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.
President: Ellen Johnson Sirleaf
Population
10,619
3,887,886
Life Expectancy
65.110 years
57.410 years
Capital City
Monrovia
Largest city
Funafuti (population: 4,749)
Monrovia (population: 939,524)
Human Development Index
0
0.364
GDP per capita
$500 US
Literacy Rate
%
57.5%
Corruption Perception Index
NA
2.4
Percentage of Women in Parliament
0%
13.8%
Wealthiest Citizens
Unemployment Rate
85.000%
Death Penalty
Abolished
Abolished in practice
Political System
constitutional monarchy with a parliamentary democracy
republic
Independence date
26 July 1847
Religions
Church of Tuvalu (Congregationalist) 97%, Seventh-Day Adventist 1.4%, Baha'i 1%, other 0.6%
Christian 40%, Muslim 20%, indigenous beliefs 40%
Languages
Tuvaluan, English, Samoan, Kiribati (on the island of Nui)
English 20% (official), some 20 ethnic group languages, of which a few can be written and are used in correspondence
Exports
rubber, timber, iron, diamonds, cocoa, coffee
External Debt
$228,000,000 US
Exchange Rate
Liberian dollars (LRD) per US dollar - NA (2007), 59.43 (2006), 53.098 (2005), 54.906 (2004), 59.379 (2003)
Military Budget as percentage of GDP
1.300%
Beijing Olympics Medal Count
Location
Oceania, island group consisting of nine coral atolls in the South Pacific Ocean, about one-half of the way from Hawaii to Australia
Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Cote d'Ivoire and Sierra Leone
Area
26 km sq
111,369 km sq
Coastline
24 km
579 km
Climate
tropical; moderated by easterly trade winds (March to November); westerly gales and heavy rain (November to March)
tropical; hot, humid; dry winters with hot days and cool to cold nights; wet, cloudy summers with frequent heavy showers
