A country in Oceania, in the southwestern part of the Pacific Ocean (includes 9 islands of Tuvalu; until 1975 they were called the Ellice Islands), in Polynesia. Total territory - 25.9 km². The capital is Funafuti - on the atoll of Funafuti (about 3 thousand). Administrative division - 8 island councils. Population - 9.6 thousand (2004), mainly Tuvaluans (Polynesians). Official languages - English and Tuvaluan. Religion: the majority of the population are Protestant Congregationalists. Currency - Tuvalu dollar.
National holiday - October 1 - Independence Day (1978).
Tuvalu is a country within the Commonwealth. According to the 1978 constitution, the head of state is the Queen of Great Britain, represented in the country by a Governor-General (F. Telito). Legislative power belongs to a unicameral parliament (12 deputies), elected by the population for a term of 4 years. Executive power is exercised by the government headed by Prime Minister M. Toafa.
The first European to visit the islands was the Spanish navigator A. Mendanha de Neira in 1568. From 1892, the Ellice Islands, along with the Gilbert Islands, became a protectorate, and then from 1916 - a colony of Great Britain. As a result of a referendum (1974), the majority of the population of the Ellice Islands voted for separation from the Gilbert Islands. The new territory was named Tuvalu.
On 1 October 1975, Tuvalu became a separate British colony. On 1 October 1978, the independence of the state was proclaimed.
GDP - 15 million USD.
The basis of the economy is copra production and fishing. There are light industry enterprises. Main trading partners: Fiji, New Zealand, and Australia.
