constitutional monarchy with a parliamentary democracy
Independence date
Religions
Muslim 50%, indigenous beliefs 40%, Christian 10%
Church of Tuvalu (Congregationalist) 97%, Seventh-Day Adventist 1.4%, Baha'i 1%, other 0.6%
Languages
Portuguese (official), Crioulo, African languages
Tuvaluan, English, Samoan, Kiribati (on the island of Nui)
Exports
External Debt
Exchange Rate
Military Budget as percentage of GDP
Beijing Olympics Medal Count
Location
Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Guinea and Senegal
Oceania, island group consisting of nine coral atolls in the South Pacific Ocean, about one-half of the way from Hawaii to Australia
Area
36,125 km sq
26 km sq
Coastline
350 km
24 km
Climate
tropical; generally hot and humid; monsoonal-type rainy season (June to November) with southwesterly winds; dry season (December to May) with northeasterly harmattan winds
tropical; moderated by easterly trade winds (March to November); westerly gales and heavy rain (November to March)
