Tuvalu (Tuvalu Tuvalu; until 1975 - Ellis Islands) is a Pacific state
in Polynesia. Tuvalu is located on 5 atolls and 4 islands of the Tuvalu
archipelago. The islands are scattered over 350 km, the distances
between neighboring islands range from 50 to 100 km. The total land area
is 26 km². The population of the country is 11,206 people. (2011,
estimate). The capital is Funafuti.
The Tuvalu Islands were
discovered by the Spanish navigator Alvaro Mendaña de Neira in 1568. In
1892, the archipelago became the British protectorate of Ellis Island,
and in 1916 - part of the British colony of the Gilbert and Ellice
Islands. In a 1974 referendum, the Polynesian population of the Ellis
Islands voted to secede from the Melanesian Gilbert Islands (later
Kiribati), and the following year the archipelago became a separate
British colony of Tuvalu. The islands gained independence in 1978.
Tuvalu is a member of the UN, the South Pacific Commission and the
Pacific Islands Forum.
The archipelago received its modern name only in 1975, and translated from the Tuvalu language it means “eight standing together” (meaning the eight traditionally inhabited islands of Tuvalu; the ninth, Niulakita, was settled relatively recently). The European discoverer of the islands, Álvaro Mendaña de Neira, named the archipelago the "Lagoon Islands", and in 1819 it received the name "Ellis Islands", which was used for almost the entire colonial era.
The Polynesian state of Tuvalu is a cluster
of atolls and islands located in the Pacific Ocean just south of the
equator. The country's capital, Funafuti atoll city, is located 1,050 km
north of Suva, the capital of Fiji, and 4,000 km northeast of Sydney,
Australia's largest city. The nearest archipelagos are the Gilbert
Islands, which belong to the Republic of Kiribati and are located
northwest of Tuvalu, and the Wallis and Futuna Islands, which lie to the
southeast and belong to France.
The land area of Tuvalu is only
26 km², while the area of the territory occupied by lagoons is more
than 494 km². The country is located on 5 atolls (Nanumea, Nui,
Nukulaelae, Nukufetau, Funafuti), 3 low-lying coral islands (Nanumanga,
Niulakita, Niutao) and one atoll / reef island (Vaitupu), stretching
from northwest to southeast for 595 km . The largest island of the
archipelago (in terms of land area, not the water surface of the lagoon)
is Vaitupu Atoll (5.09 km²), and the smallest is Niulakita (0.4 km²).
All the islands are low-lying, and the atolls mostly consist of a few
islets, or motu, which are subject to the negative effects of coastal
abrasion (mainly the western sides of the islets facing the ocean). The
highest point of the country reaches only 5 m.
The northernmost
island of Tuvalu is Nanumea Atoll, and the southernmost is Niulakita.
The shortest distance between the two islands of the archipelago is 67
km (Nukufetau/Vaitupu), and the longest is 172 km (Nui/Vaitupu).
Five of the nine islands of Tuvalu are atolls (the rest of the
islands are raised atolls). According to the theory of Charles Darwin,
the formation of atolls occurred as a result of the subsidence of
volcanic islands, near the surface of which corals gradually grew. A
fringing reef was formed, and subsequently a barrier reef, which was
gradually built up by corals. As a result, the land of the atoll arose.
Coral and algae growth was most active in the areas of the reef facing
the ocean, as a result, these outer edges of the reef kept pace with the
subsidence of the volcanic island. The inner regions of the island, on
the contrary, were submerged under water. Subsequently, shallow lagoons
formed in these places.
Sand gradually accumulated on the surface
of the reefs, which was formed under the influence of waves and
currents, especially during strong tides. In the tidal zone of the
beach, coastal rock was formed, an outer inclined layer of stones. As a
result, land plants had a support on which they could grow. On the
island, vegetation resistant to high salt content in the soil was
formed, which with its roots held together various sedimentary rocks and
prevented water and wind erosion. This is how the sand islands, or motu,
of the atoll were formed.
A raised atoll is a raised volcanic
island resulting from the uplift of a coral platform, or macatea, that
surrounds the volcanic plateau at the center of the island.
The climate of Tuvalu is hot, tropical, influenced by the
southeast trade winds. There are two distinct seasons: the rainy season
and the dry season. The wet season, during which up to 60% of
precipitation falls, lasts from November to April, and the dry season
from May to October. The average annual rainfall is about 3000 mm,
although sometimes this figure can reach 4000 mm. Thus, Tuvalu has a
wetter climate than the Gilbert Islands to the north and the Fiji
Islands to the south. The northern islands of the country have a drier
climate than the southern ones and are more prone to droughts that can
last up to three months. The air temperature remains high throughout the
year, ranging from 26 to 32 °C.
The islands of Tuvalu lie in the
trade wind zone of the southwestern Pacific Ocean on the border of the
equatorial zone of calm. The prevailing wind directions are from the
northeast or southeast. East/southeast winds prevail from May to
October.
Tuvalu is prone to the negative effects of tropical
cyclones, which often reach destructive force. For example, as a result
of Cyclone Bebe, almost all residential buildings on the islands were
destroyed; more than 90% of the trees were felled, and the remaining 10%
were badly damaged; two people died; two ships ran aground. Only thanks
to the financial support of foreign states in Tuvalu, it was possible to
restore the former infrastructure destroyed by the cyclone.
A significant threat to the future of the country is global warming,
including the associated rise in the level of the World Ocean, as a
result of which low-lying islands no higher than 5 m may be under water.
Between 1993 and 1999, ocean waters were advancing on land every year at
a rate of 22 mm, and in 1995 - 40 mm, which was significantly higher
than the global rate.
Other negative consequences of climate
change include coastal erosion, erosion of fringing reefs, salinity
intrusion, lack of drinking water, deterioration of groundwater, the
economic situation in the country (including a threat to agriculture),
and increased risks to public health. Poor living conditions on the
country's main island, Funafuti, caused by the growing population of the
atoll, ill-conceived land use, lack of drinking water and a number of
other factors, only aggravate the current situation. In the event of a
real threat to the population of Tuvalu, plans are being considered to
evacuate the population (perhaps to New Zealand, Australia or Fiji).
Nevertheless, not all scientists share the point of view that the
archipelago will soon be flooded, which is widespread among the public
and largely fueled by the media. According to one of the opinions, the
increase in the level of the World Ocean in the Tuvalu region may be a
temporary phenomenon, which is determined by climatic, oceanographic,
geological and a number of other parameters. In addition, the change in
the coastal strip of motu atolls is highly dynamic: the land, retreating
before the ocean in one part of the island, can grow in another, which
was noticed, for example, on the island of Vaitupu.
The soils of Tuvalu are of coral origin. The soil is mainly formed from the remnants of reef materials, corals, calcareous algae, foraminifera and molluscs, so the composition of local soils is mainly carbonate. They are characterized by high alkalinity, porosity (due to which they retain moisture very poorly) and low fertility. At the same time, fertility depends on several factors: first of all, the content and proportion of organic materials, as well as the proportion of coral material. The amount of minerals in the soils of Tuvalu is low, with the exception of calcium. The islands also have phosphate (formed from the droppings of seabirds) and humus soils (the latter in places of mangroves).
Due to the small area, low altitude and porosity of the soils, there are no rivers on the islands of Tuvalu. Instead, water percolates through the ground to form a lens of slightly brackish water. Therefore, local residents are forced to collect rainwater from the roofs and store it in concrete tanks. In the past, the islanders got water for household needs from dug wells, but due to the penetration of salty sea water and sewage into underground lenses, groundwater was polluted.
The flora of the atolls is rather monotonous. This is due to the fact
that a significant part of the land of the islands is planted with
coconut palms and other food plants. Sun-loving scaevoli, tourneforts,
and pandanuses grow on the banks. In the inner parts of the islands
there are ferns (among which large Asplenium nidus stand out),
canavalesia, mangroves, other shrubs, groves of coconut palms,
breadfruit trees, and banana plantations. Often there are broad-leaved
tree species - ochrosia, guettarda, calophyllum and others. A total of
86 species of vascular plants have been recorded in Tuvalu, of which 44
are native. None of them are endemic.
The fauna of the country is
extremely poor and is represented mainly by introduced species. Mammals
include pigs, rats, dogs and cats. The population of seabirds on the
islands is insignificant, as they are traditionally caught by local
residents. Frigatebirds, cormorants, and petrels nest on motus not
disturbed by humans. Small lizards, snakes, land crabs, hermit crabs are
widespread.
Tuvalu's marine environment consists of six main
types of ecosystems: oceanic, outer reefs, lagoon reefs, lagoon bottoms,
isolated reefs, and natural channels connecting ocean and lagoon waters.
In total, about 350 species of fish and 30 species of corals live in
coastal waters.
The early history of the archipelago is very poorly understood. The
islands of Tuvalu were supposedly settled in 300-500 AD by people from
the islands of Tonga and Samoa. Nevertheless, a cave with traces of a
fire found on the island of Nanumanga may indicate that the archipelago
was colonized earlier.
The European discoverer of Tuvalu was the
Spanish navigator Alvaro Mendaña de Neira, who sailed past the islands
in 1568. The traveler called the archipelago "Lagoon Islands". Until the
18th century, Tuvalu went unnoticed by other sailors. Only in 1788, part
of the islands was discovered by English captains Thomas Gilbert and
John Marshall. In 1819, the islands of Tuvalu were explored from the
Canadian ship Rebecca, whose captain named the archipelago the Ellis
Islands in honor of the owner of the ship.
In the first half of
the 19th century, whaling ships began to sail past the islands, but due
to the lack of convenient places for mooring, foreign settlements were
not founded. In the second half of the century, Peruvian slave traders
began to appear frequently in the archipelago, who, between 1862 and
1864, took over 400 people from the atolls of Funafuti and Nukulaelae.
In 1865, the first Christian missionaries from the London Missionary
Society landed on the islands of Tuvalu.
In 1892, the archipelago
became part of the British protectorate of Ellis Island, and in 1916 -
part of the British colony of the Gilbert and Ellice Islands. During the
Second World War, the Allied military base was located on the Tuvalu
Islands.
In 1974, a referendum was held in the archipelago, as a
result of which the Ellis Islands, where the majority of the population
was Polynesian, separated from the Gilbert Islands, which were
predominantly Micronesian. The following year, the Ellis Islands became
a separate British colony of Tuvalu, which gained independence in 1978.
Administratively, Tuvalu is divided into 7 islands (Nanumea, Niutao, Nanumanga, Nui, Vaitupu, Nukulaelae and Nukufetau) and 1 city council (Funafuti).
According to the last census in 2002, the
population of Tuvalu was 9561 people (including tourists, temporary
workers; the resident population is 9359 people). By 2008, this figure
had increased to 12,177 (estimate). Despite the fact that the population
growth rate increased from 0.6% in 1991-2002 to 1.577% in 2008, Tuvalu's
population growth remains quite low compared to other countries in
Oceania. One of the main reasons for this is the emigration of the
population. In 2001, 1960 representatives of the Tuvalu people lived in
New Zealand (mainly in the cities of Auckland and Wellington) (slightly
less than 1% of the population of the peoples of Oceania living in New
Zealand). There are also diasporas of immigrants from Tuvalu in Fiji (on
the island of Kioa, which was rented by the inhabitants of the island of
Vaitupu after the Second World War), Samoa, Kiribati (mostly descendants
of the Tuvaluan workers of Banaba Island), Nauru (employees of the
Nauruan phosphate company).
A significant part of the population
of Tuvalu lives in the capital and the only city of the country,
Funafuti - 47%. Internal population migration, characterized by the
movement of people from outlying islands to Funafuti Atoll, is one of
the main trends noted in Tuvalu. For example, in 1992, 42% of the
country's population lived on the atoll, and in 1979 - only 29%. This
creates an increased load on the resources and lands of the island,
leads to coastal erosion, and negatively affects the local ecosystem.
The only outlying islands that saw population growth in 2002 were
Vaitupu (an increase of 389 people compared to 1992) and Nukulaelae (an
increase of 40 people). On all other atolls, depopulation was observed:
the most significant was on the island of Nukufetau (the population
decreased by 165 people). The highest population density in 2002 was
recorded in Funafuti Atoll - 1610 people per km², while in the country
this figure was 373 people per km² (the lowest density is in Niulakita
Atoll, 83 people per km²).
In 2002, men accounted for 49.3% (4614
people), women - 50.7% (4745 people). The share of the urban population
is 47%, rural - 53%.
The level of natural increase in 2008 was
1.577%. The proportion of children under 15 years old in 2002 was 36.4%,
of the adult population from 15 to 59 years old - 55%, over 60 years old
- 8.6%, thus, the average age of the population was 23.6 years (in 1991
- 25.1 years). The average life expectancy for men, according to a 2008
estimate, is 66.7 years, and for women, 71.36 years.
The population of Tuvalu is homogeneous: according to the 2002 census, more than 94% of the inhabitants were representatives of the indigenous Polynesian people of Tuvalu, 4.6% were representatives of mixed marriages of Tuvalu and other peoples, and only 168 people (or 1.8%) were foreigners (primarily immigrants from other Pacific islands, most of them are representatives of the Micronesian people of Kiribati).
In addition to English, the official language of the country is
Tuvalu, which belongs to the Polynesian languages. It contains a large
number of borrowings from the Samoan language, which was used by
Christian missionaries in the past. However, speakers of these two
languages do not understand each other. The closest language is
Tokelau. The total number of speakers of Tuvalu in 1998 was about 10,670
people.
To record 11 consonants and five vowels, an alphabet
based on Latin is used. In total, seven dialects of Tuvalu are
distinguished, which are divided into two dialect zones: northern
(spread on the islands of Nanumea, Nanumanga, Niutao and Niulakita) and
southern (the official version of the language; common on the islands of
Funafuti, Vaitupu, Nukufetau and Nukulaelae).
The country also
has speakers of other Pacific languages: Samoan and Kiribati. Of
particular interest is Nui Atoll, which for several centuries was
strongly influenced by the Micronesian culture of the neighboring
Gilbert Islands, whose warriors captured the island in the 17th-18th
centuries. The inhabitants of Nui speak one of the dialects of the
Tuvalu language, which is a mixture of the Kiribati, Tuvaluan and Samoan
languages.
The dominant religion on the islands of Tuvalu is Christianity,
introduced to the archipelago by the priest Elekana from the island of
Manihiki in 1861. After staying on the islands of Tuvalu for four
months, the priest went to Samoa to learn missionary work. Subsequently,
Elekana returned to the archipelago, and the islands themselves entered
the sphere of influence of the London Missionary Society. In 1969, the
Church of Tuvalu (eng. Te Ekalesia Kelisiano Tuvalu) separated from this
missionary society.
In 2002, the proportion of Protestants
(Congregationalists of the Church of Tuvalu) was 91% (8521 people),
Seventh-day Adventists - 2% (183 people). They were followed by
representatives of the Bahai Faith (177 people), the Brethren Assembly,
a new Protestant movement, 166 people. Other religious movements are
also represented on the islands, but the number of their supporters is
small.
All the islands of Tuvalu have traditional chiefs who are
also members of the Church of Tuvalu. Most of the followers of other
religions are represented in Funafuti Atoll (with the exception of the
island of Nanumea, where a large proportion of Baha'i followers are
registered).
The country's constitution guarantees freedom of
religion.
Tuvalu is a sovereign democratic state. The
constitution, adopted on October 1, 1978, establishes a monarchical form
of government with a Westminster system of parliamentarism.
A
number of prime ministers of the country (Saufatu Sopoanga, Maatia
Toafa) were supporters of changing the state system of Tuvalu from
monarchical to republican, headed by the president (currently the
country is part of the Commonwealth of Nations and the British monarch
is the official head of state). However, in a referendum held on April
30, 2008, 1260 people voted for the preservation of the monarchy, and
only 679 for the transition to a republic.
The
legislature of the country is a unicameral parliament, or Fale I Fono
(Tuvalu Fale I Fono) (also called the House of Assembly), consisting of
at least 12 deputies, and elected for a four-year term. Deputies are
elected on the basis of universal suffrage by a majoritarian system of
relative majority in multi-member and single-member constituencies. All
citizens of Tuvalu who have reached the age of 21 have the right to be
elected to parliament (with a number of exceptions in which candidates
are denied registration). Immediately after the parliamentary elections,
members of parliament elect a speaker from among themselves The head of
state has the right to dissolve parliament if the seat of prime minister
remains vacant or if within a certain period of time (it is determined
by the sound mind of the head of state) the prime minister has not been
elected .
The Parliament of Tuvalu has the right to issue laws
that do not contradict the Constitution of the country. Each member of
parliament has the right to submit a bill for consideration, a proposal
for debate in parliament, to submit a petition to parliament. As one of
the forms of responsibility and consultation, all bills, after the first
reading in parliament, are sent to local governments (or falekaupule)
for consideration and commentary. Exceptions to this rule are those
bills for which the governor-general of Tuvalu has vouched, and also
those that are not of public importance. In these cases, the
Governor-General is obliged to act on the advice of the Cabinet of
Ministers.
According to the Constitution of
Tuvalu, His Majesty King Charles III is the monarch and head of state.
The post of head of state is a symbol of the unity and identity of
Tuvalu. The head of state is obliged to act only on the recommendation
of the Cabinet of Ministers, the Prime Minister or another minister who
is endowed with general or special powers of the Cabinet.
The
head of state is represented in Tuvalu by a governor-general appointed
by him on the advice of the prime minister (with the prime minister
having to consult other members of parliament in advance) for a term of
four years. Only a person who has reached the age of 50 can become a
governor-general. However, he must not be over 65 years of age. The
Governor-General acts as the head of state if he is outside Tuvalu or in
old age, is incompetent.
In addition to the head of state and the
governor general, who, according to the Constitution of Tuvalu, are
vested with executive power, there is a Cabinet of Ministers, which is
collectively responsible to Parliament for the execution of the
executive functions of the government of the country. The cabinet
consists of the prime minister and other ministers, who must be no more
than 1/3 of the total number of parliamentarians and who are also
members of parliament. One of the ministers, other than the Prime
Minister of Tuvalu, is the Deputy Prime Minister, who is appointed by
the Head of State on the advice of the Prime Minister. The Prime
Minister is elected by secret ballot by members of Parliament from among
its members. The responsibility of the prime minister and other
ministers is determined by the head of state, who must be guided by the
recommendations of the prime minister. Overall, the Prime Minister is
responsible for the Cabinet and Parliament, constitutional and political
affairs, the civil service, government coordination, judicial and legal
affairs, broadcasting and information, police, prisons, fire fighting,
immigration, religious affairs, national elections, and foreign policy.
.
Tuvalu's judicial system includes the Sovereign in
Council, the Court of Appeal for Tuvalu, the High Court of Tuvalu and
other types of courts (among them: magistrates courts and island
courts).
The High Court of Tuvalu is the highest written court,
the court of first instance in criminal and civil cases, established by
the Constitution. It consists of a presiding judge and other judges, the
number of which is stipulated by current legislation. The presiding
judge is appointed by the head of state on the recommendation of the
Cabinet of Ministers, the remaining judges are appointed on the
recommendation of the Cabinet after consultation with the presiding
judge. Judges may only be judges who are or have been judges in
unrestricted civil and criminal courts in any country whose laws are
similar to those of Tuvalu, or in courts that hear appeals from such
courts. Also a prerequisite is the presence of five years of practice as
a barrister or solicitor. The jurisdiction of the High Court of Tuvalu
includes: consideration of issues related to the provision of the Bill
of Rights contained in the Constitution of the country; questions on
membership in parliament; other issues related to the interpretation and
application of the Constitution; hearing appeals against decisions of
lower courts.
The Tuvalu Court of Appeal hears appeals against
decisions of the High Court, whether it is an exercise of general or
appellate jurisdiction. The Privy Council considers appeals against
decisions of the Court of Appeal.
Voting rights
are granted to citizens of Tuvalu who have reached the age of 18.
Persons sentenced by a court of any of the countries of the Commonwealth
of Nations to death or imprisonment for a term of more than 12 months
and subsequently not pardoned are not eligible to participate in
elections; recognized as mentally ill; removed from the voter lists for
election-related insults. In the event of a prison sentence, a Tuvaluan
may only take part in elections three years after his release.
The country is divided into 8 constituencies. The districts of Vaitupu,
Nanumea, Niutao, Funafuti are represented in the parliament by two
deputies; Nanumanga, Nui, Nukufetau, Nukulaelae districts - one deputy.
Local government was first introduced on the
islands during the colonial period in the mid-1960s with the
establishment of island councils, island courts and island land courts.
When this system was introduced, the administration did not attach much
importance to the traditional forms of government at the island level,
so a number of functions that were performed by traditional leaders
ended up under the jurisdiction of the newly formed island councils,
which, however, did not enjoy authority among the local residents.
A return to traditional forms of local government took place in
1997, when the Falekaupule, or traditional congregations that exist on
every island of Tuvalu, were officially recognized with the passing of
the Falekaupule Law. After transferring to them a number of functions
previously performed by local government councils, the Falekaupule
received greater control over the activities and affairs of the islands,
which, in turn, became more independent in resolving internal issues. In
total, there are eight falekaupules (on the islands of Vaitupu,
Nanumanga, Nanumea, Niutao, Nui, Nukufetau, Nukulaelae, Funafuti), each
of which includes six people. The executive branch of the falekaupule is
the kaupule (tuvalu Kaupule), who perform a number of functions
mentioned in the Law, except for the election of the pule (head) of the
kaupule, the approval of the island budget, regulations and the
appointment of employees working in the kaupule.
There are no political parties in Tuvalu, although there is an unofficial opposition group that consists of people who do not support the government.
There are no permanent armed forces in Tuvalu, so the country's
budget does not provide for the cost of maintaining the army.
However, in Tuvalu there is a police force (English Tuvalu Police
Force), which includes units for monitoring the maritime space (the task
includes search and rescue missions, intelligence operations), customs,
prison and immigration units. Their main task is to maintain law and
order, preserve peace, protect life and property, prevent and
investigate crimes. In 2007, 81 people served in the country's police.
The Tuvalu Police Force is headed by a Chief appointed by the Governor
General on the advice of the Public Service Commission, which must
consult the Cabinet in advance.
In 2003, 2345 crimes were
committed in the country (in 2002 - 2370). Of these: against the person
of a person - 1666, theft - 591.
Tuvalu maintains diplomatic relations with more than 28 countries,
including Taiwan.
September 18, 2011 Tuvalu recognized the
independence of Abkhazia, September 19 - South Ossetia. On October 22,
2011, diplomatic relations were established between Tuvalu and the
Russian Federation.
Georgia severed diplomatic relations with the
state of Tuvalu on February 16, 2012 due to the recognition of the last
independence of Abkhazia and South Ossetia. Previously, diplomatic
relations between Georgia and Tuvalu were established in February 2011.
On March 31, 2014, in Tbilisi, representatives of Tuvalu signed an act
on the restoration of diplomatic relations and withdrew the act of
recognizing the independence of Abkhazia and South Ossetia.
The
only country that has its embassy in the capital of this Pacific state,
the city of Funafuti, is Taiwan. The only diplomatic representation of
Tuvalu is located in Fiji. The country also has a permanent
representative to the UN and honorary consuls in New Zealand, Australia,
Germany, Japan, the UK, Switzerland and Taiwan.
The main region
of Tuvalu's foreign policy activity is the Pacific Ocean, but in recent
years the country has begun to take an active part not only in regional,
but also in international forums, the main theme of which is the problem
of global climate change. Tuvalu is a member of the UN (became the 189th
member state on September 5, 2000), the Commonwealth of Nations, the
Secretariat of the Pacific Community, the Pacific Islands Forum,
African, Caribbean and Pacific countries and other international
organizations.
The characteristics that determine the
economic situation in Tuvalu are no different from those of other
countries in Oceania: a huge exclusive economic zone, limited natural
resources, remoteness from the main world markets, and a shortage of
highly qualified specialists. At the same time, the main factors that
can damage the economic stability on the islands are the instability of
international investment, the decline in income from ship licensing,
natural disasters and fluctuations in world markets.
The economy
on the islands is subsistence market: market-oriented economic activity
is mainly concentrated in the city of Funafuti, while subsistence
economy prevails on the outlying islands. Tuvalu belongs to the
countries of the Fourth World, that is, to the poorest in the world.
The country's economy is largely based on the public sector, which
accounts for about 60% of the country's GDP. The main sectors of the
economy as of 1998 were: public services (25%), construction (16%),
trade and services of state enterprises not related to housing and
communal services (15%), agriculture and fishing (13%), basic economic
activity (31%).
Significant cash receipts are made annually
through the Tuvalu Trust Fund, which is an international fund founded in
1987 by Australia, the UK and New Zealand with the support of South
Korea and Japan. Thanks to the investments, the capital of the fund
increased in 2006 from the initial USD$17 million to USD$77 million.
Despite the existence of a large number of factors hindering the
economic development of the country, certain successes have been
achieved in the economic sphere in recent years, which can be explained
by several reasons: an increase in remittances from Tuvaluan citizens
working on foreign ships, good income from issuing licenses to foreign
ships for the right fishing in the EEZ, significant cash receipts from
the sale of the national top-level domain (.tv), the growth of financial
support from foreign countries.
According to the CIA in 2002, the
country's GDP was about $14.94 million, and per capita GDP was $1,600.
At the same time, its growth over the past decades has been very uneven.
For example, in 1998 it reached 19%, in 2000 - 14%, and in 1996 and 1999
it had negative figures: -1% and -6%.
One of the
important sectors of Tuvalu's economy is agriculture. However, the
development of this industry is negatively affected by low fertility,
porosity, and salinity (especially after high tides and cyclones) of
local soils, many of which are unsuitable for cultivation. Most of these
lands are concentrated on the northern islands of the archipelago, where
the climate is also drier than on the southern islands.
The main
agricultural crop is the coconut palm, which has the widest application.
Coconuts are used by the locals for food and also as pet food (mainly
pigs). Coconut milk is used to make the alcoholic drink Toddy. Other
parts of the plant, primarily the leaves, are used to weave mats,
baskets and other handicrafts. The wood of the coconut palm serves as
the most important building material and also as firewood. From the oily
endosperm of the nuts of this plant, copra is produced - the main export
product of the country. However, in recent years, its production has
declined significantly (mainly due to low world prices). Other
widespread agricultural crops are pandanus, breadfruit, bananas, papaya.
The villagers also dig small holes in which they grow the giant marsh
taro (Cyrtosperma chamissonis).
For their own needs, the
islanders breed pigs, chickens and ducks.
Fish is one
of the national treasures of Tuvalu, which plays a very important role
in the economy and life of the country and forms the basis of the diet
of local residents. The country has a vast Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ)
covering an area of 518,670 km². EEZ fishing rights agreements with
other countries in the world provide a significant cash inflow to Tuvalu
(for example, in 2000 license revenues amounted to AUD$ 9.7 million or
44% of all government revenues). In the ocean, they are mainly engaged
in fishing for fish of the mackerel family, especially tuna species of
lat. Katosowonus pelamis. The main partners of Tuvalu in the field of
fisheries are the USA, Japan and China.
Approximately 15% of the
adult population of Tuvalu work abroad as seafarers on merchant ships,
and their remittances are an important source of income for the country:
in 2006 they amounted to about $4 million.
In 2002, Tuvalu's highways were only 8 km long. There is no rail
transport in the country.
Flights to Tuvalu are carried out by
Air Fiji (flights from Suva, the capital of Fiji) and Air Pacific
(flights from Nadi (Fiji)). In total, in 2007, 1 airport operated in the
country - Funafuti International Airport.
Funafuti has public
transport, but the most popular mode of transport is taxis. Funafuti is
the country's only port. Despite the small area of Tuvalu, the fleet
of this state is 74 ships.
The Tuvaluan press is represented by only two publications: the
government newsletter "Sikuleo o Tuvalu" is published in Tuvalu; The
Tuvalu English-language newspaper Tuvalu Echoes is owned by the
government-owned Tuvalu Media Corporation, which also owns the online
news portal Tuvalu News.
There is only one FM station on the
islands: "Radio Tuvalu". There are no national television channels in
the country; local residents, however, use satellite TV.
Various
types of telecommunication services are available in Tuvalu: telex,
telephony, Internet. In 2005, there were 900 home phones and 1300 mobile
phones in use in the country. In 2002, 1,300 people used the Internet in
Tuvalu.
In the early 1990s, in connection with the development of
the Internet, the national domain of Tuvalu .tv (translated from English
as “television”) aroused particular interest among telecommunications
companies. In 1998, the government of Tuvalu sold it to the Canadian
company Information.ca, hoping for high profits and a payment of USD$50
million. to the Idealab! Internet Incubator" (headquartered in
California). Under the new contract, Tuvalu received a 20% stake in the
new company and a minimum income of USD$50 million (the amount was to be
paid over 12.5 years at USD$1.0 million per quarter). In 2000, the
country received an additional one-time payment of USD$12.5 million. But
the domain registration potential was too high, and in late 2001 The .tv
Corporation International sold the domain for USD$45 million to another
American company, Verisign Corporation. , which is engaged in the
registration of sites in the .com, .net and .org domains. Tuvalu
received an additional USD$10 million for the signing of the contract.
Under the new agreement, the Tuvalu government is also guaranteed annual
payments of USD$2.2 million and 5% of the annual domain registration
revenue, and Verisign Corporation received the rights to the domain
until 2016.
From the early 1990s to 2000, Tuvalu also rented out
its telephone code to 688 different telephone sex companies. At the same
time, the cash income from the telephone code for the tiny country was
quite tangible: in 1999 they amounted to AUD$ 3 million (or USD$ 1.6
million). But for religious and moral reasons, the government of Tuvalu
was forced to abandon this source of income.
An additional source
of replenishment of the state budget is the issue and sale of postage
stamps and coins. The Tuvalu Philatelic Bureau was established in 1978,
becoming the third largest employer in Tuvalu by the early 1980s. The
peak of the issue and sale of postage stamps in the country dates back
to 1980-1981, when revenues in this area amounted to 20% of the state
budget. But after the government's attempt to boost stamp production
with themes such as "World Leaders", "Cars", "Trains" and "Football
Players", the interest of philatelists around the world plummeted. Since
then, Tuvalu has not been able to recover its position, and now stamp
revenues are much lower than they used to be.
The tourism sector of Tuvalu's economy is rather poorly developed,
and the number of tourists arriving in the country remains quite low
compared to other countries in Oceania. The reason for this may be
several factors, the main of which are poor air communication with other
countries of the world and the high cost of flights, the low quality of
the services provided (including the underdevelopment of the hotel
sector). Nevertheless, there are prerequisites for the development of
ecotourism in Tuvalu.
In 2007, 1130 people visited the islands
(for example, in 1998 - 1006 people, in 2003 - 1377 people). The main
flow of tourists is directed to the Funafuti Atoll, where the country's
only hotel and other tourist accommodations are located. In 2002, 13.46%
of Tuvalu's GDP came from tourism. The archipelago is predominantly
visited by citizens of Japan, Fiji, Australia and New Zealand.
Foreign economic relations
In 2017, Tuvalu's main exports are whole
frozen fish ($2.01 million), which account for almost half of its total
revenue, and chemical products (paints ($333 thousand), polyacetals
($175 thousand), laboratory reagents (170 thousand dollars), etc.).
Tuvalu's main imports are oil products ($8.41 million) - 24%, metals
and metal products ($8.94 million - 25%), fishing boats ($4 million) -
11%, and so on. and. building materials and various food products and
semi-finished products.
Top export partners: Japan ($2.01
Million), France ($892 Thousand), Bosnia and Herzegovina ($201
Thousand), USA ($152 Thousand) and Australia ($126 Thousand); imports
are China ($10.8 million), Fiji ($9.8 million), South Korea ($4.78
million), Chile ($2.7 million) and South Africa ($1.97 million).
Tuvalu's total trade turnover in 2017 is estimated at $4.02 million in
exports and $35.6 million in imports.
The monetary units of Tuvalu are the Tuvalu dollar and the Australian
dollar. In the period from 1966 to 1976, only the Australian dollar was
in circulation in the country, but since 1976 the Tuvaluan dollar was
introduced, which exists only in the form of coins. By itself, it is not
an independent currency, but, nevertheless, it has its own ISO 4217
code. In monetary terms, the Tuvaluan dollar is equated to the
Australian dollar.
The 2006 budget had expenditures of $23.05
million and revenues of $21.54 million. At the same time, Tuvalu's
government spending remains very high: their ratio to the country's GDP
fluctuated between 150-220% in the period from 1999 to 2003. It follows
that government spending is the main driver of economic activity in
Tuvalu. This is due to the fact that the private sector is only in its
infancy, and it is unlikely that it will be able to become the leading
sector of the economy due to numerous factors hindering its development.
An important source of replenishment of the country's budget are
also postage stamps, which are of interest to philatelists from all over
the world.
There is no central bank in the country, and the
domestic banking system of Tuvalu is represented by only one bank - the
National Bank of Tuvalu, which is owned by the government.
Even before the arrival of Europeans in
Tuvalu, the local population was divided into separate groups, whose
members had certain rights and obligations. Historically, each island of
the archipelago was politically independent, although there were close
ties between the atolls of Funafuti, Nukufetau, Nukulaelae and Vaitupu,
based on the veneration of a common ancestor and ritual hierarchy.
The recognized leaders of traditional society, both politically and
religiously, were aliki (Tuvaluan aliki), or chiefs whose power was
inherited. Possessing great authority, they led the life of the
islanders. According to the ideas of the Tuvalu people, there was a
close relationship between the supernatural world and the Aliki: in
fact, the leader was the shadow of a more powerful and powerful being,
to whom the entire universe was subordinate. Any decision of the aliki
was final and unchangeable, so every islander was obliged to obey him,
otherwise punishment up to death could follow. Aliki's associates and
assistants were called tao-aliki (Tuvalu tao aliki). They advised the
supreme leader on matters of housekeeping, reported on possible threats,
acted as intermediaries between the inhabitants and the aliki, and
organized the distribution of land and food among the community members.
The oldest heads of the communities enjoyed special respect. They could
make comments to Aliki (mainly in matters of food supply and preparation
for war), and often consulted him. Women did housework, wove mats,
baskets, and made ornaments. Each Tuvalian family, or sologa (Tuvalu
sologa), was engaged in a certain business in the community: someone
built houses, someone built canoes, and so on.
A significant place in the life of the people of Tuvalu is occupied by
music and dances, which are closely interconnected with each other.
Tuvalu's musical style has evolved over several centuries and can be
described as "a musical microcosm of Polynesia where modern and older
styles coexist". However, many of the music and dance traditions did not
survive. The appearance of Christian missionaries in Tuvalu played a
negative role in this regard, who distributed songs with religious
content and European melody among the islanders and banned the
performance of many traditional dances for ethical reasons. For example,
before the arrival of missionaries on the islands, traditional music was
accompanied by singing, which was like monotonous reading, but later
this tradition disappeared, as did special songs that were performed by
women while men were working. The theme of the songs was very diverse:
they mainly reflected the daily life of the islanders, their feelings
and emotions. There were also songs on mythological themes.
In
addition to the entertaining function, two traditional Tuvalian dances
fakanau (Tuvalu fakanau) and fakaseasea (Tuvalu fakaseasea) had another
important meaning: they were performed in honor of the ruling chiefs or
distinguished islanders who succeeded in the construction of canoes,
fishing, distinguished themselves by courage. Of these two dances,
however, only the fakaseasea survives.
Fakanau was a seated
dance, accompanied by the movement of the arms and upper body. It was
widespread on the islands of Niutao and Nukufetau and was performed
mainly by men who sat in a circle. In the center was usually the
grandfather, who was considered the most experienced in the performance
of the dance and was engaged in keeping the beat. On Niutao, the dance
was sometimes performed while kneeling or standing. Despite the
popularity of fakanua, the missionaries who arrived on the islands
considered this dance too erotic and banned it. The ban was also due to
the fact that fakanau also had a religious significance.
The
traditional female dance on the island of Niutao was the oga, or onga
(Tuvalu oga, onga), which was performed either sitting or kneeling.
Fakaseasea, unlike fakanau, is accompanied by a slower melody, and is
performed by one or two dancers. The rest of those present sing or beat
the beat.
The most famous type of dance, as well as Tuvaluan
music, is fatele (tuvaluan fatele), which shows a strong influence of
European melody and harmony, and lyricism is the most important feature.
The dancers in the performance of fatel sit in two or more rows, so that
the best of them are in front in the center. In a semicircle, facing the
dancers, men and youth sit, who make up the choir and beat the beat,
hitting the mats with their palms (sometimes even small wooden chests).
The only instrument used to accompany dances was a small slotted
gong called either nafa (Tuvalu nafa) or pate (Tuvalu pātē, smaller than
nafa). Very often, the melody was obtained due to light blows with fans
on the palms. During the performance of fakaseasea and fatele, the women
and men of the choir strongly beat the mats on which they sat in order
to beat the beat of the song in this way, and when performing the og,
they clapped their hands.
Tuvalu has its own national football team. However, the national
federation is not part of FIFA, while remaining an associate member of
the Oceania Football Confederation. The first international match with
the participation of the Tuvalu national football team took place on
August 29, 1979, in which Tuvalu lost to the national team of Tahiti
with a score of 0:18 (this was the largest defeat of the team). Tuvalu's
biggest victory was over Tonga on August 31, 1979 at the South Pacific
Games in Fiji with a score of 5:3. In 2007, the Tuvalu national team
became the first non-FIFA world team to compete in a World Cup
qualifier.
The country's National Olympic Committee was formed in
2004 and officially recognized by the IOC in 2007. In total, there are
11 active national sports federations in the country, of which six are
members of international federations: badminton, basketball, volleyball,
weightlifting, tennis and table tennis. In 2008, the Tuvalu team for the
first time participated in the Summer Olympic Games held in Beijing
(although it did not win a single medal), and was represented in
athletics and weightlifting. The country has never participated in the
Winter Olympics.
After gaining independence in 1978, the government of Tuvalu expected
to build high-quality medical facilities on all the outlying islands,
but due to lack of funds, in the end, it was decided to focus all
available resources on modernizing the country's only major medical
facility, the Princess Margaret Hospital), located on the Funafuti
Atoll. The new modern building of the hospital was opened in 2003
(construction was carried out with the support of Japan). Outside the
capital of Tuvalu, there are no permanent and private practitioners, and
all medical services in the country are provided by the Ministry of
Health. Medical visits to remote islands are rare, which negatively
affects people's health.
The main cause of morbidity in Tuvalu
are various infectious diseases: an alarming number of skin, acute
respiratory and eye infections are recorded annually (respiratory tract
diseases, primarily influenza, colds, are the most common).
After
the state of Tuvalu became a participant in world economic processes,
diseases of the wrong lifestyle became common there, associated with an
increase in the diet of local residents of rice, sugar, canned food and
other non-traditional products. These include diabetes, hypertension and
obesity. Children often suffer from diarrhea, gastroenteritis. Of
particular concern in recent years are sexually transmitted diseases.
They are most widespread among local seafarers who work on foreign ships
(they are also at risk of HIV / AIDS). In about 20% of the population of
Tuvalu, nematodes were found in the body, which are the causative agents
of filariasis (a disease accompanied by inflammation and blockage of the
lymphatic vessels, which leads to swelling and swelling of the
surrounding tissues).
According to the 2002 census, 49% of men
and 3% of women in Funafuti Atoll regularly consumed various alcoholic
beverages (on the outlying islands, this figure is slightly lower - 45%
of men and 1% of women). Smoking is widespread: two-thirds of the entire
male population and one-fourth of the female population of Funafuti are
smokers (on the outlying islands - 60% and 25%, respectively).
Education in Tuvalu is compulsory and free for children between the
ages of 6 and 15. The educational system of the country includes several
levels: two years of pre-school education, eight years of primary
education and four years of secondary education.
There are a
total of 17 registered pre-school educational institutions in Tuvalu,
which are managed by various parent associations, which employ educators
at their own expense. Historically, the government has never been
involved in organizing the activities of these institutions, but in
recent years it has begun to pay more attention to them, for example,
annual grants are paid to three qualified teachers from each registered
preschool, and other material support is provided to improve
infrastructure and technical equipment.
Primary schools cater for
children between the ages of 6 and 13. After passing the state exam,
students continue their education in secondary school, while students
are given the right to retake the exam in case of an unsatisfactory
grade. In 2006, there were 2,067 students in primary schools (of which
1,102 were boys and 965 were girls), and the number of teachers was 103.
In total, there is one secondary school in the country: until 1998
there were two, one of which was under the control of the Church of
Tuvalu. But due to high costs, the church was forced to transfer the
school to the government, which, in turn, decided to close it.
After high school, further education can be obtained at the Tuvalu
Marine School (eng. Tuvalu Marine School; founded in 1978; maritime
studies are being conducted), as well as at the University of the South
Pacific, whose campus is located in Funafuti.
Many foreign
states, primarily Australia, New Zealand, Canada, Japan and France,
provide significant assistance to Tuvalu by financing various
educational projects in the country. Some teachers improve their
qualifications in foreign educational institutions.