Communications: Broadband - fixed subscriptions: subscriptions per 100 inhabitants
5 (2022 est.)
Communications: Broadband - fixed subscriptions: total
0 (2022 est.)
Communications: Broadcast media
no TV stations; many households use satellite dishes to watch foreign TV; 1 state-owned radio station, Radio Tuvalu, includes relays from international broadcasters (2019)
Communications: Internet country code
.tv
Communications: Internet users: percent of population
74% (2023 est.)
Communications: Telephones - fixed lines: subscriptions per 100 inhabitants
21 (2022 est.)
Communications: Telephones - fixed lines: total subscriptions
2,000 (2021 est.)
Communications: Telephones - mobile cellular: subscriptions per 100 inhabitants
99 (2022 est.)
Communications: Telephones - mobile cellular: total subscriptions
9,880 (2022 est.)
Economy: Agricultural products
coconuts, vegetables, tropical fruits, bananas, root vegetables, pork, chicken, eggs, pork fat, pork offal (2023)
Economy: Budget: expenditures
$88 million (2019 est.)
Economy: Budget: revenues
$87 million (2019 est.)
Economy: Current account balance: Current account balance 2013
$1.1 million (2013 est.)
Economy: Current account balance: Current account balance 2014
-$186,012 (2014 est.)
Economy: Current account balance: Current account balance 2015
-$12.4 million (2015 est.)
Economy: Current account balance: Current account balance 2016
$12.3 million (2016 est.)
Economy: Current account balance: Current account balance 2017
$938,530 (2017 est.)
Economy: Current account balance: Current account balance 2018
$29.3 million (2018 est.)
Economy: Current account balance: Current account balance 2019
-$12.0 million (2019 est.)
Economy: Current account balance: Current account balance 2020
$8.46 million (2020 est.)
Economy: Current account balance: Current account balance 2021
$14.533 million (2021 est.)
Economy: Current account balance: Current account balance 2022
$2.713 million (2022 est.)
Economy: Exchange rates
1.5154 (2024 est.)
Economy: Exchange rates: Currency
Tuvaluan dollars or Australian dollars (AUD) per US dollar -
Economy: Exchange rates: Exchange rates 2020
1.453 (2020 est.)
Economy: Exchange rates: Exchange rates 2021
1.331 (2021 est.)
Economy: Exchange rates: Exchange rates 2022
1.442 (2022 est.)
Economy: Exchange rates: Exchange rates 2023
1.505 (2023 est.)
Economy: Exchange rates: Exchange rates 2024
1.5154 (2024 est.)
Economy: Exports - commodities
fish (2023)
Economy: Exports: Exports 2020
$3.089 million (2020 est.)
Economy: Exports: Exports 2021
$2.745 million (2021 est.)
Economy: Exports: Exports 2022
$2.232 million (2022 est.)
Economy: GDP - composition, by sector of origin: agriculture
15.9% (2015 est.)
Economy: GDP - composition, by sector of origin: industry
7% (2015 est.)
Economy: GDP - composition, by sector of origin: services
70% (2012 est.)
Economy: GDP - per capita (PPP)
$6,151 (2023 est.)
Economy: GDP (official exchange rate)
$62.28 million (2023 est.)
Economy: GDP (purchasing power parity) - real
$60.4 million (2023 est.)
Economy: Imports - commodities
ships, refined petroleum, iron structures, fish, hand tools (2023)
Economy: Imports: Imports 2020
$56.947 million (2020 est.)
Economy: Imports: Imports 2021
$63.962 million (2021 est.)
Economy: Imports: Imports 2022
$57.388 million (2022 est.)
Economy: Inflation rate (consumer prices): Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2020
1.9% (2020 est.)
Economy: Inflation rate (consumer prices): Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2021
6.2% (2021 est.)
Economy: Inflation rate (consumer prices): Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2022
11.5% (2022 est.)
Economy: Population below poverty line
26.30% (2010 est.)
Economy: Public debt: Public debt 2016
47.2% of GDP (2016 est.)
Economy: Real GDP (purchasing power parity): Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2014
$37.6 million (2014 est.)
Economy: Real GDP (purchasing power parity): Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2015
$41.4 million (2015 est.)
Economy: Real GDP (purchasing power parity): Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2016
$44.1 million (2016 est.)
Economy: Real GDP (purchasing power parity): Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2017
$45.9 million (2017 est.)
Economy: Real GDP (purchasing power parity): Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2019
$55.1 million (2019 est.)
Economy: Real GDP (purchasing power parity): Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2020
$53.3 million (2020 est.)
Economy: Real GDP (purchasing power parity): Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2021
$54.568 million (2021 est.)
Economy: Real GDP (purchasing power parity): Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2022
$54.938 million (2022 est.)
Economy: Real GDP (purchasing power parity): Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2023
$57.055 million (2023 est.)
Economy: Real GDP growth rate: Real GDP growth rate 2015
10.42% (2015 est.)
Economy: Real GDP growth rate: Real GDP growth rate 2016
5.66% (2016 est.)
Economy: Real GDP growth rate: Real GDP growth rate 2017
2.45% (2017 est.)
Economy: Real GDP growth rate: Real GDP growth rate 2018
1.39% (2018 est.)
Economy: Real GDP growth rate: Real GDP growth rate 2019
13.82% (2019 est.)
Economy: Real GDP growth rate: Real GDP growth rate 2020
-4.27% (2020 est.)
Economy: Real GDP growth rate: Real GDP growth rate 2021
1.80% (2021 est.)
Economy: Real GDP growth rate: Real GDP growth rate 2022
0.68% (2022 est.)
Economy: Real GDP growth rate: Real GDP growth rate 2023
3.85% (2023 est.)
Economy: Real GDP per capita: Real GDP per capita 2014
$3,419 (2014 est.)
Economy: Real GDP per capita: Real GDP per capita 2015
$3,776 (2015 est.)
Economy: Real GDP per capita: Real GDP per capita 2016
$4,031 (2016 est.)
Economy: Real GDP per capita: Real GDP per capita 2017
$4,227 (2017 est.)
Economy: Real GDP per capita: Real GDP per capita 2019
$5,210 (2019 est.)
Economy: Real GDP per capita: Real GDP per capita 2020
$5,122 (2020 est.)
Economy: Real GDP per capita: Real GDP per capita 2021
$5,353 (2021 est.)
Economy: Real GDP per capita: Real GDP per capita 2022
$5,661 (2022 est.)
Economy: Real GDP per capita: Real GDP per capita 2023
$6,151 (2023 est.)
Economy: Remittances: Remittances 2013
$3.7 million (2013 est.)
Economy: Remittances: Remittances 2014
$3.2 million (2014 est.)
Economy: Remittances: Remittances 2015
$2.6 million (2015 est.)
Economy: Remittances: Remittances 2020
$2.2 million (2020 est.)
Economy: Remittances: Remittances 2021
4.9% of GDP (2021 est.)
Economy: Remittances: Remittances 2022
4.2% of GDP (2022 est.)
Economy: Remittances: Remittances 2023
4.2% of GDP (2023 est.)
Energy: Electricity access: electrification - rural areas
99.1%
Energy: Electricity access: electrification - total population
100% (2022 est.)
Energy: Electricity access: electrification - urban areas
100%
Environment: Climate
tropical; moderated by easterly trade winds (March to November); westerly gales and heavy rain (November to March)
Environment: Environmental issues
limited freshwater resources; beach erosion; deforestation; damage to coral reefs; rising sea levels
Environment: International environmental agreements: party to
Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Desertification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Whaling
Environment: International environmental agreements: signed, but not ratified
Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban
Environment: Land use: agricultural land
60% (2023 est.)
Environment: Land use: agricultural land: arable land
arable land: 0% (2022 est.)
Environment: Land use: agricultural land: permanent crops
permanent crops: 60% (2023 est.)
Environment: Land use: agricultural land: permanent pasture
permanent pasture: 0% (2022 est.)
Environment: Land use: forest
34.3% (2023 est.)
Environment: Land use: other
5.7% (2023 est.)
Environment: Particulate matter emissions
6.8 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)
Environment: Urbanization: rate of urbanization
2.08% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Environment: Urbanization: urban population
64.73% (2024 est.)
Environment: Waste and recycling: municipal solid waste generated annually
4,000 tons (2024 est.)
Geography: Area - comparative
about the size of Washington, D.C.
Geography: Area: land
26 sq km
Geography: Area: water
0 sq km
Geography: Coastline
24 km
Geography: Elevation: highest point
unnamed location 5 m
Geography: Elevation: lowest point
Pacific Ocean 0 m
Geography: Elevation: mean elevation
2 m
Geography: Geographic coordinates
8 00 S, 178 00 E
Geography: Geography - note
one of the smallest and most remote countries on earth; six of the nine coral atolls -- Nanumea, Nui, Vaitupu, Nukufetau, Funafuti, and Nukulaelae -- have lagoons open to the ocean; Nanumaya and Niutao have landlocked lagoons; Niulakita does not have a lagoon
Geography: Irrigated land
0 sq km (2022)
Geography: Land boundaries: total
0 km
Geography: Land use: agricultural land
60% (2023 est.)
Geography: Land use: agricultural land: arable land
arable land: 0% (2022 est.)
Geography: Land use: agricultural land: permanent crops
permanent crops: 60% (2023 est.)
Geography: Land use: agricultural land: permanent pasture
permanent pasture: 0% (2022 est.)
Geography: Land use: forest
34.3% (2023 est.)
Geography: Land use: other
5.7% (2023 est.)
Geography: Map references
Oceania
Geography: Maritime claims: contiguous zone
24 nm
Geography: Maritime claims: exclusive economic zone
200 nm
Geography: Maritime claims: territorial sea
12 nm
Geography: Natural hazards
severe tropical storms are usually rare, but in 1997 there were three cyclones; low levels of islands make them sensitive to changes in sea level
Geography: Population distribution
over half of the population resides on the atoll of Funafuti
Geography: Terrain
low-lying and narrow coral atolls
Government: Administrative divisions
7 island councils and 1 town council*; Funafuti*, Nanumaga, Nanumea, Niutao, Nui, Nukufetau, Nukulaelae, Vaitupu
Government: Capital: etymology
the town has the same name as the island it is located on; the name may either come from the Polynesian word futi (banana) or the name Futi, one of the wives of a local ruler, with the word funa added as a feminine prefix
Government: Capital: geographic coordinates
8 31 S, 179 13 E
Government: Capital: time difference
UTC+12 (17 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
Government: Citizenship: citizenship by birth
yes
Government: Citizenship: citizenship by descent only
yes; for a child born abroad, at least one parent must be a citizen of Tuvalu
Government: Citizenship: dual citizenship recognized
yes
Government: Citizenship: residency requirement for naturalization
na
Government: Constitution: amendment process
proposed by the House of Assembly; passage requires at least two-thirds majority vote by the Assembly membership in the final reading
Government: Constitution: history
previous 1978 (at independence); latest effective 1 October 1986
Government: Country name: conventional short form
Tuvalu
Government: Country name: etymology
the name in the local language means "group of eight" or "eight standing together," referring to eight of the country's nine islands; the remaining island, Nui, was left out of the original grouping because its inhabitants spoke a different language; the former name was given in honor of Canadian shipping company owner Alexander Ellice, who owned a ship that visited the islands in 1819
Government: Country name: former
Ellice Islands
Government: Country name: local long form
none
Government: Country name: local short form
Tuvalu
Government: Diplomatic representation from the US: embassy
the US does not have an embassy in Tuvalu; the US Ambassador to Fiji is accredited to Tuvalu
Government: Diplomatic representation in the US: chancery
685 Third Avenue, Suite 1104, New York, NY 10017
Government: Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission
Ambassador Tapugao FALEFOU (since 19 April 2023); note - also Permanent Representative to UN
Government: Diplomatic representation in the US: email address and website
tuvalumission.un@gmail.com tuvalu.unmission@gov.tv https://www.un.int/tuvalu/about
Government: Diplomatic representation in the US: FAX
[1] (212) 808-4975
Government: Diplomatic representation in the US: telephone
[1] (212) 490-0534
Government: Executive branch: cabinet
Cabinet members selected by the prime minister
Government: Executive branch: chief of state
King CHARLES III (since 8 September 2022); represented by Governor General Tofiga Vaevalu FALANI (since 29 August 2021)
Government: Executive branch: election results
2024: TEO was the only candidate nominated by the House of Assembly 2019: Kausea NATANO elected prime minister by House of Assembly; House of Assembly vote - 10 to 6
Government: Executive branch: election/appointment process
the monarchy is hereditary; governor general appointed by the monarch on recommendation of the prime minister and the parliament; prime minister and deputy prime minister elected by and from members of House of Assembly following parliamentary elections
Government: Executive branch: head of government
Prime Minister Feleti Penitala TEO (since 27 February 2024)
Government: Flag
description: light blue with the UK flag in the upper-left quadrant; the right half of the flag has nine five-pointed yellow stars meaning: the stars represent a map of the country, with each symbolizing an atoll in the ocean
Government: International law organization participation
has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; non-party state to the ICCt
Government: International organization participation
ACP, ADB, AOSIS, C, FAO, IBRD, IDA, IFAD, IFRCS (observer), ILO, IMF, IMO, IOC, ITU, OPCW, PIF, Sparteca, SPC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO
Government: Judicial branch: highest court(s)
Court of Appeal (consists of the chief justice and not less than 3 appeals judges); High Court (consists of the chief justice); appeals beyond the Court of Appeal are heard by the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council (in London)
Government: Judicial branch: judge selection and term of office
Court of Appeal judges appointed by the governor general on the advice of the Cabinet; judge tenure based on terms of appointment; High Court chief justice appointed by the governor general on the advice of the Cabinet; chief justice serves for life; other judges appointed by the governor general on the advice of the Cabinet after consultation with chief justice; judge tenure set by terms of appointment
Government: Judicial branch: subordinate courts
magistrates' courts; island courts; land courts
Government: Legal system
mixed system of English common law and local customary law
Government: Legislative branch: chamber name
Parliament of Tuvalu (Palamene o Tuvalu)
Government: Legislative branch: electoral system
plurality/majority
Government: Legislative branch: expected date of next election
January 2028
Government: Legislative branch: legislative structure
unicameral
Government: Legislative branch: legislature name
Parliament (Palamene)
Government: Legislative branch: most recent election date
1/26/2024
Government: Legislative branch: number of seats
16 (all directly elected)
Government: Legislative branch: percentage of women in chamber
0%
Government: Legislative branch: scope of elections
full renewal
Government: Legislative branch: term in office
4 years
Government: National anthem(s): history
used since 1745
Government: National anthem(s): lyrics/music
unknown
Government: National color(s)
light blue, yellow
Government: National holiday
Independence Day, 1 October (1978)
Government: National symbol(s)
maneapa (native meeting house)
Government: Political parties
note: no political parties, but members of parliament usually align in informal groupings
Government: Suffrage
18 years of age; universal
Introduction: Background
Voyagers from either Samoa or Tonga first populated Tuvalu in the first millennium A.D., and the islands provided a stepping-stone for various Polynesian communities that subsequently settled in Melanesia and Micronesia. Tuvalu eventually came under Samoan and Tongan spheres of influence, although proximity to Micronesia allowed some Micronesian communities to flourish in Tuvalu, in particular on Nui Atoll. In the late 1700s and early 1800s, a series of American, British, Dutch, and Russian ships visited the islands, which were named the Ellice Islands in 1819. The UK declared a protectorate over islands in 1892 and merged them with the Micronesian Gilbert Islands. The Gilbert and Ellice Islands Protectorate became a colony in 1916. During World War II, the US set up military bases on a few islands, and in 1943, after Japan captured many of the northern Gilbert Islands, the UK transferred administration of the colony southward to Funafuti. After the war, Tarawa in the Gilbert Islands was once again made the colony’s capital, and the center of power was firmly in the Gilbert Islands, including the colony’s only secondary school. Amid growing tensions with the Gilbertese, Tuvaluans voted to secede from the colony in 1974, were granted self-rule in 1975, and gained independence in 1978 as Tuvalu. In 1979, the US relinquished its claims to the Tuvaluan islands in a treaty of friendship.
Military and Security: Military - note
as part of the Falepili Union treaty between Australia and Tuvalu, which entered into force in August 2024, Australia committed to assist Tuvalu in response to a major natural disaster, health pandemic, or military aggression; Tuvalu pledged to mutually agree with Australia any partnership, arrangement, or engagement with any other State or entity on security and defense-related matters in Tuvalu Tuvalu has a "shiprider" agreement with the US, which allows local maritime law enforcement officers to embark on US Coast Guard (USCG) and US Navy (USN) vessels, including to board and search vessels suspected of violating laws or regulations within Tuvalu's designated exclusive economic zone (EEZ) or on the high seas; "shiprider" agreements also enable USCG personnel and USN vessels with embarked USCG law enforcement personnel to work with host nations to protect critical regional resources (2025)
Military and Security: Military and security forces
no regular military forces; Tuvalu Police Force
People and Society: Age structure: 0-14 years
29.2% (male 1,754/female 1,672)
People and Society: Age structure: 15-64 years
63.2% (male 3,736/female 3,675)
People and Society: Age structure: 65 years and over
7.6% (2024 est.) (male 326/female 570)
People and Society: Alcohol consumption per capita: beer
0.01 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
People and Society: Alcohol consumption per capita: other alcohols
0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
People and Society: Alcohol consumption per capita: spirits
0.22 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
People and Society: Alcohol consumption per capita: total
0.93 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
People and Society: Alcohol consumption per capita: wine
0.69 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
People and Society: Birth rate
21.57 births/1,000 population (2025 est.)
People and Society: Child marriage: men married by age 18
1.7% (2020)
People and Society: Child marriage: women married by age 15
0% (2020)
People and Society: Child marriage: women married by age 18
1.8% (2020)
People and Society: Children under the age of 5 years underweight
2.9% (2019 est.)
People and Society: Current health expenditure
27.09% (2023 est.)
People and Society: Currently married women (ages 15-49)
64.2% (2020 est.)
People and Society: Death rate
7.78 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.)
People and Society: Dependency ratios: elderly dependency ratio
12.6 (2025 est.)
People and Society: Dependency ratios: potential support ratio
7.9 (2025 est.)
People and Society: Dependency ratios: total dependency ratio
59 (2025 est.)
People and Society: Dependency ratios: youth dependency ratio
46.4 (2025 est.)
People and Society: Drinking water source: improved: rural
rural: 99.7% of population (2022 est.)
People and Society: Drinking water source: improved: total
total: 99.3% of population (2022 est.)
People and Society: Drinking water source: improved: urban
urban: 99% of population (2022 est.)
People and Society: Drinking water source: unimproved: rural
rural: 0.3% of population (2022 est.)
People and Society: Drinking water source: unimproved: total
total: 0.7% of population (2022 est.)
People and Society: Drinking water source: unimproved: urban
urban: 1% of population (2022 est.)
People and Society: Education expenditure: Education expenditure (% GDP)
12.8% of GDP (2023 est.)
People and Society: Education expenditure: Education expenditure (% national budget)
16.8% national budget (2025 est.)
People and Society: Education expenditures
12.85% (2023 est.)
People and Society: Ethnic groups
Tuvaluan 97%, Tuvaluan/I-Kiribati 1.6%, Tuvaluan/other 0.8%, other 0.6% (2017 est.)
People and Society: Gross reproduction rate
1.34 (2025 est.)
People and Society: Health expenditure: Health expenditure (as % of GDP)
20% of GDP (2021)
People and Society: Health expenditure: Health expenditure (as % of national budget)
11.2% of national budget (2022 est.)
People and Society: HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate
0.40% (2024 est.)
People and Society: Infant mortality rate: female
24 deaths/1,000 live births
People and Society: Infant mortality rate: male
31.3 deaths/1,000 live births
People and Society: Infant mortality rate: total
27.2 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.)
People and Society: Life expectancy at birth: female
70.9 years (2024 est.)
People and Society: Life expectancy at birth: male
63.9 years (2024 est.)
People and Society: Literacy: female
100% (2022 est.)
People and Society: Literacy: male
100% (2022 est.)
People and Society: Literacy: total population
100.00% (2022 est.)
People and Society: Major urban areas - population
7,000 FUNAFUTI (capital) (2018)
People and Society: Maternal mortality ratio
170 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.)
People and Society: Median age: female
28.8 years
People and Society: Median age: male
26.8 years
People and Society: Nationality: adjective
Tuvaluan
People and Society: Net migration rate
-6.26 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.)
People and Society: Obesity - adult prevalence rate
51.6% (2016)
People and Society: Physician density
1.35 physicians/1,000 population (2020)
People and Society: Population
9,646 (2024 est.)
People and Society: Population distribution
over half of the population resides on the atoll of Funafuti
People and Society: Population growth rate
0.75% (2025 est.)
People and Society: Population: female
5,959
People and Society: Population: male
5,865
People and Society: Sanitation facility access: improved: rural
rural: 93.9% of population (2022 est.)
People and Society: Sanitation facility access: improved: total
total: 95.8% of population (2022 est.)
People and Society: Sanitation facility access: improved: urban
urban: 96.7% of population (2022 est.)
People and Society: Sanitation facility access: unimproved: rural
rural: 6.1% of population (2022 est.)
People and Society: Sanitation facility access: unimproved: total
total: 4.2% of population (2022 est.)
People and Society: Sanitation facility access: unimproved: urban
urban: 3.3% of population (2022 est.)
People and Society: Sex ratio: 0-14 years
1.05 male(s)/female
People and Society: Sex ratio: 15-64 years
1.02 male(s)/female
People and Society: Sex ratio: 65 years and over
0.57 male(s)/female
People and Society: Sex ratio: at birth
1.05 male(s)/female
People and Society: Sex ratio: total population
0.98 male(s)/female (2024 est.)
People and Society: Tobacco use: female
18.1% (2025 est.)
People and Society: Tobacco use: male
46.2% (2025 est.)
People and Society: Tobacco use: total
32.4% (2025 est.)
People and Society: Total fertility rate
3.17 children born/woman (2024 est.)
People and Society: Urbanization: rate of urbanization
2.08% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
People and Society: Urbanization: urban population
64.73% (2024 est.)
Transportation: Airports
1 (2025)
Transportation: Civil aircraft registration country code prefix
T2
Transportation: Merchant marine: by type
bulk carrier 21, container ship 3, general cargo 29, oil tanker 19, other 198
Transportation: Merchant marine: total
270 (2023)
Transportation: Ports: key ports
Funafuti Atoll
Transportation: Ports: large
0
Transportation: Ports: medium
0
Transportation: Ports: ports with oil terminals
1
Transportation: Ports: small
0
Transportation: Ports: total ports
1 (2024)
Transportation: Ports: very small
1
Warning: Some information might be outdated or incorrect, please check statistics before using(most of the economical stats are correct, its mostly the Population stats that are incorrect). Some dates are listed but some are missed, if you have any issues please report it to the Github at github.com.