29 Facts About Tuvalu

Tuvalu is an island country in the Pacific Ocean's Polynesian subregion of Oceania.

Tuvalu is an independent island nation in the South Pacific that is part of the British Commonwealth.

Its nine islands are made up of small, sparsely populated atolls and reef islands with palm-fringed beaches and WWII relics.

The Funafuti Conservation Area, located off Funafuti, the capital, offers calm waters for diving and snorkelling among sea turtles and tropical fish, as well as several uninhabited islets that shelter sea birds.

Tuvalu has neither ATMs nor an army.

Tuvalu is one of the world's smallest and least visited countries.

Tuvalu is a group of nine tiny Pacific islands. Five of the islands are coral atolls, which are ring-shaped reefs formed by submerged volcanoes. The other four islands are made up of land that rises abruptly from the seabed.

During the 14th century, Samoans, Tongans, and possibly people from other Polynesian islands were the first to settle in Tuvalu.

The islands of Tuvalu were first 'discovered' by Europeans during two expeditions led by Spanish explorer Alvaro Mendana de Neyra in 1568 and 1595.

Previously, the islands were known as the Ellice Islands. They were named after British MP Edward Ellice, who visited Funafuta on one of his ships. The name was later applied to the entire group of islands.

Tuvalu was one of several Pacific islands affected by 'blackbirding' in the late 1800s. Kidnapping for forced labour on plantations in Fiji and Australia was known as blackbirding. The heinous practise came to an end around 1872, leading to the prohibition of overseas labour recruitment in several countries.

Tuvalu was a British protectorate (and later colony) of the Gilbert and Ellice Islands beginning in 1892. The group was divided in 1976, and parts of it became Kiribati (Gilbert Islands) and Tuvalu (Ellice Islands).

Tuvalu formally declared independence from the United Kingdom in 1978.

Tuvalu's flag has a light blue background with nine yellow stars representing the country's ocean, atolls, and islands. A Union Jack in the corner represents the country's historical ties with Britain.

Tuvalu has no natural rivers or streams, so rainwater is collected for drinking purposes.

Tuvalu declared a state of emergency in 2011 following a prolonged dry spell. Freshwater supplies and desalination units had to be airlifted into New Zealand.

Tuvalu is the world's smallest sovereign country in terms of population. Although Vatican City is technically smaller, it is not a member of the United Nations.

Tuvalu is the world's third-smallest sovereign nation in terms of land area. Only Monaco and Nauru are more compact. Similarly, Vatican City is smaller but not a UN member state.

Tuvalu was initially unable to join the United Nations because it could not afford the membership fee. Tuvalu received the sought-after abbreviation of.tv when internet domain names were first assigned to countries. The country negotiated a 12-year, $50 million lease on its domain in 2000, and again in 2012. It used the profits to build electricity on remote islands, fund scholarships, and join the United Nations.

Tuvalu is the world's least visited country. It only receives about 2,000 visitors per year.

Tuvalu has no ATMs (cash machines), and credit/debit card payments are not accepted. Visitors must bring enough cash (Australian dollars) for the duration of their trip.

Tuvalu is one of only 22 countries without an army.

Tuvalu has one of the world's lowest average elevations, with a mean elevation of only two metres.

The island of Fongafale is only 20m across at its narrowest point.

As a result, this low-lying country is threatened by rising sea levels due to climate change. Two Tuvaluan islands are on the verge of being consumed by sea-level rise and coastal erosion.

Tuvalu was instrumental in the liberation of Japanese-occupied Pacific islands during WWII. Many US missions took off from Tuvalu. In 1943, Funafuti was also attacked by Japanese airstrikes.

After the war, the Funafuti airfield became Funafuti International Airport, which is still in use today.

Tuvalu, like many Pacific nations, has one of the world's fattest populations. According to a 2017 report, Tuvalu is the world's fifth most obese nation, with 81% of its population over the age of 18 classified as obese.

Tuvalu has the world's smallest Gross Domestic Product (GDP) at $42.59 million USD.