About TUVALU | TUVALU PAVILION About TUVALU Tuvalu, formerly known as the Ellice Islands, is a Polynesian island nation located in the Pacific Ocean, midway between Hawaii and Australia. It comprises three reef islands and six true atolls spread out from 6° to 10° south. Its nearest neighbors are Kiribati, Nauru, Samoa and Fiji. Its population about 12,000 makes it the third-least populous sovereign state in the world. In 1974, the Ellice Islanders voted for separate British dependency status. As a consequence Tuvalu separated from the Gilbert Islands which became Kiribati. Tuvalu became fully independent within the Commonwealth on 1 October 1978. On 5 September 2000, Tuvalu became the 189th member of the United Nations. Tuvalu is a Parliamentary Democracy and Commonwealth realm with Queen Elizabeth II serving as the country's head of state and bearing the title Queen of Tuvalu. Since the Queen does not reside in the islands, she is represented in Tuvalu by a Governor General appointed by the Queen upon the advice of the country's elected Prime Minister.

Tuvalu participates in the work of Secretariat of the Pacific Community, or SPC (sometimes Pacific Community) and is a member of the Pacific Islands Forum, the Commonwealth of Nations and the United Nations. Tuvalu has maintained a mission at the United Nations in New York City since 2000. Tuvalu is a member of the World Bank and the Asian Development Bank. According to some climate secence institutes, Tuvalu was predicted will as the first nation sink by sea level rising, Recently estimated as the first country vanishing as the sea level rises, Tuvalu was on the media spot light all over the world. On 2012, during the Diamond Jubilee of Queen Elizabeth, the Britain’s royal family sent its most popular stars - Prince William and Princess Catherine - to visit Tuvalu, the smallest member of the British Commonwealth, for awakening to the threat of climate changes.

張貼時間： 22nd March 2013 ，張貼者： Tuvalu Pavilion Tuvalu, a Pacific Ocean nation - Travel Photos by Galen R Frysinger, Sheboygan, Wisconsin the flag Tuvalu , formerly known as the Ellice Islands, is a Polynesian island nation located in the Pacific Ocean, midway between Hawaii and Australia. Its nearest neighbors are Kiribati , Nauru , Samoa and Fiji . It comprises four reef islands and five true atolls. Its population of 12,373 makes it the third-least-populated sovereign state in the world, with only Vatican City and Nauru having fewer inhabitants. In terms of physical land size, at just 26 square kilometres (10 sq mi) Tuvalu is the fourth smallest country in the world, larger only than the Vatican City at 0.44 km2 (0.17 sq mi), Monaco at 1.95 km2 (0.75 sq mi) and Nauru at 21 km2 (8.1 sq mi). seal of Tuvalu The first inhabitants of Tuvalu were Polynesian people.

The islands came under the UK's sphere of influence in the late 19th century. The Ellice Islands were administered by Britain as part of a protectorate 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 as Tuvalu, separating from the Gilbert Islands which became Kiribati upon independence. Tuvalu became fully independent within the Commonwealth in 1978. the assembly building shown in the seal Tuvaluans are a Polynesian people who settled the islands around 3000 years ago coming from Tonga and Samoa. During pre-European-contact times there was frequent canoe voyaging between the nearer islands. Eight of the nine islands of Tuvalu were inhabited; thus the name, Tuvalu, means "eight standing together" in Tuvaluan. Possible evidence of fire in the Caves of Nanumanga may indicate human occupation thousands of years before that.

More Photos of Burial Practices Tuvalu was first sighted by Europeans in 1568 with the arrival of ï¿½lvaro de Mendaï¿½a de Neira from Spain who also encountered the island of Nui (atoll) but was unable to land. The next Europeans to appear did not do so until the late 1700s when explorers reached the area. By the early 1800s, whalers were roving the Pacific though visiting Tuvalu only infrequently because of the difficulties of landing ships on the atolls. No settlements had been established by them. Peruvian slave raiders ("blackbirders") combed the Pacific between 1862 and 1864 and Tuvalu was one of the hardest-hit Pacific island groups with over 400 people taken from Funafuti and Nukulaelae, none of whom returned. More Photos of Sunday services In 1865 the London Missionary Society, Protestant Congregationalists, began their process of evangelization of Tuvalu and the people's conversion to Christianity was complete by the 1920s.

Also in the late 1800s, European traders began to live on the islands hoping to profit from local resources. More Photos of Saturday church In 1892 the islands became part of the British protectorate known as the Ellice Islands. The protectorate was incorporated into the Gilbert and Ellice Islands Colony in 1916. In 1943, during World War II, Tuvalu was selected as an operations base for Allied forces battling the Japanese in the Pacific. Thousands of marines were stationed there until December 1945. Tuvalu coins In 1974 ethnic differences within the colony caused the Polynesians of the Ellice Islands to vote for separation from the Micronesians of the Gilbert Islands (to become Kiribati). The following year the Ellice Islands became the separate British colony of Tuvalu. Independence was granted in 1978. Government Office Building Tuvalu Independence Day is celebrated on 1 October. In 1979 Tuvalu signed a treaty of friendship with the United States that recognized Tuvalu's rightful possession of four small islands formerly claimed by the United States.

As low-lying islands, lacking a surrounding shallow shelf, the island communities of Tuvalu are especially susceptible to changes in sea level and storm patterns that hit the island undissipated. It is estimated that a sea level rise of 20ï¿½40 centimetres (8ï¿½16 inches) in the next 100 years could make Tuvalu uninhabitable. The South Pacific Applied Geoscience Commission (SOPAC) suggests that while Tuvalu is vulnerable to climate change there are additional environmental problems such as population growth and poor coastal management that are affecting sustainable development on the island. SOPAC ranks the country as extremely vulnerable using the Environmental Vulnerability Index. While some commentators have called for the relocation of the population of Tuvalu to Australia, New Zealand, or Kioa (Fiji), the former Prime Minister Maatia Toafa said his government did not regard rising sea levels as such a threat that the entire population would need to be evacuated.

In spite of persistent Internet rumors that New Zealand has agreed to accept an annual quota of 75 evacuees, the annual residence quota of 75 Tuvaluans under the Pacific Access Category (and 50 places for people from Kiribati) replaced the previous Work Schemes from the two countries and are not related to environmental concerns. Tuvalu is a constitutional monarchy and Commonwealth realm, with Queen Elizabeth II serving as the country's head of state, bearing the title Queen of Tuvalu. The Queen does not reside in the islands and is represented in Tuvalu by a Governor General, who is appointed by the Queen upon the advice of the country's elected Prime Minister. The local unicameral parliament, or Fale I Fono, has 15 members and is elected every four years. Its members select a Prime Minister who is the head of government. The Cabinet is appointed by the Governor General on the advice of the Prime Minister. Each island also has its own high-chief or ulu-aliki, and several sub-chiefs (alikis) and elders. The elders form together an island council of elders or te sina o fenua (literally:"grey-hairs").

In the past, another caste, namely the one of the priests (tofuga) was also amongst the decision-makers. The sina o fenua, aliki and ulu-aliki exercise informal authority on a local level. Ulu-aliki are always chosen based on ancestry, and their powers are now shared with the pule o kaupule (elected village presidents; one on each atoll). There are no formal political parties and election campaigns are largely on the basis of personal/family ties and reputation. The highest court in Tuvalu is the High Court; there are eight Island Courts with limited jurisdiction. Rulings from the High Court can be appealed to the Court of Appeal of Tuvalu. From the Court of Appeal there is a right of appeal to Her Majesty in Council, i.e., the Privy Council in London. enjoying the lagoon Tuvalu has no regular military forces, and spends no money on the military. Its police force includes a Maritime Surveillance Unit for search and rescue missions and surveillance operations. The police have a Pacific-class patrol boat (HMTSS Te Mataili) provided by Australia under the Pacific Patrol Boat Program for use in maritime surveillance and fishery patrol.

HMTSS stands for His/Her Majesty's Tuvaluan State Ship or His/Her Majesty's Tuvalu Surveillance Ship. Tuvalu's small population is distributed across nine islands, five of which are atolls. The smallest island, Niulakita, was uninhabited until it was resettled by people from Niutao in 1949. Tuvalu maintains close relations with Fiji, New Zealand, Australia and the United Kingdom. It has diplomatic relations with the Republic of China (Taiwan); the ROC maintains the only resident embassy in Tuvalu and has a large assistance program in the islands. Tuvalu became a member of United Nations in 2000 and maintains a mission at the UN in New York. A major international priority for Tuvalu in the UN, at the World Summit on Sustainable Development in Johannesburg and in other international fora is promoting concern about global warming and possible sea level rise. Tuvalu advocates ratification and implementation of the Kyoto Protocol.

In December 2009 the islands stalled talks on climate change in Copenhagen, fearing some other developing countries were not committing fully to binding deals on a reduction in carbon emission, their chief negotiator stated "Tuvalu is one of the most vulnerable countries in the world to climate change, and our future rests on the outcome of this meeting." It also is a member of the Asian Development Bank. Tuvalu is a party to a treaty of friendship with the United States, signed soon after independence and ratified by the U.S. Senate in 1983, under which the United States renounced prior territorial claims to four Tuvaluan islands under the Guano Act. Tuvalu consists of four reef islands and five true atolls. Its small, scattered group of atolls has poor soil and a total land area of only about 26 square kilometres (less than 10 sq. mi.) making it the fourth smallest country in the world. The land is very low lying with narrow coral atolls. Funafuti is the largest atoll of the nine low reef islands and atolls that form the Tuvalu volcanic island chain.

It comprises numerous islets around a central lagoon that is approximately 25.1 kilometres (15.6 mi) (Nï¿½S) by 18.4 kilometres (11.4 mi) (W-E), centred on 179ï¿½7ï¿½E and 8ï¿½30ï¿½S. An annular reef rim surrounds the lagoon, with several natural reef channels. ice cream The highest elevation is 4.5 metres (15 ft) above sea level, which gives Tuvalu the second-lowest maximum elevation of any country (after the Maldives). Because of this low elevation, the islands that make up this nation may be threatened by any future sea level rise. Under such circumstances, the population may evacuate to New Zealand, Niue or the Fijian island of Kioa. Additionally, Tuvalu is affected by what is known as a king tide, which can raise the sea level higher than a normal high tide. In the future, this may threaten to submerge the nation entirely. Tuvalu has very poor land and the soil is hardly usable for agriculture.

Drinking water is mostly obtained from rainwater collected on roofs and stored in tanks; these systems are often poorly maintained, resulting in lack of water. Tuvalu has westerly gales and heavy rain from November to March and tropical temperatures moderated by easterly winds from March to November. packages from the rest of the World Tuvalu has almost no natural resources, and its main form of income consists of foreign aid. Virtually the only jobs in the islands that pay a steady wage or salary are with the government. Subsistence farming and fishing remain the primary economic activities, particularly off the capital island of Funafuti. Government revenues largely come from the sale of stamps and coins, fishing licenses and worker remittances. Tuvalu National Library and Archives About 800 Tuvaluans previously worked in Nauru in the phosphate mining industry or aboard foreign ships as sailors. When phosphate mining ceased in Nauru, 378 Tuvaluans were stranded in the country until they were repatriated in 2006 by a joint program in which Australia, New Zealand, and the EU paid most of the cost of their return passage, and Taiwan paid the back wages they were owed.

Coconut Wireless Internet Cafe Substantial income is received annually from the Tuvalu Trust Fund, which was established in 1987 by Australia, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom and supported also by Japan and South Korea. This fund grew from an initial $17 million to over $35 million in 1999. The US government is also a major revenue source for Tuvalu, with 1999 payments from a 1988 treaty on fisheries at about $9 million, a total which is expected to rise annually. Kingdom Hall of Jerovah's Witnesses In 1998, Tuvalu began deriving revenue from use of its area code for "900" lines and from the sale of its ".tv" Internet domain name. Because of the country's remoteness, tourism does not provide much income; a hundred tourists are estimated to visit Tuvalu annually Text from Wikipedia where the matters of government are discussed Tuvalu / formerly known as the Ellice Islands - YouTube Tuvalu / formerly known as the Ellice Islands Want to watch this again later? Sign in to add this video to a playlist. Need to report the video? Sign in to report inappropriate content.

Rating is available when the video has been rented. This feature is not available right now. Please try again later. Uploaded on Mar 30, 2010 Tuvalu / formerly known as the Ellice Islands, is a Polynesian island nation located in the Pacific Ocean, midway between Hawaii and Australia. Its nearest neighbours are Kiribati, Nauru, Samoa and Fiji. It comprises four reef islands and five true atolls. Its population of 12,373 makes it the third-least-populated sovereign state in the world, with only Vatican City and Nauru having fewer inhabitants. In terms of physical land size, at just 26 square kilometres (10 sq mi) Tuvalu is the fourth smallest country in the world, larger only than the Vatican City at 0.44 km2 (0.17 sq mi), Monaco at 1.95 km2 (0.75 sq mi) and Nauru at 21 km2 (8.1 sq mi). The first inhabitants of Tuvalu were Polynesian people. The islands came under the UK's sphere of influence in the late 19th century.

The Ellice Islands were administered by Britain as part of a protectorate 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 as Tuvalu, separating from the Gilbert Islands which became Kiribati upon independence. Tuvalu became fully independent within the Commonwealth in 1978.Capital:Funafuti/Official language:Tuvaluan, English /Government:Parliamentary Democracy & Constitutional monarchy/Monarch: Queen Elizabeth II/Independence from the UK:1 October 1978 /Area Total: 26 km2 (226th)-10 sq mi/Population:July 2009 estimate: 12,373 (213th)/Currency:Tuvaluan dollar,Australian dollar (AUD)/Internet TLD.tv/ Calling code688. The local unicameral parliament, or Fale I Fono, has 15 members and is elected every four years. Its members select a Prime Minister who is the head of government.

The Cabinet is appointed by the Governor General on the advice of the Prime Minister. Each island also has its own high-chief or ulu-aliki, and several sub-chiefs (alikis) and elders. The elders form together an island council of elders or te sina o fenua (literally:"grey-hairs"). In the past, another caste, namely the one of the priests (tofuga) was also amongst the decision-makers. The sina o fenua, aliki and ulu-aliki exercise informal authority on a local level. Ulu-aliki are always chosen based on ancestry, and their powers are now shared with the pule o kaupule (elected village presidents; one on each atoll).There are no formal political parties and election campaigns are largely on the basis of personal/family ties and reputation. The highest court in Tuvalu is the High Court; there are eight Island Courts with limited jurisdiction. Rulings from the High Court can be appealed to the Court of Appeal of Tuvalu. From the Court of Appeal there is a right of appeal to Her Majesty in Council, i.e., the Privy Council in London. Category Tuvalu - Mr. Rungsun Klinkaeo 6 Mr.

Rungsun Klinkaeo 6 Australia #map American Samoa #map Ashmore and Cartier Islands External territory of Australia #map Australia #map Baker Island #map Cook Islands #map Coral Sea Islands #map Fiji #map French Polynesia #map Guam #map Howland Island #map Jarvis Island #map Johnston Atoll #map Kingman Reef #map Kiribati #map Marshall Islands #map Micronesia #map Midway Atoll #map Nauru #map New Caledonia #map New Zealand #map Niue #map Norfolk Island #map Northern Mariana Islands #map Palau #map Palmyra Atoll #map Papua New Guinea #map Pitcairn Islands #map Samoa #map Solomon Islands #map Tokelau #map Tonga #map Tuvalu #map Vanuatu #map Wake Island #map Wallis and Futuna #map Australia #map #map #map Breaking news on Tuvalu - breakingnews.com Download the free Breaking News app for faster updates, alerts and live video.

Synopsis Photo: Wikipedia Tuvalu (/tuːˈvɑːluː/ too-VAH-loo or /ˈtuːvəluː/ TOO-və-loo), formerly known as the Ellice Islands, is a Polynesian island nation located in the Pacific Ocean, midway between Hawaii and Australia, lying east-northeast of the Santa Cruz Islands (belonging to the Solomons), southeast of Nauru, south of Kiribati, west of Tokelau, northwest of Samoa and Wallis and Futuna and north of Fiji. It comprises three reef islands and six true atolls spread out between the latitude of 5° to 10° south and longitude of 176° to 180°, west of the International Date Line. Tuvalu has a population of 10,640 (2012 census). The total land area of the islands of Tuvalu is 26 square kilometres (10 sq mi). The first inhabitants of Tuvalu were Polynesians.

The pattern of settlement that is believed to have occurred is that the Polynesians spread out from Samoa and Tonga into the Tuvaluan atolls, with Tuvalu providing a stepping stone to migration into the Polynesian Outlier communities in Melanesia and Micronesia. In 1568, Spanish navigator Álvaro de Mendaña was the first European to sail through the archipelago, sighting the island of Nui during his expedition in search of Terra Australis. In 1819 the island of Funafuti was named Ellice's Island; the name Ellice was applied to all nine islands after the work of English hydrographer Alexander George Findlay. The islands came under Britain's sphere of influence in the late 19th century, when each of the Ellice Islands was declared a British Protectorate by Captain Gibson of HMS Curacoa between 9 and 16 October 1892.

The Ellice Islands were administered as British protectorate by a Resident Commissioner from 1892 to 1916 as part of the British Western Pacific Territories (BWPT), and then as part of the Gilbert and Ellice Islands colony from 1916 to 1974. A referendum was held in December 1974 to determine whether the Gilbert Islands and Ellice Islands should each have their own administration. As a consequence of the referendum, the Gilbert and Ellice Islands colony ceased to exist on 1 January 1976 and the separate British colonies of Kiribati and Tuvalu came into existence. Tuvalu became fully independent within the Commonwealth on 1 October 1978. On 5 September 2000 Tuvalu became the 189th member of the United Nations. Links Tuvalu Information Page and .tv All about this tiny Commonwealth country ~ and the home of .tv Tuvalu is a Polynesian island nation, formerly known as the Ellice Islands. Located in the Pacific Ocean, midway between Hawaii and Australia. It comprises four reef islands and five true atolls.

Its population of 10,472 makes it the third-least populated sovereign state in the world, with only Vatican City and Nauru having fewer inhabitants. In terms of physical size, at just 26 square kilometres (10 sq mi) Tuvalu is the fourth smallest country in the world. Naumaga, Niutao, Niulakita are reef islands and the six true atolls are Funafuti, Nanumea, Nui, Nukufetau, Nukulaelae and Vaitupu. Funafuti is the largest atoll of the nine islands that form the Tuvalu volcanic chain. The islets that form the atolls are very low lying: the highest elevation is just 4.5 metres (15 ft) above sea level, which gives Tuvalu the second-lowest maximum elevation of any country (after the Maldives). Because of this, the islands that make up this nation may be threatened by any future sea level rise. Under such circumstances, the population may evacuate to New Zealand, Niue or the Fijian island of Kioa. Tuvalu is affected by what is known as a king tide, which can raise the sea level much higher than normal.

In the future, this may threaten to submerge the nation entirely, as it is estimated that a sea level rise of 20ï¿½40 centimetres (8ï¿½16 inches) in the next 100 years could make Tuvalu uninhabitable. The land is very poor here and the soil is hardly usable for agriculture. Drinking water is mostly obtained from rainwater collected on roofs and stored in tanks. The Islands are subject to westerly gales and heavy rain from November to March, and the tropical temperature is moderated by easterly winds from March to November. The first inhabitants of Tuvalu were Polynesians. In 1568 Spanish navigator Alvaro Mendaï¿½a discovered the islands during his expedition in the quest to find "Terra Australis". The name Ellice was applied to all nine islands after the work of British hydrographer Alexander George Findlay (1812ï¿½1876). The Ellice Islands were administered by Britain as part of a protectorate 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 as Tuvalu, separating from the Gilbert Islands which became Kiribati upon independence. Tuvalu became fully independent within the Commonwealth on October 1st 1978. On September 5th 2000, Tuvalu became the 189th member of the United Nations. Because the country is so remote, tourism does not provide much income, just a thousand tourists are estimated to visit Tuvalu annually. The main island of Funafuti is the focus for travellers, because of its International Airport, and the only hotel accommodation. Tuvalu has almost no natural resources, and its main income is largely foreign aid. Almost all of the jobs on the islands that pay a steady wage are with the government. Subsistence farming and fishing remain the primary economic activities, particularly off the capital island of Funafuti. Government revenue comes largely from the sale of stamps and coins, fishing licences and worker remittances. Substantial income is received annually from the Tuvalu Trust Fund, which was established in 1987 by Australia, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom and supported also by Japan and South Korea.

The US government is also a major revenue source for Tuvalu, with payments from a 1988 treaty on fisheries. In 1998, Tuvalu began deriving a novel form of revenue from the use of its country code for "900" phone lines and from the sale of its ".tv" Internet domain name. Tuvalu and the Web The .tv domain is currently operated by dotTV, a VeriSign company. The Tuvalu government owns twenty percent of the company. In 2000, Tuvalu negotiated a contract leasing its internet domain name ".tv" for $50 million in royalties over a 12-year period, so the Tuvalu government receives a quarterly payment of around $1 million for use of this top-level domain. Countless websites the world over (including our own!) have now joined the .tv fraternity. (Source ~ Wikepedia) TUVALU PAVILION: 三月 2013 TUVALU PAVILION About TUVALU Tuvalu, formerly known as the Ellice Islands, is a Polynesian island nation located in the Pacific Ocean, midway between Hawaii and Australia.

It comprises three reef islands and six true atolls spread out from 6° to 10° south. Its nearest neighbors are Kiribati, Nauru, Samoa and Fiji. Its population about 12,000 makes it the third-least populous sovereign state in the world. In 1974, the Ellice Islanders voted for separate British dependency status. As a consequence Tuvalu separated from the Gilbert Islands which became Kiribati. Tuvalu became fully independent within the Commonwealth on 1 October 1978. On 5 September 2000, Tuvalu became the 189th member of the United Nations. Tuvalu is a Parliamentary Democracy and Commonwealth realm with Queen Elizabeth II serving as the country's head of state and bearing the title Queen of Tuvalu. Since the Queen does not reside in the islands, she is represented in Tuvalu by a Governor General appointed by the Queen upon the advice of the country's elected Prime Minister. Tuvalu participates in the work of Secretariat of the Pacific Community, or SPC (sometimes Pacific Community) and is a member of the Pacific Islands Forum, the Commonwealth of Nations and the United Nations.

Tuvalu has maintained a mission at the United Nations in New York City since 2000. Tuvalu is a member of the World Bank and the Asian Development Bank. According to some climate secence institutes, Tuvalu was predicted will as the first nation sink by sea level rising, Recently estimated as the first country vanishing as the sea level rises, Tuvalu was on the media spot light all over the world. On 2012, during the Diamond Jubilee of Queen Elizabeth, the Britain’s royal family sent its most popular stars - Prince William and Princess Catherine - to visit Tuvalu, the smallest member of the British Commonwealth, for awakening to the threat of climate changes. 張貼時間： 22nd March 2013 ，張貼者： Tuvalu Pavilion 載入中 Media Man Tuvalu Tuvalu Tuvalu, formerly known as the Ellice Islands, is a Polynesian island nation located in the Pacific Ocean midway between Hawaii and Australia. Its nearest neighbours are Kiribati, Samoa and Fiji.

Comprising 4 reef islands and 5 true atolls, with a total land area of just 26 square kilometers (10 sq mi), it is the second-least populated independent country in the world, Vatican City being the smallest. It is the smallest member by population of the United Nations. The first inhabitants of Tuvalu were Polynesian people. The islands came under Britain's sphere of influence in the late 19th century. The Ellice Islands were administered by Britain as part of a protectorate 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 as Tuvalu, separating from the Gilbert Islands which became Kiribati upon independence. Tuvalu became fully independent in 1978. History Tuvaluans are a Polynesian people who settled the islands around 2000 years ago coming from Tonga and Samoa. During pre-contact times, there was frequent canoe voyaging between the nearer islands.

8 of the 9 islands of Tuvalu were inhabited, thus, the name Tuvalu means "eight standing together" in the Tuvaluan language. Tuvalu was first sighted by Europeans in 1568 with the arrival of Alvaro de Mendaña y Neyra from Spain, who encountered the island of Niue but was unable to land. No other Europeans turned up again until the late 1700s, when further European explorers reached the area. By the early 1800s, whalers were in the Pacific, though visiting Tuvalu only infrequently due to the difficulties of landing ships on the atoll, and no settlements were established by them. Peruvian slave raiders ("blackbirders") combed the Pacific between 1862 and 1864 and Tuvalu was one of the hardest hit Pacific island groups with over 400 people taken from Funafuti and Nukulaelae, none of whom returned. In 1865, the London Missionary Society, Protestant congregationalists, began their process of evangelization of Tuvalu, and conversion to Christianity was complete by the 1920s.

Also in the late 1800s, European traders began to live on the islands hoping to profit from local resources. In 1892, the islands became part of the British protectorate known as the Ellice Islands. The protectorate was incorporated into the Gilbert and Ellice Islands Colony in 1916. In 1943 during World War II, Tuvalu was selected as an operations base for Allied forces battling Japanese in the Pacific. Thousands of marines were stationed there until December 1945. In 1974, ethnic differences within the colony caused the Polynesians of the Ellice Islands to vote for separation from the Micronesians of the Gilbert Islands (later Kiribati). The following year, the Ellice Islands became the separate British colony of Tuvalu. Independence was granted in 1978. Tuvalu Independence Day is celebrated on October 1st. In 1979 Tuvalu signed a treaty of friendship with the United States, which recognized Tuvalu's possession of four small islands formerly claimed by the United States.

As low lying islands lacking a surrounding shallow shelf, the island communities of Tuvalu are especially susceptible to changes in sea level and storm patterns that hit the island undissipated. The extent and causes of sea level change are disputed, and some sources have even claimed that the sea levels have begun falling, however it is estimated that a sea level rise of 20-40 centimetres (8-16 inches) in the next 100 years could make Tuvalu uninhabitable.[1][2] The South Pacific Applied Geoscience Commission suggest that while Tuvalu is vulnerable to climate change, there are additional environmental problems such as population growth and poor coastal management, which are affecting sustainable development on the island, they rank the country as extremely vulnerable using the Environmental Vulnerability Index. While some commentators have called for the relocation of the population of Tuvalu to Australia, New Zealand or Kioa (Fiji), the current Prime Minister Maatia Toafa says his government does not regard rising sea levels as such a threat that the entire population would need to be evacuated. New Zealand has agreed to accept an annual quota of 75 evacuees.

Politics More information on politics and government of Tuvalu can be found at Politics of Tuvalu, the main article in the Politics and government of Tuvalu series. Tuvalu is a constitutional monarchy and Commonwealth Realm, with Queen Elizabeth II recognised as Queen of Tuvalu. She is represented in Tuvalu by a Governor General, who is appointed upon the advice of the Prime Minister. The local unicameral parliament, or Fale I Fono, has 15 members and is elected every four years. Its members elect a Prime Minister who is the head of government. The Cabinet is appointed by the Governor General on the advice of the Prime Minister. Some elders also exercise informal authority on a local level. There are no formal political parties and election campaigns are largely on the basis of personal/family ties and reputation. The highest court in Tuvalu is the High Court, there are eight Island Courts with limited jurisdiction. Rulings from the High Court can be appealed to the Court of Appeal in Fiji. Tuvalu has no regular military forces, and spends no money on the military. Its police force includes a Maritime Surveillance Unit for search and rescue missions and surveillance operations.

The police have a Pacific-class patrol boat (Te Mataili) provided by Australia under the Pacific Patrol Boat Program for use in maritime surveillance and fishery patrol. Districts Map of TuvaluMain article: Islands of Tuvalu Tuvalu's small population is distributed across 9 islands, 5 of which are atolls. The smallest island, Niulakita, was uninhabited until it was resettled by people from Niutao in 1949. Local government districts consisting of more than one island: Funafuti Foreign relations Main article: Foreign relations of Tuvalu Tuvalu maintains close relations with Fiji and Australia. It has diplomatic relations with the Republic of China (Taiwan); Taipei maintains the only resident embassy in Tuvalu and has a large assistance program in the islands. Tuvalu became a member of United Nations in 2000 and maintains a mission at the UN in New York. A major international priority for Tuvalu in the UN, at the World Summit on Sustainable Development in Johannesburg and in other international fora is promoting concern about global warming and possible sea level rise. Tuvalu advocates ratification and implementation of the Kyoto Protocol. It also is a member of the Asian Development Bank.

Tuvalu is a party to a treaty of friendship with the United States, signed soon after independence and ratified by the U.S. Senate in 1983, under which the United States renounced prior territorial claims to four Tuvaluan islands under the Guano Act. Geography A beach at Funafuti atoll on a sunny day.Main article: Geography of Tuvalu Tuvalu consists of four reef islands and five true atolls. Its small, scattered group of atolls has poor soil and a total land area of only about 26 square kilometres (less than 10 sq. mi.) making it the fourth smallest country in the world. The land is very low lying with narrow coral atolls. Funafuti is the largest atoll of the nine low reef islands and atolls that form the Tuvalu volcanic island chain. It comprises numerous islets around a central lagoon that is approximately 25.1 kilometres (15.6 mi) (N-S) by 18.4 kilometres (11.4 mi) (W-E), centred on 179°7E and 8°30S. An annular reef rim surrounds the lagoon, with several natural reef channels.

The highest elevation is five meters (16 ft) above sea level. Because of this low elevation, the islands that make up this nation may be threatened by any future sea level rise. Under such circumstances, the population may evacuate to New Zealand, Niue or the Fijian island of Kioa. Tuvalu has very poor land and the soil is hardly usable for agriculture There is almost no reliable supply of drinking water. Tuvalu has westerly gales and heavy rain from November to March and tropical temperatures moderated by easterly winds from March to November. Economy Main article: Economy of Tuvalu Tuvalu has almost no natural resources, and its main form of income consists of foreign aid. Virtually the only jobs in the islands that pay a steady wage or salary are with the government. Subsistence farming and fishing remain the primary economic activities, particularly off the capital island of Funafuti. Government revenues largely come from the sale of stamps and coins, fishing licenses and worker remittances. About 800 Tuvaluans work in Nauru in the phosphate mining industry or aboard foreign ships as sailors.

Substantial income is received annually from an international trust fund established in 1987 by Australia, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom and supported also by Japan and South Korea. This fund grew from an initial $17 million to over $35 million in 1999. The US government is also a major revenue source for Tuvalu, with 1999 payments from a 1988 treaty on fisheries at about $9 million, a total which is expected to rise annually. In an effort to reduce its dependence on foreign aid, the government is pursuing public sector reforms, including privatization of some government functions and personnel cuts of up to 7%. In 1998, Tuvalu began deriving revenue from use of its area code for "900" lines and from the sale of its ".tv" Internet domain name. In 2000, Tuvalu negotiated a contract leasing its Internet domain name ".tv" for $50 million in royalties. However, the Canadian entrepreneur who negotiated the deal, Jason Chapnik, was unable to raise the $50 million in the contracted time period, and the contract eventually fell into other hands.

Due to its remoteness, tourism does not provide much income; only a handful of tourists visit Tuvalu annually. Almost all visitors are government officials, aid workers, non-governmental organization officials or consultants. Tuvalu allegedly participated in Japan's vote buying scheme for the IWC in 2006 (obviously this is officially denied).[citation needed] In exchange for economic assistance from Japan, Tuvalu voted with Japan to overturn the commercial ban on whaling, much to the dismay of New Zealand and Australia. Demographics Main article: Demographics of Tuvalu The island population has more than doubled since 1980 and was estimated to reach 11,810 in July 2006. The population of Tuvalu is primarily of Polynesian ethnicity, about 4% of the population in Micronesian. About 97% of the Tuvaluans are members of the Church of Tuvalu, a Protestant Christian church. The religion has been mixed with some elements of the indigenous religions. Other religions practiced on the island include Seventh-Day Adventist (1.4%) and Baha'i (1%). The Tuvaluan language is spoken by virtually everyone, while Gilbertese is spoken by some people on Nui.

English is also an official language, but is not spoken in daily use. Culture The traditional community system still survives to a large extent on Tuvalu. Each family has its own task, or salanga, to perform for the community, such as fishing, house building or defence. The skills of a family are passed on from father to son. A traditional sport played in Tuvalu is kilikiti, which is similar to cricket. Traditional music prior to European contact included poems performed in a sort of monotonal recitation, though this tradition has since become extinct [citation needed], as well as work songs which the women performed to encourage the men while they worked. The most famous form of Tuvaluan dance music, fatele, is influenced by European melody and harmony and is competitive, with each island divided into two sides. The two primary traditional dances of Tuvalu are the fakanu and fakaseasea. Of these, the fakanu has since died out, though the fakaseasea lives on, performed only by elders. .tv Mr.Rungsun Klinkaeo 230 Mr.Rungsun Klinkaeo 230 edited by Mr. Rungsun Klinkaeo comment from Mr.

Rungsun Klinkaeo Mr. Rungsun Klinkaeo University Home for Tuvalu Tuvalu Tuvalu Tuvalu formerly known as the Ellice Islands, is a Polynesian island nation located in the Pacific Ocean, midway between Hawaii and Australia. It comprises three reef islands and six true atolls spread out between the latitude of 5° to 10° south and longitude of 176° to 180°, west of the International Date Line.[3] Tuvalu's Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) covers an oceanic area of approximately 900,000 km2. Its nearest neighbours are Kiribati, Nauru, Samoa and Fiji. Tuvalu has a population of 10,837. The total land area of the islands of Tuvalu is 26 square kilometres (10 sq mi). The first inhabitants of Tuvalu were Polynesians. In 1568 Spanish navigator Álvaro de Mendaña was the first European to sail through the archipelago, sighting the island of Nui during his expedition in search of Terra Australis.

In 1819 the island of Funafuti was named Ellice's Island; the name Ellice was applied to all nine islands after the work of English hydrographer Alexander George Findlay (1812–1876). The islands came under Britain's sphere of influence in the late 19th century, when each of the Ellice Islands was declared a British protectorate by Captain Gibson R.N., of HMS Curacoa, between 9 and 16 October 1892 The Ellice Islands were administered as British protectorate by a Resident Commissioner from 1892 to 1916 as part of the British Western Pacific Territories (BWPT), and later as part of the Gilbert and Ellice Islands colony from 1916 to 1974. A referendum was held in December 1974 to determine whether the Gilbert Islands and Ellice Islands should each have their own administration. As a consequence of the referendum, the Gilbert and Ellice Islands colony ceased to exist on 1 January 1976 and the separate British colonies of Kiribati and Tuvalu came into existence.

Tuvalu became fully independent within the Commonwealth on 1 October 1978. On 17 September 2000 Tuvalu became the 189th member of the United Nations. Tuvalu Tuvalu Islands...Danger, will be disappearing due to rising sea level, this tiny country - a photo on Flickriver Tuvalu Islands...Danger, will be disappearing due to rising sea level, this tiny country formerly known as the Ellice Islands, is a Polynesian island nation located in the Pacific Ocean, midway between Hawaii and Australia. Its nearest neighbours are Kiribati, Samoa and Fiji. It comprises four reef islands and five true atolls. Its population of 12,373 makes it the third-least-populated sovereign state in the world, with only Vatican City and Nauru having fewer inhabitants.

In terms of physical land size, at just 26 square kilometres (10 sq mi) Tuvalu is the fourth smallest country in the world, larger only than the Vatican City at 0.44 km2 (0.17 sq mi), Monaco at 1.95 km2 (0.75 sq mi) and Nauru at 21 km2 (8.1 sq mi). The first inhabitants of Tuvalu were Polynesian people. The islands came under the UK's sphere of influence in the late 19th century. The Ellice Islands were administered by Britain as part of a protectorate 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 as Tuvalu, separating from the Gilbert Islands which became Kiribati upon independence. Tuvalu became fully independent within the Commonwealth in 1978. History Tuvaluans are a Polynesian people who settled the islands around 3000 years ago coming from Tonga and Samoa.

During pre-European-contact times there was frequent canoe voyaging between the nearer islands. Eight of the nine islands of Tuvalu were inhabited; thus the name, Tuvalu, means "eight standing together" in Tuvaluan. Possible evidence of fire in the Caves of Nanumanga may indicate human occupation thousands of years before that. Tuvalu was first sighted by Europeans in 1568 with the arrival of Álvaro de Mendaña de Neira from Spain who also encountered the island of Nui (atoll) but was unable to land. The next Europeans to appear did not do so until the late 1700s when explorers reached the area. By the early 1800s, whalers were roving the Pacific though visiting Tuvalu only infrequently because of the difficulties of landing ships on the atolls. No settlements had been established by them Peruvian slave raiders ("blackbirders") combed the Pacific between 1862 and 1864 and Tuvalu was one of the hardest-hit Pacific island groups with over 400 people taken from Funafuti and Nukulaelae.

In 1892 the islands became part of the British protectorate known as the Ellice Islands. The protectorate was incorporated into the Gilbert and Ellice Islands Colony in 1916. In 1943, during World War II, Tuvalu was selected as an operations base for Allied forces battling the Japanese in the Pacific. Thousands of marines were stationed there until December 1945. In 1974 ethnic differences within the colony caused the Polynesians of the Ellice Islands to vote for separation from the Micronesians of the Gilbert Islands (to become Kiribati). The following year the Ellice Islands became the separate British colony of Tuvalu. Independence was granted in 1978. Tuvalu Independence Day is celebrated on 1 October. In 1979 Tuvalu signed a treaty of friendship with the United States that recognised Tuvalu's rightful possession of four small islands formerly claimed by the United States. As low-lying islands, lacking a surrounding shallow shelf, the island communities of Tuvalu are especially susceptible to changes in sea level and storm patterns that hit the island undissipated.

It is estimated that a sea level rise of 20–40 centimetres (8–16 inches) in the next 100 years could make Tuvalu uninhabitable. The South Pacific Applied Geoscience Commission (SOPAC) suggests that while Tuvalu is vulnerable to climate change there are additional environmental problems such as population growth and poor coastal management that are affecting sustainable development on the island. SOPAC ranks the country as extremely vulnerable using the Environmental Vulnerability Index. While some commentators have called for the relocation of the population of Tuvalu to Australia, New Zealand, or Kioa (Fiji), the former Prime Minister Maatia Toafa said his government did not regard rising sea levels as such a threat that the entire population would need to be evacuated. In spite of persistent Internet rumours that New Zealand has agreed to accept an annual quota of 75 evacuees, the annual residence quota of 75 Tuvaluans under the Pacific Access Category (and 50 places for people from Kiribati) replaced the previous Work Schemes from the two countries and are not related to environmental concerns. Tuvalu's small population is distributed across nine islands, five of which are atolls.

The smallest island, Niulakita, was uninhabited until it was resettled by people from Niutao in 1949. Local government districts consisting of more than one islet: Funafuti Local government districts consisting of only one island: Nanumanga Niutao Geography Tuvalu consists of four reef islands and five true atolls. Its small, scattered group of atolls has poor soil and a total land area of only about 26 square kilometres (less than 10 sq. mi.) making it the fourth smallest country in the world. The land is very low lying with narrow coral atolls. Funafuti is the largest atoll of the nine low reef islands and atolls that form the Tuvalu volcanic island chain. It comprises numerous islets around a central lagoon that is approximately 25.1 kilometres (15.6 mi) (N–S) by 18.4 kilometres (11.4 mi) (W-E), centred on 179°7’E and 8°30’S. An annular reef rim surrounds the lagoon, with several natural reef channels.

The highest elevation is 4.5 metres (15 ft) above sea level, which gives Tuvalu the second-lowest maximum elevation of any country (after the Maldives). Because of this low elevation, the islands that make up this nation may be threatened by any future sea level rise. Under such circumstances, the population may evacuate to New Zealand, Niue or the Fijian island of Kioa. Additionally, Tuvalu is affected by what is known as a king tide, which can raise the sea level higher than a normal high tide. In the future, this may threaten to submerge the nation entirely. Tuvalu has very poor land and the soil is hardly usable for agriculture. Tuvalu has westerly gales and heavy rain from November to March and tropical temperatures moderated by easterly winds from March to November.

Climate change At its highest, Tuvalu is only 4.5 m above sea level, and officials have been concerned about the effects of rising sea levels for some years At the Copenhagen Climate Change Conference in December 2009, Tuvalu's spokesman Ian Fry was one of the strongest critics of the final document stating "It looks like we are being offered 30 pieces of silver to betray our people and our future" Oficial name: 9.500 Languages: Kiribati [gil] 870 in Tuvalu (1987). Nui, a northern island. Alternate names: Gilbertese, Ikiribati. Dialects: Nui (Nuian). Classification: Austronesian, Malayo-Polynesian, Central-Eastern, Eastern Malayo-Polynesian, Oceanic, Central-Eastern Oceanic, Remote Oceanic, Micronesian, Micronesian Proper, Ikiribati More information. Tuvaluan [tvl] 10,670 in Tuvalu (1998). Population total all countries: 13,051. Tuvalu, 7 of the 9 inhabited islands.

Also spoken in Fiji, Kiribati, Nauru, New Zealand. Alternate names: Ellice, Ellicean, Tuvalu. Dialects: North Tuvaluan (Nanumanga, Nanumea, Niutao), South Tuvaluan (Nukufetau, Vaitupu, Funafuti, Nukulaelae). Not intelligible with Samoan, which was formerly used as a mission language. Tuvalu is intelligible with Tokelau. The southern dialect is official. Classification: Austronesian, Malayo-Polynesian, Central-Eastern, Eastern Malayo-Polynesian, Oceanic, Central-Eastern Oceanic, Remote Oceanic, Central Pacific, East Fijian-Polynesian, Polynesian, Nuclear, Samoic-Outlier, Ellicean Capital city: Funafuti Meaning country name: From the native "eight islands" or "eight standing with each other" (Tuvalu actually consists of nine isands in Tuvalu - only eight of them traditionally inhabited). An earlier name, Niulakita, the name of the first atoll settled in 1949, became suppressed.

Ellice Islands (former name): named after Edward Ellice, a British politician and merchant, by Captain Arent de Peyster, who sighted the islands in 1819 sailing on the ship Rebecca. Ellice owned the cargo of the ship. The Ellice Islands received the name Tuvalu following a vote for secession from the Gilbert Islands (now Kiribati) in 1975/1976. Description Flag: The current Flag of Tuvalu was instated when the country became independent in 1978, after the separation from the Gilberts in 1976. Like many former and current British dependencies, the Tuvaluan flag is a light blue ensign based on the Union Flag, which is shown in the upper left canton of the flag. The previous flag (with the Gilberts) was also based on the Union Flag but with the coat of arms created by Sir Arthur Grimble in 1932, the resident commissioner of the British colony. The stars represent the 9 islands of which Tuvalu is made up; the arrangement is geographically correct when the flag is hung from the hoist down (because of the astronomical position in the sky).

In 1995 the flag was replaced with a new one which was not based on the British flag, and also represented the islands with stars. This flag, however, was not liked by the inhabitants, who felt that it was a move towards replacing the popular British monarchy with a republic. The old flag was re-instated in 1997, with some minor changes. Coat of arms: The coat of arms of Tuvalu shows a shield with a golden border, which is decorated in a pattern with eight mussels and eight banana leaves. The shield itself shows a hut beneath a blue sky on green grounds. Beneath the ground are stylized depictions in blue and gold of ocean waves. Beneath the shield stands a banner with the Tuvaluan inscription Tuvalu mo te Atua, which translates "Tuvalu for the Almighty" and additionally serves as the title of the Tuvaluan national anthem. Motto: National Anthem: Tuvalu mo te Atua Tuvaluan Ki te se gata mai!

English lyrics Are the words we hold most dear; For as people or as leaders Of Tuvalu we all share In the knowledge that God Ever rules in heav'n above, And that we in this land Are united in His love. We build on a sure foundation When we trust in God's great law; "Tuvalu for the Almighty" Be our song for evermore! Let us trust our lives henceforward To the King to whom we pray, With our eyes fixed firmly on Him He is showing us the way. "May we reign with Him in glory" Be our song for evermore, for His almighty power Is our strength from shore to shore. Shout aloud in jubilation To the King whom we adore. "Tuvalu free and united"

Question: Which Polynesian island nation of 4 reef islands and 5 true atolls in the Pacific Ocean, midway between Hawaii and Australia, formerly known as the Ellice Islands, became fully independent within the Commonwealth in 1978?
Answer: Tuvalu