total: 4
1,524 to 2,437 m: 3
914 to 1,523 m: 1 (1999 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 3
914 to 1,523 m: 2
under 914 m: 1 (1999 est.)

@Turks and Caicos Islands:Military

Military - note: defense is the responsibility of the UK

@Turks and Caicos Islands:Transnational Issues

Disputes - international: none

Illicit drugs: transshipment point for South American narcotics
destined for the US

______________________________________________________________________

TUVALU

@Tuvalu:Introduction

Background: In 1974, ethnic differences within the British colony of
the Gilbert and Ellice Islands caused the Polynesians of the Ellice
Islands to vote for separation from the Micronesians of the Gilbert
Islands. The following year, the Ellice Islands became the separate
British colony of Tuvalu. Independence was granted in 1978. In 2000,
Tuvalu negotiated a contract leasing its Internet domain name ".tv"
for $50 million in royalties over the next dozen years.

@Tuvalu:Geography

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

Geographic coordinates: 8 00 S, 178 00 E

Map references: Oceania

Area:
total: 26 sq km
land: 26 sq km
water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative: 0.1 times the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 24 km

Maritime claims:
contiguous zone: 24 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
territorial sea: 12 nm

Climate: tropical; moderated by easterly trade winds (March to
November); westerly gales and heavy rain (November to March)

Terrain: very low-lying and narrow coral atolls

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: unnamed location 5 m

Natural resources: fish

Land use:
arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 0%
permanent pastures: 0%
forests and woodland: 0%
other: 100% (1993 est.)

Irrigated land: NA sq km

Natural hazards: severe tropical storms are usually rare, but, in
1997, there were three cyclones; low-level of islands make them very
sensitive to sea-level rise

Environment - current issues: since there are no streams or rivers and
groundwater is not potable, most water needs must be met by catchment
systems with storage facilities (the Japanese Government has built one
desalination plant and plans to build one other); beachhead erosion
because of the use of sand for building materials; excessive clearance
of fo