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
10,732,900
10,619
Life Expectancy
75.240 years
65.110 years
Capital City
Tunis
Largest city
Tunis (population: 693,210)
Funafuti (population: 4,749)
Human Development Index
0.762
0
GDP per capita
$9,600 US
Literacy Rate
74.3%
%
Corruption Perception Index
4.4
NA
Percentage of Women in Parliament
19.9%
0%
Wealthiest Citizens
Unemployment Rate
18.000%
Death Penalty
Abolished in practice
Abolished
Political System
republic
constitutional monarchy with a parliamentary democracy
Independence date
20 March 1956 (from France)
Religions
Muslim 98%, Christian 1%, Jewish and other 1%
Church of Tuvalu (Congregationalist) 97%, Seventh-Day Adventist 1.4%, Baha'i 1%, other 0.6%
Languages
Arabic (official and one of the languages of commerce), French (commerce)
Tuvaluan, English, Samoan, Kiribati (on the island of Nui)
Exports
clothing, semi-finished goods and textiles, agricultural products, mechanical goods, phosphates and chemicals, hydrocarbons, electrical equipment
External Debt
$23,210,000,000 $
Exchange Rate
Tunisian dinars (TND) per US dollar - 1.211 (2008 est.), 1.2776 (2007), 1.331 (2006), 1.2974 (2005), 1.2455 (2004)
Military Budget as percentage of GDP
1.400%
Beijing Olympics Medal Count
1
0
Location
Northern Africa, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between Algeria and Libya
Oceania, island group consisting of nine coral atolls in the South Pacific Ocean, about one-half of the way from Hawaii to Australia
Area
163,610 km sq
26 km sq
Coastline
1,148 km
24 km
Climate
temperate in north with mild, rainy winters and hot, dry summers; desert in south
tropical; moderated by easterly trade winds (March to November); westerly gales and heavy rain (November to March)
