Head of state: Queen Elizabeth II, represented by a governor Prime minister: Willy Telavi Tuvalu has no political parties. Allegiances revolve around personalities and geography. The 15-member parliament is popularly elected every four years. The prime minister is chosen by MPs.
Population
10,767,827
10,619
Life Expectancy
80.050 years
65.110 years
Capital City
Athens
Largest city
Athens (population: 729,137)
Funafuti (population: 4,749)
Human Development Index
0.947
0
GDP per capita
$26,600 US
Literacy Rate
96%
%
Corruption Perception Index
4.7
NA
Percentage of Women in Parliament
14.7%
0%
Wealthiest Citizens
Spiro Latsis & family ($3.8bn US)
NA
Unemployment Rate
17.300%
Death Penalty
Abolished
Abolished
Political System
parliamentary republic
constitutional monarchy with a parliamentary democracy
Independence date
1829 (from the Ottoman Empire)
Religions
Greek Orthodox 98%, Muslim 1.3%, other 0.7%
Church of Tuvalu (Congregationalist) 97%, Seventh-Day Adventist 1.4%, Baha'i 1%, other 0.6%
Languages
Greek 99% (official), other 1% (includes English and French)
Tuvaluan, English, Samoan, Kiribati (on the island of Nui)
Exports
food and beverages, manufactured goods, petroleum products, chemicals, textiles
External Debt
$583,300,000,000 $
Exchange Rate
euros (EUR) per US dollar - 0.6734 (2008 est.), 0.7345 (2007), 0.7964 (2006), 0.8041 (2005), 0.8054 (2004)
Military Budget as percentage of GDP
4.300%
Beijing Olympics Medal Count
4
0
Location
Southern Europe, bordering the Aegean Sea, Ionian Sea, and the Mediterranean Sea, between Albania and Turkey
Oceania, island group consisting of nine coral atolls in the South Pacific Ocean, about one-half of the way from Hawaii to Australia
Area
131,957 km sq
26 km sq
Coastline
13,676 km
24 km
Climate
temperate; mild, wet winters; hot, dry summers
tropical; moderated by easterly trade winds (March to November); westerly gales and heavy rain (November to March)
