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:
parliamentary democracy and a Commonwealth realm
Capital:
name: Funafuti
geographic coordinates:
8 31 S, 179 13 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:
7 island councils and 1 town council*; Funafuti*, Nanumaga, Nanumea, Niutao, Nui, Nukufetau, Nukulaelae, Vaitupu
Independence:
1 October 1978 (from the UK)
National holiday:
Independence Day, 1 October (1978)
Constitution:
previous 1978 (at independence); latest effective 1 October 1986; amended 2007, 2010 (2010)
Legal system:
mixed legal system of English common law and local customary law
International law organization participation:
has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; non-party state to the ICCt
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal
[see also: Suffrage country ranks ]
Executive branch:
chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952); represented by Governor General Iakoba TAEIA Italeli (since May 2010)
head of government:
Prime Minister Enele SOPOAGA (since 5 August 2013)
cabinet:
Cabinet appointed by the governor general on the recommendation of the prime minister
elections:
the monarchy 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 following parliamentary elections
election results:
Willie TELAVI removed as prime minister by the governor-general on 1 August 2013; Enele SOPOAGA elected 4 August 2013 in a 8 to 5 vote by the House of Assembly
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 on 16 September 2010 (next to be held in 2014)
election results:
percent of vote - NA; seats - independents 15; 10 members reelected
Judicial branch:
highest court(s): Court of Appeal is the Fiji Court of Appeal on Fiji Island (consists of the chief justice who visits twice a year); High Court, located on Fiji, consists of the chief justice of Fiji who presides over its sessions
judge selection and term of office:
chief justice appointed by the president of Fiji on the advice of the prime minister following consultation with the parliamentary leader of the opposition; justices of the Court of Appeal, and puisne judges of the High Court are appointed by the president of Fiji, upon the nomination of the Judicial Service Commission, after consulting with the Cabinet Minister and the committee of the House of Representatives responsible for the administration of justice; the chief justice and justices of Appeal generally required to retire at age 70; puisine judges appointed for not less than 4 years nor more than 7 years with mandatory retirement at age 65
subordinate courts:
magistrates' courts; island courts; lands courts
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, AOSIS, C, FAO, IBRD, IDA, IFRCS (observer), ILO, IMF, IMO, IOC, ITU, OPCW, PIF, Sparteca, SPC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WHO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Aunese Makoi SIMATI (since 11 January 2013)
chancery:
Note - Tuvalu does not have an embassy in Washington, D.C.; UN office located at 800 2nd Avenue, Suite 400D, New York, NY 10017
telephone:
[1] (212) 490-0534
FAX:
[1] (212) 937-0692
Diplomatic representation from the US:
the US does not have an embassy in Tuvalu; the US ambassador to Fiji, currently Ambassador Frankie A. REED, 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 on a blue field symbolizing the nine atolls in the ocean
National anthem:
name: "Tuvalu mo te Atua" (Tuvalu for the Almighty)
lyrics/music:
Afaese MANOA
note:
adopted 1978; the anthem's name is also the nation's motto