rth: 60 years male, 63 years female (1990)

Total fertility rate: 3.1 children born/woman (1990)

Nationality: noun--Tuvaluans(s); adjective--Tuvaluan

Ethnic divisions: 96% Polynesian

Religion: Christian, predominantly Protestant

Language: Tuvaluan, English

Literacy: less than 50%

Labor force: NA

Organized labor: none

- Government
Long-form name: none

Type: democracy

Capital: Funafuti

Administrative divisions: none

Independence: 1 October 1978 (from UK; formerly Ellice Islands)

Constitution: 1 October 1978

National holiday: Independence Day, 1 October (1978)

Executive branch: British monarch, governor general, prime minister,
deputy prime minister, Cabinet

Legislative branch: unicameral Parliament

Judicial branch: High Court

Leaders:
Chief of State--Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952), represented
by Governor General Tupua LEUPENA (since 1 March 1986);

Head of Government--Prime Minister Bikenibeu PAENIU (since 16 October
1989); Deputy Prime Minister Dr. Alesana SELUKA (since October 1989)

Political parties and leaders: none

Suffrage: universal at age 18

Elections:
Parliament--last held 28 September 1989 (next to be held by
September 1993);
results--percent of vote NA;
seats--(12 total)

Member of: ACP, ESCAP (associate member), GATT (de facto), SPF, SPC, UPU

Diplomatic representation: Ambassador (vacant); US--none

Flag: light blue with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant;
the outer half of the flag represents a map of the country with nine yellow
five-pointed stars symbolizing the nine islands

- Economy
Overview: Tuvalu consists of a scattered group of nine coral atolls with
poor-quality soil. The country has a small economy, no known mineral resources,
and few exports. Subsistence farming and fishing are the primary economic
activities. The islands are too small and too remote for development of a
tourist industry. Government revenues largely come from the sale of stamps and
coins and worker remittances. Substantial income is received annually
from an international trust fund established in 1987 by Australia, New
Zealand, and the UK and supported also by Japan and South Korea.

GNP: $4.6 million, per capita $530; real growth rate NA% (1989 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 3.9% (1984)

Unemployment rate: NA%

Budget: revenues $2.59 million; expenditures $3.6 million,
including capital expenditures of NA (1983 est.)

Exp