Difference between revisions of "Tuvalu"

Revision as of 18:02, 2 June 2007

Location
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Flag
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Quick Facts
Capital	Funafuti
Government	constitutional monarchy with a parliamentary democracy; began debating republic status in 1992
Currency	Australian dollar (AUD); note - there is also a Tuvaluan dollar
Area	total: 26 sq km water: 0 sq km land: 26 sq km
Population	11,146 (July 2002 est.)
Language	Tuvaluan, English, Samoan, Kiribati (on the island of Nui)
Religion	Church of Tuvalu (Congregationalist) 97%, Seventh-Day Adventist 1.4%, Baha'i 1%, other 0.6%
Electricity	Electrical voltage and current
Country code	Calling code
Internet TLD	.tv
Time Zone	Time zone(s) in relation to UTC

Tuvalu is located in the South Pacific and is a group of islands that form the fourth smallest county in the world. In 1974, ethnic differences within the British colony of the Gilbert and Ellice Islands caused the Polynesians of the Ellice Islands to vote for separation from the Micronesians of the Gilbert Islands. The following year, the Ellice Islands became the separate British colony of Tuvalu. Independence was granted in 1978. In 2000, Tuvalu negotiated a contract leasing its Internet domain name ".tv" for $50 million in royalties over the next dozen years.

Map of Tuvalu

Regions

Cities

• Fongafale
• Funafuti - the capital

Other destinations

Understand

Get in

By plane

There are regularly scheduled flights from Fiji to Funafuti.

By boat

Get around

There is one main road in Funafuti in addition to the runway, which is used for recreational purposes when landings are not scheduled.

Talk

English is the language of government and of most business on Funafuti, but Tuvaluan predominates on the outer islands.

Buy

There is a handicraft center and a philatelic bureau on Funafuti.

Costs

Eat

Drink

Sleep

The state-owned Vaiaku Lagi Hotel on Funafuti is the country's only hotel. It also has significant nightlife.

Learn

Funafuti hosts a University of the South Pacific extension center. Motufoua, the country's only high school, is a coeducational boarding school on Vaitupu island. The Tuvalu Marine School, on an outer islet of Funafuti, trains Tuvaluan mariners for service on foreign ships.

Work

The non-native work force is mostly comprised of contract employees from Britain and other foreign countries.

Stay safe

A siren signals when to leave the runway for an approaching plane.

Violent crime is rare, and usually involves alcohol and family disputes.

Stay healthy

Respect

Contact