# The World Factbook (1990)/Tuvalu

page 318
​Tuvalu
See regional map X
Geography
Total area: 26 km²; land area: 26 km²
Comparative area: about 0.1 times the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries: none
Coastline: 24 km
Maritime claims:
    Extended economic zone: 200 nm
    Territorial 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
Natural resources: fish
Land use: 0% arable land; 0% permanent crops; 0% meadows and pastures; 0% forest and woodland; 100% other
Environment: severe tropical storms are rare
Note: located 3,000 km east of Papua New Guinea in the South Pacific Ocean
People
Population: 9,136 (July 1990), growth rate 2.0% (1990)
Birth rate: 30 births/1,000 population (1990)
Death rate: 10 deaths/1,000 population (1990)
Net migration rate: 0 migrants/1,000 population (1990)
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%
Labor force: NA
Organized labor: none
Government
Long-form name: none
Type: democracy
Capital: Funafuti
Administrative divisions: none
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
Leaders: 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)
Political parties and leaders: none
Suffrage: universal at age 18
Elections: 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
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.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 3.9% (1984)
Unemployment rate: NA%
Budget: revenues $2.59 million; expenditures $3.6 million, including capital expenditures of NA (1983 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
External debt: $NA
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)
Fiscal year: NA
Communications
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
Branches: NA
Military manpower: NA
Defense expenditures: NA