- State independent from the south Pacific Ocean, consisted of 9 atolls. The total surface is of 26 km2. The main atoll, Fongafale, shelters the capital Funafuti and regroups more than 40 p. 100 of the population.
Islands are coral reefs of low height, covered largely with coconut palms, of pandanus and with breadfruit trees. The ground is poor and the country does not arrange any mineral resource. The climate is tropical (warm and wet). Of Polynesian origin, the population, was estimated, in 1995 , at 10 000 inhabitants, what represents a density of 388 inhabitants in km2. The population, for the greater part Protestant, speaks English ( official language) and the tuvaluan.
The economy of Tuvalu is widely dependent on the foreign help and currencies supplied by the immigrants tuvaluans. Main cultures are the (been exported) copra, and the coconut. One also practises breeding (pig and poultry) and the peach is in development. The GDP was, in 1990 , 8,75 million dollars. The currency is the Australian dollar. Funafuti's atoll shelters a port and an airport.
Tuvalu is governed with the Constitution of 1978. Executive power is officially assured by Elizabeth II, the leader of the State, represented by a governor general who has inevitably to be a citizen tuvaluan. Executive power is really assured{*insured*} by the Prime Minister indicated by the Parliament, this one being consisted of twelve members elected for four years in universal suffrage.
Without doubts visited from 1595 by the Spanish navigator Neyra's Alvaro Mendaña, islands were investigated by the Britishs in 1764. European implanting, which began really after 1826, provoked the disappearance of a big part of the native population. Called then Ellice, islands were connected with islands Gilbert to form a British protectorate, afterward colony of the Crown ( 1916 ). In 1974, the population, Polynesian, islands Ellice approved massively by referendum their separation of islands Gilbert (today Kiribati), of whom the inhabitants are micronésiens. The secession took place effectively in 1975 and islands took then Tuvalu's name, set up as 1978 in independent State member of the Commonwealth. In 1987, United Kingdom, Australia and New Zealand mirror in place a collection, " Tuvalu Trust Fund ", intended to administer the economic assistance and to assure in the country recently independent a minimal income.
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