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: Moncef Marzouki
Population
10,619
10,732,900
Life Expectancy
65.110 years
75.240 years
Capital City
Tunis
Largest city
Funafuti (population: 4,749)
Tunis (population: 693,210)
Human Development Index
0
0.762
GDP per capita
$9,600 US
Literacy Rate
%
74.3%
Corruption Perception Index
NA
4.4
Percentage of Women in Parliament
0%
19.9%
Wealthiest Citizens
Unemployment Rate
18.000%
Death Penalty
Abolished
Abolished in practice
Political System
constitutional monarchy with a parliamentary democracy
republic
Independence date
20 March 1956 (from France)
Religions
Church of Tuvalu (Congregationalist) 97%, Seventh-Day Adventist 1.4%, Baha'i 1%, other 0.6%
Muslim 98%, Christian 1%, Jewish and other 1%
Languages
Tuvaluan, English, Samoan, Kiribati (on the island of Nui)
Arabic (official and one of the languages of commerce), French (commerce)
Exports
clothing, semi-finished goods and textiles, agricultural products, mechanical goods, phosphates and chemicals, hydrocarbons, electrical equipment
External Debt
$23,210,000,000 US
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
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 Mediterranean Sea, between Algeria and Libya
Area
26 km sq
163,610 km sq
Coastline
24 km
1,148 km
Climate
tropical; moderated by easterly trade winds (March to November); westerly gales and heavy rain (November to March)
temperate in north with mild, rainy winters and hot, dry summers; desert in south
