{
"Introduction": {
"Background": {
"text": "The islands were first populated by voyagers from either Samoa or Tonga in the first millennium A.D., and Tuvalu provided a steppingstone for various Polynesian communities that subsequently settled in Melanesia and Micronesia. Tuvalu eventually came under Samoan and Tongan spheres of influence although proximity to Micronesia allowed some Micronesian communities to flourish in Tuvalu, in particular on Nui Atoll. In the late 1700s and early 1800s, Tuvalu was visited by a series of American, British, Dutch, and Russian ships. The islands were named the Ellice Islands in 1819. The first Christian missionaries arrived in 1861, eventually converting most of the population, and around the same time, several hundred Tuvaluans were kidnapped by people purporting to be missionaries and sent to work on plantations in Peru and Hawaii.
The UK declared a protectorate over the Ellice Islands in 1892 and merged it with the Micronesian Gilbert Islands. The Gilbert and Ellice Islands Protectorate became a colony in 1916. During World War II, the US set up military bases on a few islands, and in 1943, after Japan captured many of the northern Gilbert Islands, the UK transferred administration of the colony southward to Funafuti. After the war, Tarawa in the Gilbert Islands was once again made the colony’s capital and the center of power was firmly in the Gilbert Islands, including the colony’s only secondary school. Amid growing tensions with the Gilbertese, Tuvaluans voted to secede from the colony in 1974, were granted self-rule in 1975, and gained independence in 1978 as Tuvalu. In 1979, the US relinquished its claims to Tuvaluan islands in a treaty of friendship.
The Tuvalu Trust Fund was established in 1987 to provide a longterm economic future for the country. In 2000, Tuvalu negotiated a contract leasing its Internet domain name \".tv\" for $50 million in royalties over a 12-year period. The contract was renewed in 2011 for a ten-year period. Tuvalu’s isolation means it sees few tourists; in 2020, Funafuti International Airport had four weekly flights - three to Suva, Fiji, and one to Tarawa. Tuvalu is highly vulnerable to the effects of climate change; in 2018, sea levels in Funafuti were rising twice as fast as global averages.
Tuvalu consists of a densely populated, scattered group of nine coral atolls with poor soil. Only eight of the atolls are inhabited. It is one of the smallest countries in the world, with its highest point at 4.6 meters above sea level. The country is isolated, almost entirely dependent on imports, particularly of food and fuel, and vulnerable to climate change and rising sea levels, which pose significant challenges to development.
The public sector dominates economic activity. Tuvalu has few natural resources, except for its fisheries. Earnings from fish exports and fishing licenses for Tuvalu’s territorial waters are a significant source of government revenue. In 2013, revenue from fishing licenses doubled and totaled more than 45% of GDP.
Official aid from foreign development partners has also increased. Tuvalu has substantial assets abroad. The Tuvalu Trust Fund, an international trust fund established in 1987 by development partners, has grown to $104 million (A$141 million) in 2014 and is an important cushion for meeting shortfalls in the government's budget. While remittances are another substantial source of income, the value of remittances has declined since the 2008-09 global financial crisis, but has stabilized at nearly $4 million per year. The financial impact of climate change and the cost of climate related adaptation projects is one of many concerns for the nation.
" }, "Real GDP (purchasing power parity)": { "Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2020": { "text": "$50 million note: data are in 2017 dollars (2020 est.)" }, "Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2019": { "text": "$50 million note: data are in 2017 dollars (2019 est.)" }, "Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2018": { "text": "$50 million note: data are in 2017 dollars (2018 est.)" }, "note": "note: data are in 2017 dollars" }, "Real GDP growth rate": { "Real GDP growth rate 2017": { "text": "3.2% (2017 est.)" }, "Real GDP growth rate 2016": { "text": "3% (2016 est.)" }, "Real GDP growth rate 2015": { "text": "9.1% (2015 est.)" } }, "Real GDP per capita": { "Real GDP per capita 2020": { "text": "$4,400 note: data are in 2017 dollars (2020 est.)" }, "Real GDP per capita 2019": { "text": "$4,300 note: data are in 2017 dollars (2019 est.)" }, "Real GDP per capita 2018": { "text": "$3,900 note: data are in 2017 dollars (2018 est.)" }, "note": "note: data are in 2017 dollars" }, "GDP (official exchange rate)": { "text": "$40 million (2017 est.)" }, "Inflation rate (consumer prices)": { "Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2017": { "text": "4.1% (2017 est.)" }, "Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2016": { "text": "3.5% (2016 est.)" } }, "GDP - composition, by sector of origin": { "agriculture": { "text": "24.5% (2012 est.)" }, "industry": { "text": "5.6% (2012 est.)" }, "services": { "text": "70% (2012 est.)" } }, "GDP - composition, by end use": { "government consumption": { "text": "87% (2016 est.)" }, "investment in fixed capital": { "text": "24.3% (2016 est.)" }, "exports of goods and services": { "text": "43.7% (2016 est.)" }, "imports of goods and services": { "text": "-66.1% (2016 est.)" } }, "Agricultural products": { "text": "coconuts, vegetables, tropical fruit, bananas, roots/tubers nes, pork, poultry, eggs, pig fat, pig offals" }, "Industries": { "text": "fishing" }, "Industrial production growth rate": { "text": "-26.1% (2012 est.)" }, "Labor force": { "text": "3,615 (2004 est.)" }, "Labor force - by occupation": { "text": "note: most people make a living through exploitation of the sea, reefs, and atolls - and through overseas remittances (mostly from workers in the phosphate industry and sailors)
" }, "Unemployment rate": { "text": "NA
" }, "Unemployment, youth ages 15-24": { "total": { "text": "20.6%" }, "male": { "text": "9.8%" }, "female": { "text": "45.9% (2016)" } }, "Population below poverty line": { "text": "26.3% (2010 est.)" }, "Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income": { "Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income 2010": { "text": "39.1 (2010 est.)" } }, "Household income or consumption by percentage share": { "lowest 10%": { "text": "NA" }, "highest 10%": { "text": "NA" } }, "Budget": { "revenues": { "text": "42.68 million (2013 est.)" }, "expenditures": { "text": "32.46 million (2012 est.)" }, "note": "note: revenue data include Official Development Assistance from Australia" }, "Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-)": { "text": "25.6% (of GDP) (2013 est.)" }, "Public debt": { "Public debt 2017": { "text": "37% of GDP (2017 est.)" }, "Public debt 2016": { "text": "47.2% of GDP (2016 est.)" } }, "Taxes and other revenues": { "text": "106.7% (of GDP) (2013 est.)", "note": "note: revenue data include Official Development Assistance from Australia" }, "Fiscal year": { "text": "calendar year" }, "Current account balance": { "Current account balance 2017": { "text": "$2 million (2017 est.)" }, "Current account balance 2016": { "text": "$8 million (2016 est.)" } }, "Exports": { "Exports 2019": { "text": "$10 million note: data are in current year dollars (2019 est.)" }, "Exports 2018": { "text": "$10 million note: data are in current year dollars (2018 est.)" } }, "Exports - partners": { "text": "Thailand 50%, Indonesia 40% (2019)" }, "Exports - commodities": { "text": "fish, ships, coins, metal-clad products, electrical power accessories (2019)" }, "Imports": { "Imports 2019": { "text": "$70 million note: data are in current year dollars (2019 est.)" }, "Imports 2018": { "text": "$60 million note: data are in current year dollars (2018 est.)" } }, "Imports - partners": { "text": "China 32%, Japan 29%, Fiji 23%, New Zealand 6% (2019)" }, "Imports - commodities": { "text": "refined petroleum, fishing ships, tug boats, other ships, iron structures (2019)" }, "Debt - external": { "text": "NA
" }, "Exchange rates": { "currency": { "text": "Tuvaluan dollars or Australian dollars (AUD) per US dollar -" }, "Exchange rates 2017": { "text": "1.311 (2017 est.)" }, "Exchange rates 2016": { "text": "1.3442 (2016 est.)" } } }, "Energy": { "Electricity access": { "electrification - total population": { "text": "100% (2020)" } }, "Electricity - production": { "text": "11.8 million kWh (2011 est.)" }, "Electricity - exports": { "text": "0 kWh (2014 est.)" }, "Electricity - imports": { "text": "0 kWh (2014 est.)" }, "Electricity - installed generating capacity": { "text": "5,100 kW (2011 est.)" }, "Electricity - from fossil fuels": { "text": "96% of total installed capacity (2015 est.)" }, "Electricity - from nuclear fuels": { "text": "0% of total installed capacity (2014)" }, "Electricity - from hydroelectric plants": { "text": "0% of total installed capacity (2014)" }, "Crude oil - production": { "text": "0 bbl/day (2014 est.)" }, "Crude oil - exports": { "text": "0 bbl/day (2014 est.)" }, "Crude oil - imports": { "text": "0 bbl/day (2014 est.)" }, "Crude oil - proved reserves": { "text": "0 bbl (2014 est.)" }, "Refined petroleum products - production": { "text": "0 bbl/day (2014 est.)" }, "Refined petroleum products - exports": { "text": "0 bbl/day" }, "Natural gas - production": { "text": "0 cu m (2014 est.)" }, "Natural gas - consumption": { "text": "0 cu m (2014)" }, "Natural gas - exports": { "text": "0 cu m (2014 est.)" }, "Natural gas - imports": { "text": "0 cu m (2014 est.)" } }, "Communications": { "Telephones - fixed lines": { "total subscriptions": { "text": "2,000 (2018)" }, "subscriptions per 100 inhabitants": { "text": "17.59 (2018 est.)" } }, "Telephones - mobile cellular": { "total subscriptions": { "text": "8,000 (2018)" }, "subscriptions per 100 inhabitants": { "text": "70.36 (2019 est.)" } }, "Telecommunication systems": { "general assessment": { "text": "internal communications needs met; small global scale of over 11,000 people on 9 inhabited islands; mobile subscriber penetration about 40% and broadband about 10% penetration; govt. owned and sole provider of telecommunications services; 2G widespread; the launch in 2019 of the Kacific-1 satellite will improve the telecommunication sector for the Asia Pacific region (2020)" }, "domestic": { "text": "radiotelephone communications between islands; fixed-line teledensity over 17 per 100 and mobile-cellular over 70 per 100 (2019)" }, "international": { "text": "country code - 688; international calls can be made by satellite" }, "note": "note: the COVID-19 pandemic continues to have a significant impact on production and supply chains globally; since 2020, some aspects of the telecom sector have experienced downturn, particularly in mobile device production; many network operators delayed upgrades to infrastructure; progress towards 5G implementation was postponed or slowed in some countries; consumer spending on telecom services and devices was affected by large-scale job losses and the consequent restriction on disposable incomes; the crucial nature of telecom services as a tool for work and school from home became evident, and received some support from governments" }, "Broadcast media": { "text": "no TV stations; many households use satellite dishes to watch foreign TV stations; 1 government-owned radio station, Radio Tuvalu, includes relays of programming from international broadcasters (2019)" }, "Internet country code": { "text": ".tv" }, "Internet users": { "total": { "text": "5,849 (2021 est.)" }, "percent of population": { "text": "49.32% (2019 est.)" } }, "Broadband - fixed subscriptions": { "total": { "text": "450 (2017 est.)" }, "subscriptions per 100 inhabitants": { "text": "3.96 (2019 est.)" } } }, "Transportation": { "Civil aircraft registration country code prefix": { "text": "T2" }, "Airports": { "total": { "text": "1 (2013)" } }, "Airports - with unpaved runways": { "total": { "text": "1" }, "1,524 to 2,437 m": { "text": "1 (2013)" } }, "Roadways": { "total": { "text": "8 km (2011)" }, "paved": { "text": "8 km (2011)" } }, "Merchant marine": { "total": { "text": "245" }, "by type": { "text": "bulk carrier 22, container ship 3, general cargo 32, oil tanker 21, other 167 (2021)" } }, "Ports and terminals": { "major seaport(s)": { "text": "Funafuti" } } }, "Military and Security": { "Military and security forces": { "text": "no regular military forces; Tuvalu Police Force (Ministry of Justice, Communications, and Foreign Affairs)" }, "Military - note": { "text": "Australia provides support to the Tuvalu Police Force, including donations of patrol boats
" } }, "Transnational Issues": { "Disputes - international": { "text": "none
" } } }