Outline of Tuvalu

Short description: Overview of and topical guide to Tuvalu

The Flag of Tuvalu

The Coat of arms of Tuvalu

The location of Tuvalu An enlargeable map of Tuvalu

The following outline is provided as an overview of and topical guide to Tuvalu:

Tuvalu (formerly known as the Ellice Islands) - sovereign Polynesian island nation located in the South Pacific Ocean midway between Hawaiʻi and Australia.[1] Its nearest neighbours are Kiribati, Samoa and Fiji. Comprising three reef islands and six true atolls with a gross land area of just 26 square kilometers (10 sq mi) it is the third-least populated independent country in the world, with only Vatican City and Nauru having fewer inhabitants. It is also the second-smallest member by population of the United Nations. In terms of physical land size, Tuvalu is the fourth smallest country in the world, larger only than the Vatican City—0.44 km2; Monaco—1.95 km2 and Nauru—21 km2. Tuvalu's Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) covers an oceanic area of approximately 900,000 km2.[2]

The first inhabitants of Tuvalu were Polynesians. Therefore, the origins of the people of Tuvalu are addressed in the theories regarding the spread of humans out of Southeast Asia, from Taiwan, via Melanesia and across the Pacific islands to create Polynesia.

Tuvalu was first sighted by Europeans on 16 January 1568 during the voyage of Álvaro de Mendaña de Neira from Spain who is understood to have sighted the island of Nui. Mendaña made contact with the islanders but was unable to land.[3] During Mendaña's second voyage across the Pacific he passed Niulakita on 29 August 1595.[3][4] Captain John Byron passed through the islands of Tuvalu in 1764 during his circumnavigation of the globe as captain of HMS Dolphin.[5]

Keith S. Chambers and Doug Munro (1980) identify Niutao as the island that Francisco Mourelle de la Rúa sailed past on 5 May 1781, thus solving what Europeans had called The Mystery of Gran Cocal.[4][6] Mourelle's map and journal named the island El Gran Cocal ('The Great Coconut Plantation'); however, the latitude and longitude was uncertain.[6] Longitude could only be reckoned crudely as accurate chronometers were available until the late 18th century. Visits to the islands became more frequent in the 19th century.

The islands came under Britain's sphere of influence in the late 19th century. The Ellice Islands were administered by Britain as a protectorate as part of the British Western Pacific Territories from 1892 to 1916 and as part of the Gilbert and Ellice Islands Colony from 1916 to 1974. In 1974 the Ellice Islanders voted for separate British dependency status for Tuvalu, separating from the Gilbert Islands which became Kiribati upon independence. Tuvalu became fully independent within The Commonwealth in 1978. On 17 September 2000 Tuvalu became the 189th member of the United Nations.

## Contents

* 1 General reference
* 2 Geography of Tuvalu
* 2.1 Environment of Tuvalu
* 2.1.1 Natural geographic features of Tuvalu
* 2.2 Regions of Tuvalu
* 2.2.1 Ecoregions of Tuvalu
* 2.3 Demography of Tuvalu
* 3 Government and politics of Tuvalu
* 3.1 Branches of the government of Tuvalu
* 3.1.1 Executive branch of the government of Tuvalu
* 3.1.2 Legislative branch of the government of Tuvalu
* 3.1.3 Judicial branch of the government of Tuvalu
* 3.2 Foreign relations of Tuvalu
* 3.2.1 International organization membership
* 3.3 Law and order in Tuvalu
* 3.4 Military of Tuvalu
* 3.5 Local government in Tuvalu
* 4 History of Tuvalu
* 5 Culture of Tuvalu
* 5.1 Art in Tuvalu
* 5.2 Sports in Tuvalu
* 6 Economy and infrastructure of Tuvalu
* 7 Education in Tuvalu
* 8 Infrastructure of Tuvalu
* 9 Filmography
* 10 Bibliography
* 11 Further reading
* 12 See also
* 13 References
* 14 External links
* 15 External links

## General reference

* Pronunciation:
* Common English country name: Tuvalu
* Official English country name: Tuvalu
* Common endonym(s):
* Official endonym(s):
* Adjectival(s): Tuvaluan
* Demonym(s): Tuvaluan
* Etymology: From first settlement, eight of the nine islands of Tuvalu were inhabited; thus the name, Tuvalu, means "eight standing together" in Tuvaluan (compare to *walo meaning "eight" in Proto-Austronesian).
* ISO country codes: TV, TUV, 798
* ISO region codes: See TV
* Internet country code top-level domain: .tv

## Geography of Tuvalu

Fualefeke islet, Funafuti atoll

The islands of Tuvalu are spread out between the latitude of 5° to 10° south and longitude of 176° to 180°, west of the International Date Line.[7]

Geographic coordinates: [ ⚑ ] 5°41′S 176°12′E﻿ / ﻿5.683°S 176.2°E﻿ / -5.683; 176.2 to  [ ⚑ ] 10°45′S 179°51′E﻿ / ﻿10.75°S 179.85°E﻿ / -10.75; 179.85

* Tuvalu is...
* a group of islands, comprising...
* three reef islands
* six true atolls
* a country
* an island country
* a nation state
* a Commonwealth realm
* Location:
* Southern Hemisphere and Eastern Hemisphere
* Pacific Ocean
* South Pacific Ocean
* Oceania
* Polynesia
* Time zone: Tuvalu Time (UTC+12)
* Extreme points of Tuvalu
* High: unnamed location on Niulakita 4.5 m (15 ft)
* Low: South Pacific Ocean 0 m
* Land boundaries: none
* Coastline: South Pacific Ocean 24 km
* Population of Tuvalu: The 2022 census determined that Tuvalu had a population of 10,643,[8]: 5 \- 194th most populous country
*   * Area of Tuvalu: 26 km2
* Atlas of Tuvalu

### Environment of Tuvalu

An enlargeable satellite image of the island of Funafuti in Tuvalu

* Climate of Tuvalu
* Tuvalu Meteorological Service
* Geology of Tuvalu
* Protected areas of Tuvalu
* Funafuti Conservation Area
* Fauna of Tuvalu
* Birds of Tuvalu
* Butterflies of Tuvalu
* Mammals of Tuvalu
* Flora of Tuvalu
* Native broadleaf forest

#### Natural geographic features of Tuvalu

Lat. and Long.  [ ⚑ ] 8°19′S 179°08′E﻿ / ﻿8.31°S 179.13°E﻿ / -8.31; 179.13 (Funafuti)

Tuvalu consists of three reef islands and six true atolls, whose highest point above the sea is five metres.[9]

* Islands of Tuvalu
* Coral reefs of Tuvalu
* Lakes of Tuvalu: landlocked lagoons in Nanumaga and Niutao[9]
* Rivers of Tuvalu: none[9]
* World Heritage Sites in Tuvalu: none

### Regions of Tuvalu

Local government districts consisting of more than one islet:

* Funafuti
* Nanumea
* Nui
* Nukufetau
* Nukulaelae
* Vaitupu

Local government districts consisting of only one island:

* Nanumanga
* Niulakita
* Niutao

#### Ecoregions of Tuvalu

Funafuti Conservation Area

### Demography of Tuvalu

Demographics of Tuvalu

## Government and politics of Tuvalu

Politics of Tuvalu

* Form of government: parliamentary monarchy (Commonwealth realm)
* Constitution of Tuvalu
* Capital of Tuvalu: Funafuti
* Elections in Tuvalu
* Political parties in Tuvalu: none

### Branches of the government of Tuvalu

Government of Tuvalu

#### Executive branch of the government of Tuvalu

* Head of state: King of Tuvalu, Charles III
* Governor-General of Tuvalu, Tofiga Vaevalu Falani
* Head of government: Prime Minister of Tuvalu, Feleti Teo
* Cabinet of Tuvalu

#### Legislative branch of the government of Tuvalu

* Parliament of Tuvalu (unicameral)

#### Judicial branch of the government of Tuvalu

* Judiciary
* High Court of Tuvalu
* Court of Appeal of Tuvalu

### Foreign relations of Tuvalu

Foreign relations of Tuvalu

* Diplomatic missions in Tuvalu
* Diplomatic missions of Tuvalu

#### International organization membership

Tuvalu is a member of:[1]

* African, Caribbean, and Pacific Group of States (ACP)
* Asian Development Bank (ADB)
* Commonwealth of Nations
* Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO)
* International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRCS) (observer)
* International Maritime Organization (IMO)
* International Olympic Committee (IOC)
* International Telecommunication Union (ITU)
* Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW)

* Pacific Islands Forum (PIF)
* Secretariat of the Pacific Community (SPC)
* South Pacific Regional Trade and Economic Cooperation Agreement (Sparteca)
* United Nations (UN)
* United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD)
* United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)
* Universal Postal Union (UPU)
* World Health Organization (WHO)

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### Law and order in Tuvalu

Constitution of Tuvalu

* Crime in Tuvalu
* Human Rights in Tuvalu
* LGBT rights in Tuvalu
* Women in Tuvalu
* Religion in Tuvalu
* Climate change in Tuvalu
* Law enforcement in Tuvalu

### Military of Tuvalu

Military of Tuvalu

There is no military in Tuvalu. Its national police force, the Tuvalu Police Force headquartered in Funafuti, includes a maritime surveillance unit, customs, prisons and immigration.

### Local government in Tuvalu

* Local government

## History of Tuvalu

* Timeline of the history of Tuvalu
* Tuvaluan mythology

## Culture of Tuvalu

Canoe carving on Nanumea A Tuvaluan dancer at Auckland's Pasifika Festival

* Architecture of Tuvalu
* Cuisine of Tuvalu
* Public holidays in Tuvalu
* Tuvaluan language
* Tuvaluan mythology
* National symbols of Tuvalu
* Coat of arms of Tuvalu
* Flag of Tuvalu
* National anthem of Tuvalu
* People of Tuvalu
* Records of Tuvalu: Tuvalu National Library and Archives
* Religion in Tuvalu
* Christianity in Tuvalu: Church of Tuvalu
* Islam in Tuvalu
* World Heritage Sites in Tuvalu: None

### Art in Tuvalu

* Music of Tuvalu

### Sports in Tuvalu

* Football in Tuvalu
* Tuvalu at the Olympics
* Tuvalu at the Pacific Games
* Tuvalu at the Commonwealth Games
* Tuvaluan records in athletics

## Economy and infrastructure of Tuvalu

* Economic rank, by nominal GDP (2007): 190th (one hundred and ninetieth)
* Agriculture in Tuvalu
* Financial institutions in Tuvalu
* National Bank of Tuvalu
* Tuvalu Trust Fund
* Communications
* Tuvalu Telecommunications Corporation
* Tuvalu Media Corporation
* Public sector enterprises of Tuvalu
* Tuvalu Maritime Training Institute
* Tuvalu Philatelic Bureau
* Vaiaku Lagi Hotel
* Private sector enterprises of Tuvalu
* Currency of Tuvalu: Tuvaluan dollar/Australian dollar
* ISO 4217: TVD/AUD
* Energy in Tuvalu
* Renewable energy in Tuvalu
* Tourism in Tuvalu
* Visa policy of Tuvalu
* Transport in Tuvalu

## Education in Tuvalu

* History of education in Tuvalu
* Motufoua Secondary School
* Fetuvalu Secondary School
* Tuvalu Maritime Training Institute

## Infrastructure of Tuvalu

Tuvalu Meteorological Service, Fongafale, Funafuti atoll

* Health in Tuvalu
* Princess Margaret Hospital
* Transportation in Tuvalu
* Funafuti International Airport
* Shipping in Tuvalu
* Roads in Tuvalu
* Water supply and sanitation in Tuvalu

## Filmography

Documentary films about Tuvalu:

* Tu Toko Tasi (Stand by Yourself) (2000) Conrad Mill, a Secretariat of the Pacific Community (SPC) production.[10]
* Paradise Domain – Tuvalu (Director: Joost De Haas, Bullfrog Films/TVE 2001)[11] 25:52 minutes - YouTube video.
* Tuvalu island tales (A Tale of two Islands) (Director: Michel Lippitsch) 34 minutes - YouTube video.
* The Disappearing of Tuvalu: Trouble in Paradise (2004) by Christopher Horner and Gilliane Le Gallic.[12]
* Paradise Drowned: Tuvalu, the Disappearing Nation (2004) Written and produced by Wayne Tourell. Directed by Mike O'Connor, Savana Jones-Middleton and Wayne Tourell.[13]
* Going Under (2004) by Franny Armstrong, Spanner Films.[11]
* Before the Flood: Tuvalu (2005) by Paul Lindsay (Storyville/BBC Four).[11]
* Time and Tide (2005) by Julie Bayer and Josh Salzman, Wavecrest Films [14]
* Tuvalu: That Sinking Feeling (2005) by Elizabeth Pollock from PBS Rough Cut
* Atlantis Approaching (2006) by Elizabeth Pollock, Blue Marble Productions [15]
* King Tide | The Sinking of Tuvalu (2007) by Juriaan Booij.[16]
* Tuvalu (Director: Aaron Smith, ‘Hungry Beast’ program, ABC June 2011) 6:40 minutes - YouTube video
* Tuvalu: Renewable Energy in the Pacific Islands Series (2012) Global Environment Facility (GEF), United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP) 10 minutes – YouTube video.
* Mission Tuvalu (Missie Tuvalu) (2013) feature documentary directed by Jeroen van den Kroonenberg.[17]
* ThuleTuvalu (2014) by Matthias von Gunten, HesseGreutert Film/OdysseyFilm.[18]
* Inside Tuvalu: A country being lost to rising sea level - documentary (2023) - YouTube video

## Bibliography

* Bibliography of Tuvalu

## Further reading

* Lonely Planet Guide: South Pacific & Micronesia, by various. ISBN 1786572184 ISBN 978-1786572189
* Bennetts, Peter and Tony Wheeler, Time & Tide: The Islands of Tuvalu, Lonely Planet (2001) ISBN 1864503424 ISBN 978-1864503425
* Chalkley, John, Vaitupu – An Account of Life on a Remote Polynesian Atoll, Matuku Publications (1999)ISBN 9780953487608 ISBN 0953487601
* Ells, Philip, Where the Hell is Tuvalu? Virgin Books (2008) ISBN 0753511304 ISBN 978-0753511305
* Watling, Dick, A Guide to the Birds of Fiji and Western Polynesia: Including American Samoa, Niue, Samoa, Tokelau, Tonga, Tuvalu and Wallis and Futuna, Environmental Consultants (Fiji) Ltd; 2nd edition (2003) ISBN 9829030040 ISBN 9789829030047
* Randy Thaman, Feagaiga Penivao, Faoliu Teakau, Semese Alefaio, Lamese Saamu, Moe Saitala, Mataio Tekinene and Mile Fonua (2017). "Report on the 2016 Funafuti Community-Based Ridge-To-Reef (R2R)". Rapid Biodiversity Assessment of the Conservation Status of Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (BES) In Tuvalu. https://www.sprep.org/attachments/VirLib/Tuvalu/r2r-biorap.pdf.

Customs and Traditions

* Brady, Ivan, Kinship Reciprocity in the Ellice Islands, Journal of the Polynesian Society 81:3 (1972), 290–316
* Brady, Ivan, Land Tenure in the Ellice Islands, in Henry P. Lundsaarde (ed). Land Tenure in Oceania, Honolulu, University Press of Hawaii (1974) ISBN 0824803213 ISBN 9780824803216
* Chambers, Keith & Anne Chambers Unity of Heart: Culture and Change in a Polynesian Atoll Society (January 2001) Waveland Pr Inc. ISBN 1577661664 ISBN 978-1577661665
* Koch, Gerd, Die Materielle Kulture der Ellice-Inseln, Berlin: Museum fur Volkerkunde (1961); The English translation by Guy Slatter, was published as The Material Culture of Tuvalu, University of the South Pacific in Suva (1981) ASIN B0000EE805.

History

* Hedley, Charles (1896). "General account of the Atoll of Funafuti". Australian Museum Memoir 3 (2): 1–72. doi:10.3853/j.0067-1967.3.1896.487. http://australianmuseum.net.au/Uploads/Journals/16686/487_complete.pdf.
* Tuvalu: A History (1983) Isala, Tito and Larcy, Hugh (eds.), Institute of Pacific Studies, University of the South Pacific and Government of Tuvalu
* Suamalie N.T. Iosefa, Doug Munro, Niko Besnier, Tala O Niuoku, Te: the German Plantation on Nukulaelae Atoll 1865–1890 (1991) Published by the Institute of Pacific Studies. ISBN 9820200733
* Pulekai A. Sogivalu, Brief History of Niutao, A, (1992) Published by the Institute of Pacific Studies. ISBN 982020058X
* Macdonald, Barrie, Cinderellas of the Empire: towards a history of Kiribati and Tuvalu, Institute of Pacific Studies, University of the South Pacific, Suva, Fiji, (2001). ISBN 982-02-0335-X (Australian National University Press, first published 1982)

Language

* Vaiaso ote Gana, Tuvalu Language Week Education Resource 2016 (New Zealand Ministry for Pacific Peoples)
* Besnier, Niko, Literacy, Emotion and Authority: Reading and Writing on a Polynesian Atoll, Cambridge University Press (1995) ISBN 0521485398 ISBN 978-0521485395
* Besnier, Niko, Tuvaluan: A Polynesian Language of the Central Pacific. (Descriptive Grammars) (2000) Routledge ISBN 0415024560 ISBN 978-0415024563
* Jackson, Geoff W. & Jenny Jackson, Introduction to Tuvaluan, An (1999) ISBN 9829027023 ISBN 978-9829027023.
* Jackson, Geoff W., Te Tikisionale O Te Gana Tuvalu, A Tuvaluan-English Dictionary (1994) Suva, Fiji, Oceania Printers. ASIN: B0006F7FNY.
* Kennedy, Donald Gilbert, Te ngangana a te Tuvalu – Handbook on the language of the Ellice Islands (1946) Websdale, Shoosmith, Sydney N.S.W.

Music and Dance

* Christensen, Dieter, Old Musical Styles in the Ellice Islands, Western Polynesia, Ethnomusicology, 8:1 (1964), 34–40
* Christensen, Dieter and Gerd Koch, Die Musik der Ellice-Inseln, Berlin: Museum fur Volkerkunde (1964)
* Koch, Gerd, Songs of Tuvalu (translated by Guy Slatter), Institute of Pacific Studies, University of the South Pacific (2000) ISBN 9820203147 ISBN 978-9820203143

## See also

* List of international rankings
* Member state of the Commonwealth of Nations
* Member state of the United Nations
* Monarchy of Tuvalu
* Outline of geography
* Outline of Oceania

## References

1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 "Tuvalu". The World Factbook. United States Central Intelligence Agency. July 2, 2009. https://www.cia.gov/the-world-factbook/countries/tuvalu/.
2. ↑ Dr A J Tilling & Ms E Fihaki (17 November 2009). Tuvalu National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan. Fourth National Report to the Convention on Biological Diversity. p. 7. http://www.cbd.int/doc/world/tv/tv-nr-04-en.pdf.
3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 Maude, H.E. (1959). "Spanish Discoveries in the Central Pacific: A Study in Identification". 68 (4) The Journal of the Polynesian Society. pp. 284–326. http://www.jps.auckland.ac.nz/document/Volume_68_1959/Volume_68,_No._4/Spanish_discoveries_in_the_Pacific,_by_H._E._Maude,_p_285-326/p1.
4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 Keith S. Chambers & Doug Munro (1980). The Mystery of Gran Cocal: European Discovery and Mis-Discovery in Tuvalu. 89(2) The Journal of the Polynesian Society. pp. 167–198. http://www.jps.auckland.ac.nz/document/Volume_89_1980/Volume_89,_No._2/The_'mystery'_of_Gran_Cocal:_European_discovery_and_mis-discovery_in_Tuvalu,_by_Doug_Munro,_p_167-198/p1. Retrieved 2013-12-01.
5. ↑ "Circumnavigation: Notable global maritime circumnavigations". Solarnavigator.net. http://www.solarnavigator.net/circumnavigation.htm.
6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 Laumua Kofe (1983). Tuvalu: A History, Palagi and Pastors, Ch. 15. Institute of Pacific Studies, University of the South Pacific and Government of Tuvalu.
7. ↑ "Maps of Tuvalu". https://www.mapsland.com/oceania/tuvalu.
8. ↑ (in en) Tuvalu 2022 census on population and housing: analytical report. Noumea Cedex, New Caledonia: Pacific Community. March 2025. ISBN 978-982-00-1617-0. https://spccfpstore1.blob.core.windows.net/digitallibrary-docs/files/f6/f63bae1b56af7cbcc4b51f8568ce4985.pdf?sv=2015-12-11&sr=b&sig=RRqqoeJ0R/rDqckPotySlFcUX1UYLrD/brTMfyGNh40=&se=2025-10-03T10:38:37Z&sp=r&rscc=public, max-age=864000, max-stale=86400&rsct=application/pdf&rscd=inline; filename="Tuvalu_2022_Census_Report.pdf".
9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 9.2 "Tuvalu", CIA World Factbook
10. ↑ Phelan, Erin (15 May 2000). "Tuvalu In World TV Festival". Pacific Islands Report. http://www.pireport.org/articles/2000/05/15/tuvalu-world-tv-festival.
11. ↑ 11.0 11.1 11.2 Mason, Moya K. (2017). "Tuvalu: Flooding, Global Warming, and Media Coverage". Moya K. Mason. http://www.moyak.com/papers/tuvalu-climate-change.html.
12. ↑ "DER Documentary: The Disappearing of Tuvalu: Trouble in Paradise". DER Documentary. 2004. http://www.der.org/films/the-disappearing-of-tuvalu.html.
13. ↑ "Documentary: Paradise Drowned". NZ Geographic. 2004. http://www.nzgeo.com/video/paradise-drowned/.
14. ↑ "Time and Tide". Wavecrest Films. 2005. http://wavecrestfilms.com/.
15. ↑ "Atlantis Approaching: The Movie". Blue Marble Productions. 2006. http://www.blue-marble.tv/7.html.
16. ↑ "King Tide - The Sinking of Tuvalu". Juriaan Booij. 2007. http://www.thesinkingoftuvalu.com/.
17. ↑ "Missie Tuvalu / Mission Tuvalu documentary". Omroep Brabant. 2013. http://www.omroepbrabant.nl/?news/1988061113/Documentaire+over+hoe+een+Eindhovenaar+het+eiland+Tuvalu+op+de+FIFA-ranglijst+probeert+te+krijgen.aspx.
18. ↑ "ThuleTuvalu". HesseGreutert Film/OdysseyFilm. 2014. http://www.thuletuvalu.com/.

## External links

* Te Kakeega III – National Strategy for Sustainable Development 2016-2020
* Te Kete - National Strategy for Sustainable Development 2021-2030

## External links

Wikimedia Atlas of Tuvalu

* Timeless Tuvalu \- The Official Travel Website of Tuvalu
* Small Is Beautiful A lobby group set up to help the island nation

Script error: No such module "Sister project links". Template:Tuvalu topics

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* Mathematics and logic
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