Tuvalu is a country in Polynesia. Its capital is Funafuti.
Oceania and its surrounding regions. The dot marks Funafuti; the mapped territory is highlighted in gold.
Natural Earth · locator mapTuvalu consists of low coral islands and atolls spread across the Pacific. Land is narrow and only a short distance above sea level. Lagoons and reefs occupy a much larger area than the islands themselves.
Funafuti is an atoll with a large lagoon and settlement along part of its reef rim. Other islands have different reef and lagoon arrangements, including raised reef-island forms. None has a large mountainous interior or major river system.
The islands are warm throughout the year. Trade winds influence the drier period, while wetter-season weather can bring strong westerly winds and heavy rain.
Fresh water depends heavily on rainfall collection and limited local groundwater. Reefs influence waves and coastal habitats. Storms, erosion and saltwater intrusion are particularly important where land is low and narrow.
Light blue with the UK flag in the upper-left quadrant; the right half of the flag has nine five-pointed yellow stars
Palms and beach line the atoll’s low coastal edge.
Photo: Original: Stefan Lins Modifications: The original uploader was Cornischong at Luxembourgish Wikipedia . · CC BY-SA 2.0 · Wikimedia Commons
An aerial view shows the narrow strip of land beside the lagoon.
Photo: Rosodo · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons
Tuvaluan and English are official languages. Tuvaluan is the main language of everyday life on most islands.
Nui has a distinctive Gilbertese-speaking tradition, while Samoan is also known by some residents. Tuvaluan is a Polynesian language; Gilbertese belongs to a different branch of the Austronesian family.
The islands were formerly the Ellice Islands, part of a British colony with the Gilbert Islands. Following a referendum, the Ellice Islands separated in 1975 and took the name Tuvalu. Independence followed in 1978. The country’s very low-lying atolls and reef islands have made climate change and sea-level rise central issues in its international diplomacy.
Fishing licences, public services, external assistance, remittances and income linked to the .tv internet domain support the economy. Trust funds help manage public finances. Subsistence fishing and agriculture contribute to household needs. Remoteness, small scale and limited land and freshwater resources constrain production.
Fishing, small-scale farming, public services and limited visitor-related activity.
Dated World Bank observations. Population uses selected years; real GDP uses all available annual observations.
Population estimates may be revised. Selected years are shown.
Sources: World Bank · Population
| Year | People | Thousands of people |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 5,663 | 5.663 |
| 1980 | 7,366 | 7.366 |
| 1990 | 8,798 | 8.798 |
| 2000 | 9,544 | 9.544 |
| 2010 | 10,614 | 10.614 |
| 2020 | 10,399 | 10.399 |
| 2025 | 9,492 | 9.492 |
Constant prices adjust for inflation. This is total economic output, not current-dollar GDP or income per person. Missing years are left as gaps.
Sources: World Bank · Real GDP
| Year | Constant 2015 US$ | Billions of constant 2015 US dollars |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 21,515,742 | 0.022 |
| 1991 | 22,292,284 | 0.022 |
| 1992 | 22,913,969 | 0.023 |
| 1993 | 23,855,922 | 0.024 |
| 1994 | 26,309,116 | 0.026 |
| 1995 | 24,992,489 | 0.025 |
| 1996 | 23,502,594 | 0.024 |
| 1997 | 25,853,630 | 0.026 |
| 1998 | 29,861,244 | 0.030 |
| 1999 | 29,394,252 | 0.029 |
| 2000 | 29,122,361 | 0.029 |
| 2001 | 29,324,945 | 0.029 |
| 2002 | 31,764,001 | 0.032 |
| 2003 | 30,382,017 | 0.030 |
| 2004 | 29,808,362 | 0.030 |
| 2005 | 28,691,548 | 0.029 |
| 2006 | 29,064,836 | 0.029 |
| 2007 | 31,071,900 | 0.031 |
| 2008 | 33,116,183 | 0.033 |
| 2009 | 31,255,079 | 0.031 |
| 2010 | 30,483,621 | 0.030 |
| 2011 | 32,776,023 | 0.033 |
| 2012 | 31,841,001 | 0.032 |
| 2013 | 33,052,559 | 0.033 |
| 2014 | 33,603,619 | 0.034 |
| 2015 | 36,755,291 | 0.037 |
| 2016 | 38,510,909 | 0.039 |
| 2017 | 39,769,457 | 0.040 |
| 2018 | 40,320,933 | 0.040 |
| 2019 | 45,742,690 | 0.046 |
| 2020 | 44,356,548 | 0.044 |
| 2021 | 44,356,548 | 0.044 |
| 2022 | 39,505,050 | 0.040 |
| 2023 | 40,891,192 | 0.041 |
| 2024 | 42,277,334 | 0.042 |
| 2025 | 42,970,405 | 0.043 |
The Human Development Index combines health, education and income. Scores range from 0 to 1.
The latest values refer to 2023. All historical scores use the same report edition. HDI does not describe every aspect of inequality or quality of life.
Sources: UNDP · Human Development Report 2025
A parliamentary constitutional monarchy. A Governor-General represents the monarch, and Parliament elects a Prime Minister. The Parliament, or Fale I Fono, has one chamber.
Three questions about Tuvalu.
Sources: CIA World Factbook · archived profile
Prepared 24 September 2026. World Bank series: SP.POP.TOTL (persons) and NY.GDP.MKTP.KD (constant 2015 US dollars); downloaded 24 September 2026, provider update 13 July 2026. UNDP values use the 2025 report and 2023 observation year. These are dated statistical snapshots, not live population or economic counters.
Maps use Natural Earth geographic data. Background geography, flag descriptions and selected historical facts use archived public-domain CIA World Factbook profiles, supplemented by the sources linked above. The Factbook is no longer updated; dated statistics here come from the separately named providers.
