Country Guide • Tuvalu
Tuvalu, formerly the Ellice Islands, is a scattered group of nine islands in the Southwest Pacific Ocean located 1,050 km (652 miles) north of Fiji and 4,020 km (2,498 miles) north east of Sydney, Australia. The island group is bound by Fiji to the south, Kiribati to the north and the Solomon Islands to the west. The main island, Funafuti, is also the capital and lies 1920km (1200 miles) north of Suva, Fiji.
| Official Name | Tuvalu |
|---|---|
| Area | 24km² (9.2mile²) |
| Population | 11,305 |
| Continent | Australia/Oceania |
| Population per mile² | 1,126 |
| Capital City | Funafuti |
| Religions | Church of Tuvalu (Congregationalist) 97%, Seventh-Day Adventist 1.4%, Baha'i 1%, other 0.6% |
| Language | Tuvaluan, English, Samoan, Kiribati (on the island of Nui) |
| Government | Constitutional monarchy |
| Currency | Australian Dollar |
| GDP | $12.2 million |
| GDP per Head | $1,100 |
| Natural Resources | Fish |
| Land Use | Arable Land 0% |
| Agriculture | Coconuts; fish |
| Industry | Fishing, tourism, copra |
| Tourism | Tuvalu generally sees less than 1000 tourists a year. It is a difficuly island to reach and little to do there. But it does have seclusion, palm trees and beaches |
| Natural Hazards | Severe tropical storms are usually rare, but, in 1997, there were three cyclones; low level of islands make them very sensitive to changes in sea level |
| Health Risks | Hepatitis A, B, dengue fever and filariasis. Water is in short supply and undrinkable if untreated, boil before drinking. Be careful with the coral it can cause cuts and deep scatches and should be treated with antiseptic cream |
| Climate | Tuvalu has a tropical maritime climate characterised by uniformly hot temperatures moderated by Easterly trade winds. Average annual rainfall is 120 inches while the average annual temperature is 26.7°C |
| Time | GMT/UTC+12 hours |
| National Days | October 1-2 - Tuvalu Days (Anniversary of Independence) |
| Visas | No visa is required; a visitor permit will be issued on arrival. The permit should be valid for one month, providing you have sufficient funds, proof of accomodation, and an onward ticket. The permit may be extended to a maximum of three months. If you're arriving from a yellow fever-infected area you will require a vaccination certificate |
| British Embassy | Embassy Details |
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