements of the indigenous religions. Seventh-Day Adventist and Bahá’í are also practiced on the island.

Culture: The traditional Tuvaluan community structure still survives to a large extent today. Each family has its own task to perform for the community which include fishing, house building or defence. The skills of a family are passed on from father to son. The Tuvaluan language is spoken by virtually everyone and English is also an official language, but is not spoken in daily use. Parliament and official functions are conducted in Tuvaluan.

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