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: Omar Bashir
Population
10,619
34,206,710
Life Expectancy
65.110 years
62.570 years
Capital City
Khartoum
Largest city
Funafuti (population: 4,749)
Khartoum (population: 1,974,650)
Human Development Index
0
0.526
GDP per capita
$2,800 US
Literacy Rate
%
61.1%
Corruption Perception Index
NA
1.6
Percentage of Women in Parliament
0%
16.8%
Wealthiest Citizens
Unemployment Rate
18.700%
Death Penalty
Abolished
Legal
Political System
constitutional monarchy with a parliamentary democracy
Government of National Unity (GNU) - the National Congress Party (NCP) and Sudan People's Liberation Movement (SPLM) formed a power-sharing government under the 2005 Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA); the NCP, which came to power by military coup in 1989, is the majority partner; the agreement stipulates national elections in 2009
Independence date
1 January 1956 (from Egypt and UK)
Religions
Church of Tuvalu (Congregationalist) 97%, Seventh-Day Adventist 1.4%, Baha'i 1%, other 0.6%
Sunni Muslim 70% (in north), Christian 5% (mostly in south and Khartoum), indigenous beliefs 25%
Languages
Tuvaluan, English, Samoan, Kiribati (on the island of Nui)
Arabic (official), English (official), Nubian, Ta Bedawie, diverse dialects of Nilotic, Nilo-Hamitic, Sudanic languages note: program of "Arabization" in process
Sudanese pounds (SDG) per US dollar - 2.1 (2008 est.), 2.06 (2007), 2.172 (2006), 2.4361 (2005), 2.5791 (2004) note: in October 2007 Sudan redenominated its currency by transforming 100 units of Sudanese dinar into one unit of Sudanese pound
Military Budget as percentage of GDP
3.000%
Beijing Olympics Medal Count
0
1
Location
Oceania, island group consisting of nine coral atolls in the South Pacific Ocean, about one-half of the way from Hawaii to Australia
Northern Africa, bordering the Red Sea, between Egypt and Eritrea
Area
26 km sq
1,861,484 km sq
Coastline
24 km
853 km
Climate
tropical; moderated by easterly trade winds (March to November); westerly gales and heavy rain (November to March)
tropical in south; arid desert in north; rainy season varies by region (April to November)
