Local timeFunafuti ·
Oceania / Polynesia · Card 026
Flag shown for Tuvalu

Tuvalu

Tuvalu is a country in Polynesia. Its capital is Funafuti.

Find Tuvalu

FunafutiTuvalu
● Capital · Gold highlights this card’s area.
Map: Natural Earth. Boundaries show geographic context, not a position on sovereignty. Small islands may use enlarged markers.

At a glance

Capital
Funafuti
Languages
English & Tuvaluan
Currency
Australian dollar (AUD)
Population
9,4922025 · World Bank
Area
26 km²10.04 square miles
Independence
1978from the UK
AustraliaNew ZealandPacific OceanIndian Ocean

Tuvalu in context

Oceania and its surrounding regions. The dot marks Funafuti; the mapped territory is highlighted in gold.

Natural Earth · locator map

Geography & languages

01

Physical geography

Low-lying and narrow coral atolls.

02

Languages

Languages used in public life include English, Tuvaluan.

03

Location

Oceania, island group consisting of nine coral atolls in the South Pacific Ocean, about half way from Hawaii to Australia.

Flag shown for Tuvalu

Flag

Light blue with the UK flag in the upper-left quadrant; the right half of the flag has nine five-pointed yellow stars

Sources: CIA World Factbook · archived profile

History & independence

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.

  1. The Ellice Islands separate from the Gilbert Islands

  2. Tuvalu becomes independent

  3. The Tuvalu Trust Fund is established

  4. Tuvalu joins the United Nations

Sources: CIA World Factbook · archived profile

Economy

Main activities

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.

Industry and production

Fishing, small-scale farming, public services and limited visitor-related activity.

Sources: CIA World Factbook · archived profile

Population & economic trends

Dated World Bank observations. Population uses selected years; real GDP uses all available annual observations.

Population, 1970–2025

Thousands of people
9.52025 · thousands of people
0.0010.020.05.719707.419808.819909.5200010.6201010.420209.52025

Population estimates may be revised. Selected years are shown.

Sources: World Bank · Population

View data table
Population: source values and plotted units
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

Real GDP, 1990–2025

Billions of constant 2015 US dollars
0.042025 · billions of constant 2015 US dollars
0.000.030.0519902000201020202025

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

View data table
Real GDP: source values and plotted units
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

Human development

The Human Development Index combines health, education and income. Scores range from 0 to 1.

HDI · 20230.689Medium human developmentRank 129 of 193 · 2025 report

Human Development Index over time

19900.566
20000.610
20100.636
20200.681
20230.689
67.1 yearsLife expectancy at birth
10.8 yearsMean schooling, adults aged 25+

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

Government

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.

Sources: CIA World Factbook · archived profile

Knowledge check

Three questions about Tuvalu.

QUESTION 1 OF 3

Which internet domain provides income linked to Tuvalu?

Sources & notes

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.

FunafutiTuvalu