My World Factbook
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In 1974, ethnic differences within the British colony of the Gilbert and Ellice Islands caused the Polynesians of the Ellice Islands to vote for separation from the Micronesians of the Gilbert Islands. The following year, the Ellice Islands became the separate British colony of Tuvalu. Independence was granted in 1978. In 2000, Tuvalu negotiated a contract leasing its Internet domain name “.tv” for $50 million in royalties over a 12-year period.
Government
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Tuvalu
local long form: none
local short form: Tuvalu
former: Ellice Islands
note: “Tuvalu” means “group of eight” referring to the country’s eight traditionally inhabited islands
parliamentary democracy and a Commonwealth realm
name: Funafuti
geographic coordinates: 8 30 S, 179 12 E
time difference: UTC+12 (17 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
note: administrative offices are in Vaiaku Village on Fongafale Islet
none
1 October 1978 (from the UK)
Independence Day, 1 October (1978)
1 October 1978
English common law supplemented by local customary law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
18 years of age; universal
chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952); represented by Governor General Iakoba TAEIA Italeli (since May 2010)
head of government: Prime Minister Willie TELAVI (since 24 December 2010)
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the governor general on the recommendation of the prime minister
(For more information visit the World Leaders website 
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elections: the monarchy is hereditary; governor general appointed by the monarch on the recommendation of the prime minister; prime minister and deputy prime minister elected by and from the members of parliament following parliamentary elections
election results: Willie TELAVI elected prime minister in a parliamentary election on 24 December 2010 following a no-confidence vote on 21 December 2010 that ousted Maatia TOAFA
unicameral Parliament or Fale I Fono, also called House of Assembly (15 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)
elections: last held on 16 September 2010 (next to be held in 2014)
election results: percent of vote - NA; seats - independents 15; 10 members reelected
High Court (a chief justice visits twice a year to preside over its sessions; its rulings can be appealed to the Court of Appeal in Fiji); eight Island Courts (with limited jurisdiction)
there are no political parties but members of parliament usually align themselves in informal groupings
none
ACP, ADB, AOSIS, C, FAO, IBRD, IDA, IFRCS (observer), ILO, IMF, IMO, IOC, ITU, OPCW, PIF, Sparteca, SPC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UPU, WHO
Tuvalu does not have an embassy in the US - the country’s only diplomatic post is in Fiji - Tuvalu does, however, have a UN office located at 800 2nd Avenue, Suite 400D, New York, NY 10017, telephone: [1] (212) 490-0534, fax: [1] (212) 937-0692
the US does not have an embassy in Tuvalu; the US ambassador to Fiji is accredited to Tuvalu
light blue with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant; the outer half of the flag represents a map of the country with nine yellow, five-pointed stars on a blue field symbolizing the nine atolls in the ocean
name: “Tuvalu mo te Atua” (Tuvalu for the Almighty)
lyrics/music: Afaese MANOA
note: adopted 1978; the anthem’s name is also the nation’s motto
Military
no regular military forces; Tuvalu Police Force (2009)
males age 16-49: 1,981
females age 16-49: 2,005 (2010 est.)
male: 120
female: 110 (2010 est.)
NA
Transnational Issues
none
The Shock Doctrine: The Rise of Disaster Capitalism - 
