Tuvalu

At a glance Land People Economy Achievements and challenges Links with Australia Country at a glance Did you know? Tuvalu is "eight islands" in Tuvaluan, representing the eight originally inhabited islands. The low-lying coral atolls of Tuvalu are less than 5 metres above sea level. In 2000 the Tuvaluan government asked New Zealand for resettlement of about one-third of Tuvalu’s population which was threatened by rising sea levels. Region Pacific Population 10,472 (July 2010 estimate) Land Geography: nine low-lying, narrow coral atolls Climate: tropical People Religion: Christian, 98.4%; Baha'i, 1%; other, 0.6% Language: Tuvaluan, English, Samoan, Kiribati (on the island of Nui ) Economy GDP per person (PPP): US$1,600 (2002 estimate) GDP by sector: agriculture 16.6%; industry 27.2%; services 56.2% Government Constitutional monarchy with a parliamentary democracy Land Physical geography Tuvalu comprises a narrow chain of eight coral atolls—reefs that have formed around sunken volcanic islands. With a total land area of 26 square kilometres, it is the fourth smallest nation in the world behind Vatican City, Monaco and Nauru. The chain of atolls is 579 kilometres long with a maximum elevation of 4.6 metres. Six of the atolls have lagoons open to the ocean, two have landlocked lagoons and one has no lagoon. Poor soils restrict vegetation to coconut palms and salt-resistant bush. Funafuti, its largest atoll, measures only a few hundred metres across. Climate Tuvalu has a tropical climate moderated by easterly trade winds (March to November) and westerly gales with heavy rain (November to March). Although tropical cyclones occasionally develop nearby, they rarely become hurricane-force in Tuvalu waters. The annual temperature range is 26–32°C and the average annual rainfall ranges from 2,600 millimetres in the northern atolls increasing southwards to 4,003 millimetres. Environment In recent years, Tuvalu has lost one metre of land around the circumference of Funafuti as a result of sea-level rising, sand mining for building materials and erosion caused by forest clearance for fuel. The seas surrounding the islands of Tuvalu are rich in flora and fauna including the green tortoise, but land vegetation is limited to coconut palm, pandanus and imported fruit trees. The only indigenous mammal is the Polynesian rat. Birds include reef herons, terns and noddies. There are 22 known species of butterfly and moth. People The people of Tuvalu live mostly in small villages on eight of the islands. About 49% live in urban areas, although such areas are necessarily small; however, this makes Tuvalu one of the most urbanised nations in the Pacific. The largest urban area is the capital, Funafuti, which has a population of 4,492and Vaitupu (1,231) is the only other urban area with a population over 1,000. People Culture and identity The majority of Tuvaluans (96%) are Polynesian with connections to Samoa and Tokelau. The remaining 4% are Micronesian. Tuvaluan society is based on the influence and rule of chiefs or aliki —their traditional role included protecting the culture and mediation in disagreements, as well as ruling. The sisters and daughters of the aliki acted as leaders and role models for Tuvaluan women. Every family had special traditional tasks (pologa) that they performed for the community; these skills were handed down through the generations in a single family. Singing and dancing traditionally provided entertainment, a ritual means of worship and a cultural record of important people and feats. Special events are still marked with feasts, traditional dancing and music, held at the maneapas (meeting houses) which are the often highly-ornate focal points for communities. The traditional form of land ownership through families or clans is being undermined, as holdings are fragmented through inter-marriage between families from different islands and through the selling of land to outsiders. Health Life expectancy is 64.4 years (male 62.4 years and female 66.5 years). Infant mortality is about 35 per 1,000 live births. The lack of surface water and a severe shortage of groundwater mean that 7% of the population has no access to safe water. Medical staff are concentrated on Funafuti, with health stations on the outer islands. New Zealand contributes to the cost of medical evacuation to Fiji or NZ when necessary. Religion and beliefs Modern Tuvaluans are overwhelmingly Christian, originally converted from traditional religions by pastors sent from Samoa by the London Missionary Society. Some traditional beliefs still have influence, including Matematega o Kaumana which involves ‘reading' the clouds to locate schools of fish and to predict approaching disasters such as strong winds, high waves and drought. Food and shelter Major food sources include coconut, root crops such as taro, and fish. The most important cultivated plant is pulaka (swamp taro), grown in large pits and valued for its resistance to drought and high salinity. Rice is available and breadfruit, futi (plantains or cooking bananas) and vegetables are cultivated. Fish and chicken are the main forms of protein, and pigs are roasted for special feasts. Although most Tuvaluans now live in houses constructed from modern materials such as concrete and corrugated iron and connected to modern services such as power and telephones, some still live in traditional thatched houses. The fale (house) has timber posts, open sides and a thatch roof made of pandanus leaves. Economy Wealth and poverty Most people on the outer islands live from fishing and gardening. Those in towns, where there is employment in government and small businesses, have a much higher standard of living. The main sources of income for the country are from fishing and telecommunications license fees, remittances from overseas workers, aid and income from overseas investments. The limited opportunities for earning money in Tuvalu bring about a lack of choices, particularly for young people and women. Education and work Education is compulsory between ages 5 and 15. At 98% the adult literacy rate is high, but the quality of education is not universally high: many concerned parents try to send their children overseas for secondary school. The University of the South Pacific has a centre in Funafuti. The workforce of just over 3,600 is largely involved in subsistence fishing and agriculture, with crops of coconut, taro, papaya, pandanus and banana. The people also raise pigs, poultry and goats and produce honey. Industries and products Fishing, tourism and coconuts make up the industries of Tuvalu. The annual fishing catch is in the vicinity of 15,000 tonnes. Tourist numbers are small, around 1,000 per year, mainly because of Tuvalu's remoteness, the expense of travel and the lack of a developed tourist infrastructure, although there has been some recent development in the area of eco-tourism. Coconuts are processed into copra, which is dried coconut meat used in the production of coconut oil for the manufacture of margarine and soap. Trade Tuvalu is almost completely dependent on imports for its fuel and food. It also imports animals, machinery and manufactured goods. Tuvalu's main exports are copra and fish. Its major export partners include Germany (60.5%), Italy (20.1%), Fiji (6.9%) and Australia (2.7%), while import partners include Fiji (46.1%), Japan (18.9%), China (18.2%), Australia (7.7%) and New Zealand (4.1%). Tuvalu is a member of the PARTA free trade agreement with Australia, the Cook Islands, Fiji, Kiribati, New Zealand, Niue, Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands, Tonga and Western Samoa. Achievements and challenges Formerly a British colony known as the Ellice Islands, Tuvalu became independent in 1978. It is one of the world’s smallest and most remote nations. While the rule of law is upheld, access to basic services is generally good and serious poverty is not a major problem increased population density and urbanisation presents challenges and has meant that society has experienced great changes in recent years. Rising sea levels threaten to submerge the islands and are already raising salinity in the underground water table, and regular ‘king tides' cause flooding. There are no streams or rivers and groundwater is not potable, so most water needs must be met by catchment systems with storage facilities; a desalination plant has been built, and one more is planned, to help with this problem. The Tuvalu Trust Fund was established in 1987 by Australia, New Zealand and the United Kingdom and serves as a reliable source of income. In 2006 it contributed US$9 million to the Tuvalu government’s budget. In 2000, Tuvalu leased its internet domain name ‘tv' for US$50 million in royalties over a 12-year period. While Tuvalu has improved infant mortality rates and life expectancy over the years, and controlled infectious and communicable diseases, there has been a notable increase in non-communicable and lifestyle diseases such as cardiac disease and diabetes. Links with Australia In 2009–2010 Australia's exports of meat, sugars, molasses and honey, manufactured tobacco and electric power machinery and parts to Tuvalu totalled A$ $2.173 million. Imports from Tuvalu in the same period totalled A$571,000. These mainly consist of telecommunications equipment and parts. In 2006 there were 111 Tuvaluans living in Australia. Australia is Tuvalu's most significant development partner, through both direct assistance and involvement in the management of the Tuvalu Trust Fund. Australia's aid program focuses on combating the effects of climate change, sound economic planning and building education and employment opportunities. Main sources: https://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/index.html http:/ / hdr.undp.org/ http://www.dfat.gov.au/geo/index.html

The Tuvaluan flag has a Union Jack, showing its settlement by Britain. The light blue background represents the ocean and the nine stars represent the nine islands of the archipelago and follow the geographic arrangement of the islands.

Tuvalu 's first female doctors, Dr Nese Ituaso (left) and Dr Miliama Simeona, spent nine years training away from home supported by Australian funding. Geoff Adlide/AusAID