lowest 10%: 2.6%
highest 10%: 31.7% (1998)
Distribution of family income - Gini index:
40.8 (1998) country comparison to the world: 59
Investment (gross fixed):
1.2% of GDP (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 150
Budget:
revenues: $1.667 billion
expenditures: $1.407 billion (2008 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
13% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 181 11.3% (2007 est.)
Market value of publicly traded shares:
Agriculture - products:
cotton, grain; livestock
Industries:
natural gas, oil, petroleum products, textiles, food processing
Industrial production growth rate:
-1.5% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 148
Electricity - production:
13.99 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 81
Electricity - consumption:
10.45 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 81
Electricity - exports:
1.46 billion kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2008 est.)
Oil - production:
189,400 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 42
Oil - consumption:
112,000 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 73
Oil - exports:
84,770 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 69
Oil - imports:
2,542 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 173
Oil - proved reserves:
600 million bbl (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 43
Natural gas - production:
70.5 billion cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 12
Natural gas - consumption:
21 billion cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 35
Natural gas - exports:
48.5 billion cu m (2008) country comparison to the world: 7
Natural gas - imports:
0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 123
Natural gas - proved reserves:
2.662 trillion cu m (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 12
Current account balance:
$4.669 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 35 $3.285 billion (2007 est.)
Exports:
$11.92 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 82 $7.919 billion (2007 est.)
Exports - commodities:
gas, crude oil, petrochemicals, textiles, cotton fiber
Exports - partners:
Ukraine 51.7%, Poland 10%, Hungary 8.1% (2008)
Imports:
$5.654 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 111 $3.615 billion (2007 est.)
Imports - commodities:
machinery and equipment, chemicals, foodstuffs
Imports - partners:
China 16.9%, Russia 15.9%, Turkey 14%, UAE 10.3%, Ukraine 7.9%,Germany 5.6%, Iran 5.1% (2008)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$13.88 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 60 $13.19 billion (31 December 2007 est.)
Debt - external:
$1.4 billion (2004 est.) country comparison to the world: 147 note: some estimates put this figure as high as $5 billion
Exchange rates:
Turkmen manat (TMM) per US dollar - 14,250 (as of 1 May 2008 est.)
Communications ::Turkmenistan
Telephones - main lines in use:
495,000 (2008) country comparison to the world: 98
Telephones - mobile cellular:
810,000 (2008) country comparison to the world: 146
Telephone system:
general assessment: telecommunications network remains underdeveloped and progress toward improvement is slow; strict government control and censorship inhibits liberalization and modernization
domestic: Turkmentelekom, in cooperation with foreign partners, has installed high speed fiber-optic lines and has upgraded most of the country's telephone exchanges and switching centers with new digital technology; mobile telephone usage is expanding with Russia's Mobile Telesystems (MTS) the primary service provider
international: country code - 993; linked by fiber-optic cable and microwave radio relay to other CIS republics and to other countries by leased connections to the Moscow international gateway switch; an exchange in Ashgabat switches international traffic through Turkey via Intelsat; satellite earth stations - 1 Orbita and 1 Intelsat (2008)
Radio broadcast stations:
AM 16, FM 8, shortwave 2 (1998)
Television broadcast stations:
4 (government-owned and programmed) (2004)
Internet country code:
.tm
Internet hosts:
755 (2009) country comparison to the world: 164
Internet users:
75,000 (2008) country comparison to the world: 161
Transportation ::Turkmenistan
Airports:
28 (2009) country comparison to the world: 120
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 22
over 3,047 m: 1
2,438 to 3,047 m: 10
1,524 to 2,437 m: 9
914 to 1,523 m: 2 (2009)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 6
1,524 to 2,437 m: 2
under 914 m: 4 (2009)
Heliports:
1 (2009)
Pipelines:
gas 6,417 km; oil 1,457 km (2008)
Railways:
total: 2,980 km country comparison to the world: 56 broad gauge: 2,980 km 1.520-m gauge (2008)
Roadways:
total: 58,592 km country comparison to the world: 75 paved: 47,577 km
unpaved: 11,015 km (2002)
Waterways:
1,300 km (Amu Darya and Kara Kum canal are important inland waterways) (2008) country comparison to the world: 56
Merchant marine:
total: 7 country comparison to the world: 127 by type: cargo 4, petroleum tanker 2, refrigerated cargo 1 (2008)
Ports and terminals:
Turkmenbasy
Military ::Turkmenistan
Military branches:
Army, Navy, Air and Air Defense Forces (2009)
Military service age and obligation:
18-30 years of age for compulsory military service; 2-year conscript service obligation (2007)
Manpower available for military service:
males age 16-49: 1,316,698
females age 16-49: 1,331,005 (2008 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 1,024,884
females age 16-49: 1,147,714 (2009 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 57,021
female: 56,064 (2009 est.)
Military expenditures:
3.4% of GDP (2005 est.) country comparison to the world: 40
Transnational Issues ::Turkmenistan
Disputes - international:
cotton monoculture in Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan creates water-sharing difficulties for Amu Darya river states; field demarcation of the boundaries with Kazakhstan commenced in 2005, but Caspian seabed delimitation remains stalled with Azerbaijan, Iran, and Kazakhstan due to Turkmenistan's indecision over how to allocate the sea's waters and seabed
Refugees and internally displaced persons:
refugees (country of origin): 11,173 (Tajikistan); less than 1,000 (Afghanistan) (2007)
Illicit drugs:
transit country for Afghan narcotics bound for Russian and Western European markets; transit point for heroin precursor chemicals bound for Afghanistan
page last updated on November 11, 2009
======================================================================
@Turks and Caicos Islands (Central America and Caribbean)
Introduction ::Turks and Caicos Islands
Background:
The islands were part of the UK's Jamaican colony until 1962, when they assumed the status of a separate crown colony upon Jamaica's independence. The governor of The Bahamas oversaw affairs from 1965 to 1973. With Bahamian independence, the islands received a separate governor in 1973. Although independence was agreed upon for 1982, the policy was reversed and the islands remain a British overseas territory.
Geography ::Turks and Caicos Islands
Location:
Caribbean, two island groups in the North Atlantic Ocean, southeast of The Bahamas, north of Haiti
Geographic coordinates:
Map references:
Central America and the Caribbean
Area:
total: 948 sq km country comparison to the world: 185 land: 948 sq km
water: 0 sq km
Area - comparative:
2.5 times the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries:
0 km
Coastline:
389 km
Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm
Climate:
tropical; marine; moderated by trade winds; sunny and relatively dry
Terrain:
low, flat limestone; extensive marshes and mangrove swamps
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
highest point: Blue Hills 49 m
Natural resources:
spiny lobster, conch
Land use:
arable land: 2.33%
permanent crops: 0%
other: 97.67% (2005)
Irrigated land:
Natural hazards:
frequent hurricanes
Environment - current issues:
limited natural fresh water resources, private cisterns collect rainwater
Geography - note:
about 40 islands (eight inhabited)
People ::Turks and Caicos Islands
Population:
22,942 (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 216
Age structure:
0-14 years: 30.2% (male 3,528/female 3,401)
15-64 years: 65.6% (male 7,875/female 7,164)
65 years and over: 4.2% (male 475/female 499) (2009 est.)
Median age:
total: 27.9 years
male: 28.7 years
female: 27.2 years (2009 est.)
Population growth rate:
2.563% (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 31
Birth rate:
20.79 births/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 93
Death rate:
4.18 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 207
Net migration rate:
9.02 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 9
Urbanization:
urban population: 92% of total population (2008)
rate of urbanization: 2.2% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.1 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.95 male(s)/female
total population: 1.07 male(s)/female (2009 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 13.89 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 131 male: 16.02 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 11.64 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 75.42 years country comparison to the world: 77 male: 73.12 years
female: 77.83 years (2009 est.)
Total fertility rate:
2.95 children born/woman (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 75
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
Nationality:
noun: none
adjective: none
Ethnic groups:
black 90%, mixed, European, or North American 10%
Religions:
Baptist 40%, Anglican 18%, Methodist 16%, Church of God 12%, other 14% (1990)
Languages:
English (official)
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over has ever attended school
total population: 98%
male: 99%
female: 98% (1970 est.)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
total: 11 years
male: 11 years
female: 12 years (2005)
Education expenditures:
People - note:
destination and transit point for illegal Haitian immigrants bound for the Turks and Caicos Islands, The Bahamas, and the US
Government ::Turks and Caicos Islands
Country name:
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Turks and Caicos Islands
abbreviation: TCI
Dependency status:
overseas territory of the UK
Government type:
Capital:
name: Grand Turk (Cockburn Town)
geographic coordinates: 21 28 N, 71 08 W
time difference: UTC-5 (same time as Washington, DC during Standard Time)
daylight saving time: +1hr, begins first Sunday in April; ends last Sunday in October
Administrative divisions:
none (overseas territory of the UK)
Independence:
none (overseas territory of the UK)
National holiday:
Constitution Day, 30 August (1976)
Constitution:
Turks and Caicos Islands Constitution (Interim Amendment) Order 2009, S.I. 2009/701 - effective 14 August 2009 - suspended Ministerial government, the House of Assembly, and the constitutional right to trial by jury, and imposed direct British rule
Legal system:
based on laws of England and Wales with a few adopted from Jamaica and The Bahamas
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952); represented by Governor Gordon WETHERELL (since 5 August 2008)
head of government: Governor Gordon WETHERELL (since 14 August 2009); note - the office of premier is suspended by the Order in Council, effective 14 August 2009
cabinet: under provisions of the Order in Council, the cabinet is suspended effective 14 August 2009 and replaced by an Advisory Council appointed by the governor
elections: the monarch is hereditary; governor appointed by the monarch
note: following an investigation into allegations of widespread corruption and misconduct within the Turks and Caicos Government, the UK foreign minister directed the governor to bring into effect on 14 August 2009 an Order in Council suspending Ministerial government and the House of Assembly, and imposing direct rule for a period of up to two years
Legislative branch:
under provisions of the Order in Council, the unicameral House of Assembly is dissolved and all seats vacated for a period of up to two years; in the interim, a Consultative Forum, appointed by the governor, will be established
elections: last held 9 February 2007 (next to be held by July 2011)
election results: under provisions of the Order in Council, all seats in the House of Assembly are vacated
Judicial branch:
Supreme Court; Court of Appeal
Political parties and leaders:
People's Democratic Movement or PDM [Floyd SEYMOUR]; ProgressiveNational Party or PNP [Michael Eugene MISICK]
Political pressure groups and leaders:
International organization participation:
Caricom (associate), CDB, Interpol (subbureau), UPU
Diplomatic representation in the US:
none (overseas territory of the UK)
Diplomatic representation from the US:
none (overseas territory of the UK)
Flag description:
blue, with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant and the colonial shield centered on the outer half of the flag; the shield is yellow and contains a conch shell, lobster, and cactus
Economy ::Turks and Caicos Islands
Economy - overview:
The Turks and Caicos economy is based on tourism, offshore financial services, and fishing. Most capital goods and food for domestic consumption are imported. The US is the leading source of tourists, accounting for more than three-quarters of the 175,000 visitors that arrived in 2004. Major sources of government revenue also include fees from offshore financial activities and customs receipts.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$216 million (2002 est.) country comparison to the world: 215
GDP (official exchange rate):
GDP - real growth rate:
4.9% (2000 est.) country comparison to the world: 91
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$11,500 (2002 est.) country comparison to the world: 97
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: NA%
industry: NA%
services: NA%
Labor force:
4,848 (1990 est.) country comparison to the world: 213
Labor force - by occupation:
note: about 33% in government and 20% in agriculture and fishing; significant numbers in tourism, financial, and other services
Unemployment rate:
10% (1997 est.) country comparison to the world: 124
Population below poverty line:
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA%
Budget:
revenues: $47 million
expenditures: $33.6 million (1997-98 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
4% (1995) country comparison to the world: 65
Agriculture - products:
corn, beans, cassava (tapioca), citrus fruits; fish
Industries:
tourism, offshore financial services
Industrial production growth rate:
Electricity - production:
12 million kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 209
Electricity - consumption:
11.16 million kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 210
Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2008 est.)
Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2008 est.)
Oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 131
Oil - consumption:
0 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 203
Oil - exports:
0 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 165
Oil - imports:
80 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 203
Oil - proved reserves:
0 bbl (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 127
Natural gas - production:
0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 125
Natural gas - consumption:
0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 132
Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2008) country comparison to the world: 105
Natural gas - imports:
0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 128
Natural gas - proved reserves:
0 cu m (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 131
Exports:
$169.2 million (2000) country comparison to the world: 184
Exports - commodities:
lobster, dried and fresh conch, conch shells
Imports:
$175.6 million
Imports - commodities:
food and beverages, tobacco, clothing, manufactures, construction materials
Debt - external:
Exchange rates:
the US dollar is used
Communications ::Turks and Caicos Islands
Telephones - main lines in use:
3,700 (2008) country comparison to the world: 217
Telephones - mobile cellular:
25,100 (2004) country comparison to the world: 203
Telephone system:
general assessment: fully digital system with international direct dialing
domestic: full range of services available; GSM wireless service available
international: country code - 1-649; the Americas Region Caribbean Ring System (ARCOS-1) fiber optic telecommunications submarine cable provides connectivity to South and Central America, parts of the Caribbean, and the US; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
Radio broadcast stations:
AM 2, FM 7, shortwave 0 (2003)
Television broadcast stations:
0 (broadcasts received from The Bahamas; 2 cable television networks) (2003)
Internet country code:
.tc
Internet hosts:
9,445 (2009) country comparison to the world: 117
Transportation ::Turks and Caicos Islands
Airports:
8 (2009) country comparison to the world: 163
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 6
1,524 to 2,437 m: 3
914 to 1,523 m: 1
under 914 m: 2 (2009)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 2
914 to 1,523 m: 1
under 914 m: 1 (2009)
Roadways:
total: 121 km country comparison to the world: 210 paved: 24 km
unpaved: 97 km (2003)
Merchant marine:
registered in other countries: 1 (Panama 1) (2008) country comparison to the world: 152
Ports and terminals:
Grand Turk, Providenciales
Military ::Turks and Caicos Islands
Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 4,937
females age 16-49: 4,648 (2009 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 226
female: 218 (2009 est.)
Military - note:
defense is the responsibility of the UK
Transnational Issues ::Turks and Caicos Islands
Disputes - international:
have received Haitians fleeing economic and civil disorder
Illicit drugs:
transshipment point for South American narcotics destined for the US and Europe
page last updated on October 28, 2009
======================================================================
@Tuvalu (Australia-Oceania)
Introduction ::Tuvalu
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 a 12-year period.
Geography ::Tuvalu
Location:
Oceania, island group consisting of nine coral atolls in the SouthPacific Ocean, about one-half of the way from Hawaii to Australia
Geographic coordinates:
Map references:
Oceania
Area:
total: 26 sq km country comparison to the world: 236 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:
territorial sea: 12 nm
contiguous zone: 24 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
Climate:
tropical; moderated by easterly trade winds (March to November); westerly gales and heavy rain (November to March)
Terrain:
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: 66.67%
other: 33.33% (2005)
Irrigated land:
Natural hazards:
severe tropical storms are usually rare, but in 1997 there were three cyclones; low level of islands make them sensitive to changes in sea level
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 forest undergrowth for use as fuel; damage to coral reefs from the spread of the Crown of Thorns starfish; Tuvalu is concerned about global increases in greenhouse gas emissions and their effect on rising sea levels, which threaten the country's underground water table; in 2000, the government appealed to Australia and New Zealand to take in Tuvaluans if rising sea levels should make evacuation necessary
Environment - international agreements:
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Whaling
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography - note:
one of the smallest and most remote countries on Earth; six of the nine coral atolls - Nanumea, Nui, Vaitupu, Nukufetau, Funafuti, and Nukulaelae - have lagoons open to the ocean; Nanumaya and Niutao have landlocked lagoons; Niulakita does not have a lagoon
People ::Tuvalu
Population:
12,373 (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 223
Age structure:
0-14 years: 29.2% (male 1,841/female 1,770)
15-64 years: 65.6% (male 3,973/female 4,141)
65 years and over: 5.2% (male 240/female 408) (2009 est.)
Median age:
total: 25.4 years
male: 24.4 years
female: 26.6 years (2009 est.)
Population growth rate:
1.616% (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 83
Birth rate:
23.11 births/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 79
Death rate:
6.95 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 134
Net migration rate:
NA (2009 est.)
Urbanization:
urban population: 49% of total population (2008)
rate of urbanization: 1.3% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.96 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.59 male(s)/female
total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2009 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 18.43 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 112 male: 20.95 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 15.77 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 69.29 years country comparison to the world: 148 male: 66.99 years
female: 71.7 years (2009 est.)
Total fertility rate:
2.91 children born/woman (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 76
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
Nationality:
noun: Tuvaluan(s)
adjective: Tuvaluan
Ethnic groups:
Polynesian 96%, Micronesian 4%
Religions:
Church of Tuvalu (Congregationalist) 97%, Seventh-Day Adventist 1.4%, Baha'i 1%, other 0.6%
Languages:
Tuvaluan, English, Samoan, Kiribati (on the island of Nui)
Literacy:
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
total: 11 years
male: 11 years
female: 11 years (2001)
Education expenditures:
Government ::Tuvalu
Country name:
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Tuvalu
local long form: none
local short form: Tuvalu
former: Ellice Islands
note: "Tuvalu" means "group of eight" referring to the country's eight traditionally inhabited islands
Government type:
a parliamentary democracy and a Commonwealth realm
Capital:
name: Funafuti
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 in Vaiaku Village on Fongafale Islet
Administrative divisions:
none
Independence:
1 October 1978 (from the UK)
National holiday:
Independence Day, 1 October (1978)
Constitution:
1 October 1978
Legal system:
English common law supplemented by local customary law
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, ADB, C, FAO, IFRCS (observer), IMO, IOC, 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
Flag description:
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 ::Tuvalu
Economy - overview:
Tuvalu consists of a densely populated, scattered group of nine coral atolls with poor soil. The country has no known mineral resources and few exports and is almost entirely dependent upon imported food and fuel. Subsistence farming and fishing are the primary economic activities. Fewer than 1,000 tourists, on average, visit Tuvalu annually. Job opportunities are scarce and public sector workers make up most of those employed. About 15% of the adult male population work as seamen on merchant ships abroad, and remittances are a vital source of income contributing around $4 million in 2006. Substantial income is received annually from the Tuvalu Trust Fund (TTF) an international trust fund established in 1987 by Australia, NZ, and the UK and supported also by Japan and South Korea. Thanks to wise investments and conservative withdrawals, this fund grew from an initial $17 million to an estimated value of $77 million in 2006. The TFF contributed nearly $9 million towards the government budget in 2006 and is an important cushion for meeting shortfalls in the government's budget. The US Government is also a major revenue source for Tuvalu because of payments from a 1988 treaty on fisheries. In an effort to ensure financial stability and sustainability, the government is pursuing public sector reforms, including privatization of some government functions and personnel cuts. Tuvalu also derives royalties from the lease of its ".tv" Internet domain name with revenue of more than $2 million in 2006. A minor source of government revenue comes from the sale of stamps and coins. With merchandise exports only a fraction of merchandise imports, continued reliance must be placed on fishing and telecommunications license fees, remittances from overseas workers, official transfers, and income from overseas investments. Growing income disparities and the vulnerability of the country to climatic change are among leading concerns for the nation.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$14.94 million (2002 est.) country comparison to the world: 226
GDP (official exchange rate):
$14.94 million (2002)
GDP - real growth rate:
3% (2006 est.) country comparison to the world: 127
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$1,600 (2002 est.) country comparison to the world: 195
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 16.6%
industry: 27.2%
services: 56.2% (2002)
Labor force:
3,615 (2004 est.) country comparison to the world: 214
Labor force - by occupation:
note: people make a living mainly through exploitation of the sea, reefs, and atolls and from wages sent home by those abroad (mostly workers in the phosphate industry and sailors)
Unemployment rate:
Population below poverty line:
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA%
Budget:
revenues: $21.54 million
expenditures: $23.05 million (2006)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
3.8% (2006 est.) country comparison to the world: 58
Agriculture - products:
coconuts; fish
Industries:
fishing, tourism, copra
Industrial production growth rate:
Current account balance:
-$11.68 million (2003) country comparison to the world: 64
Exports:
$1 million (2004 est.) country comparison to the world: 218
Exports - commodities:
copra, fish
Imports:
$12.91 million (2005) country comparison to the world: 216
Imports - commodities:
food, animals, mineral fuels, machinery, manufactured goods
Debt - external:
Exchange rates:
Tuvaluan dollars or Australian dollars (AUD) per U 1.2059 (2008 est.), 1.2137 (2007), 1.3285 (2006), 1.3095 (2005), 1.3598 (2004)
Communications ::Tuvalu
Telephones - main lines in use:
1,500 (2008) country comparison to the world: 226
Telephones - mobile cellular:
2,000 (2008) country comparison to the world: 216
Telephone system:
general assessment: serves particular needs for internal communications
domestic: radiotelephone communications between islands
international: country code - 688; international calls can be made by satellite
Radio broadcast stations:
AM 1, FM 1, shortwave 0 (2004)
Television broadcast stations:
0 (2004)
Internet country code:
.tv
Internet hosts:
103,041 (2009) country comparison to the world: 73
Internet users:
4,200 (2008) country comparison to the world: 205
Transportation ::Tuvalu
Airports:
1 (2009) country comparison to the world: 214
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2009)