geographic coordinates: 8 30 S, 179 12 E
time difference: UTC+12 (17 hours ahead of Washington, DC during
Standard Time)
note: administrative offices are located in Vaiaku Village on
Fongafale Islet

Administrative divisions:
none

Independence:
1 October 1978 (from UK)

National holiday:
Independence Day, 1 October (1978)

Constitution:
1 October 1978

Legal system:
NA

Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952),
represented by Governor General Filoimea TELITO (since 15 April 2005)
head of government: Prime Minister Apisai IELEMIA (since 14 August
2006)
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the governor general on the
recommendation of the prime minister
elections: the monarch is hereditary; governor general appointed by
the monarch on the recommendation of the prime minister; prime
minister and deputy prime minister elected by and from the members
of Parliament; election last held 14 August 2006 (next to be held
following parliamentary elections in 2010)
election results: Apisai IELEMIA elected Prime Minister in a
Parliamentary election on 14 August 2006

Legislative branch:
unicameral Parliament or Fale I Fono, also called House of Assembly
(15 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 3 August 2006 (next to be held in 2010)
election results: percent of vote - NA%; seats - independents 15

Judicial branch:
High Court (a chief justice visits twice a year to preside over its
sessions; its rulings can be appealed to the Court of Appeal in
Fiji); eight Island Courts (with limited jurisdiction)

Political parties and leaders:
there are no political parties but members of Parliament usually
align themselves in informal groupings

Political pressure groups and leaders:
none

International organization participation:
ACP, AsDB, C, FAO, IFRCS (observer), IMO, ITU, OPCW, PIF, Sparteca,
SPC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UPU, WHO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
Tuvalu does not have an embassy in the US - the country's only
diplomatic post is in Fiji - Tuvalu does, however, have a UN office
located at 800 2nd Avenue, Suite 400D, New York, NY 10017,
telephone: [1] (212) 490-0534

Diplomatic representation from the US:
the US does not have an embassy in Tuvalu; the US ambassador to
Fiji is accredited to Tuvalu