Tuvalu

Land Characteristics

Name of Country: Tuvalu

Form of Government: Parliamentary monarchy (Commonwealth)

Capital: Funafuti

Area: 26 km²

Time Zone: GMT + 12 hours

Population: 10000

Population 2015: (estimated) 9000

Population density: 385 per km²

Life expectancy: 67 years

Infant mortality (per 1000): 30

Languages: Tuvaluan and English

Literacy: 60%

Religion: Church of Tuvalu members (Christians) 91%, Adventists 3%, Jehovah's Witnesses 2%, Catholic 1%, Others 3% - Baha'i

Population: Polynesians and Melanesians 96%, Others 4%

Currency: Australian Dollar (AU$)

Economy: Agriculture 70%, Services 28%, Industry 2%

GDP per capita: 3400 US-Dollars

Climate: Tropical, temperate by trade winds

Highest point: Culmination Point on Niulakita (5m high)

The fourth-smallest country in the world is made up of nine islands, including five atolls and four coral islands. Before its independence from the British Empire on the first of October in 1978, the area was named "Gilbert and Ellice Islands".
In the 14th Century they were settled by Polynesians from the islands of Tonga and Samoa. Up until 18 Century the population had little contact with Europeans. Officially the islands were discovered in 1826 and were then finally recorded on maps.
Frightening was the population decline from 20,000 to less than 3,000 in the 30 years from 1850 to 1880, as the islanders were "recruited" and kidnapped to work in the sugar cane plantations in Fiji and Australia. Due to this, the British government placed the country under their protection in 1892. The resentment by the Tuvaluans about this was quickly so large that their country was declared independent 86 years later.
Since the islands of Tuvalu are only a maximum of five meters above sea level, and thus officially the lowest country of the world, it is believed that the country will be totally immersed in the sea within the next 50 years. Many islanders have already emigrated to New Zealand or have applied for asylum.