Tuvalu is a Polynesianisland nation located in the Pacific Ocean, midway between Hawaii and Australia,[2] with a population of 11,192 per the 2017 census. The economy of Tuvalu is constrained by its remoteness and lack of economies of scale. Government revenues largely come from fishing licences (primarily paid under the South Pacific Tuna Treaty);[3] direct grants from international donors (government donors as well as from the Asian Development Bank); and income from the Tuvalu Trust Fund.[4] The lease of its highly fortuitous .tvTop Level Domain (TLD) also contributes revenue.[5] The sale of stamps since the independence of Tuvalu in 1976 has been an important source of revenue for the country and government. However, such revenue has significantly declined in recent years. Tuvalu has hardly any tourism. It has no tour guides, tour operators, or organised activities, and no cruise ships visit.[6]
World Bank Statistics outline that in 2010 Tuvalu produced a bottom-tier ranking Gross Domestic Product of $31,350,804 and Gross National Income of $4,760,[7] compared to other Pacific SIDS states such as Kiribati at $2,010 and the Marshall Islands at $3,640.[7] A large proportion of national income comes from the employment of 15% of adult male Tuvaluans overseas in the maritime industry. The value of these remittances was valued at A$4 million (est. 2006) and on average accounts for 10% of GDP. A UN Report makes reference to the fact that these revenue streams are vulnerable to macroeconomic change while the national budget remains heavily subsidised through international aid and funding schemes such as the Tuvalu Trust Fund with a strong reliance on the importation of food, which was estimated at $15.5 million in 2007.[8]
The Tuvalu Trust Fund was established in 1987 by the United Kingdom, Australia and New Zealand to help supplement national deficits, underpin economic development, and help the nation achieve greater financial autonomy.[9] The Fund has contributed roughly A$79 million, 15% of the annual government budget each year since 1990.[4] With a capital value of about 2.5 times GDP, the Trust Fund provides an important cushion for Tuvalu's volatile income sources from fishing and royalties from the sale of the .tv domain.[10] Tuvalu joined the International Monetary Fund (IMF) on 24 June 2010.[11]
On 5 August 2012, the executive board of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) concluded that a slow recovery was underway in Tuvalu and that GDP grew in 2011 led by the private retail sector and education spending.[12]
The increase in inflation in 2022 was due to the rapid rise in the cost of food resulting from a drought that affected food production and from rising global food prices, following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine (food imports represent 19 percent of Tuvalu’s GDP, while agriculture makes up for only 10 percent of GDP).[13] The government declared a national state of emergency in November 2022 as a consequence of a drought that exhausted rainwater supplies.[13] The government responded to the rising inflation through untargeted “inflation mitigation payouts” (totalling AUD 400,000 or AUD 40 dollars per eligible household) and by expanding a list of products under price controls.[13] In 2023, the IMF Article IV consultation with Tuvalu concluded that a successful vaccination strategy allowed Tuvalu to lift coronavirus disease (COVID-19) containment measures[14] at the end of 2022. However, the economic cost of the pandemic was significant, with real gross domestic product growth falling from 13.8% in 2019 to -4.3 percent in 2020, although it recovered to 1.8% in 2021.[15] Inflation rose to 11.5% in 2022, but inflation is projected to fall to 2.8% by 2028.[15]
Agriculture in Tuvalu is focused on coconut trees and growing pulaka in large pits of composted soil below the water table. Subsistence farming of coconut palms to produce copra and fishing remain the primary economic activities, particularly off the capital island of Funafuti. There is no apparent large income disparity among the residents, although virtually the only jobs in the islands that pay a steady wage or salary are with the government, which make up about two-thirds of those in formal employment. About 15% of adult males work as seamen on foreign-flagged merchant ships.[16] Population growth on the outer islands, the limits as to available land and the lack of employment opportunities, results in a flow of people from the outer islands to the capital in Funafuti with further pressure to migrate to Australia or New Zealand.[17] There is high youth unemployment and few new jobs being created. Given the absence of natural resources (apart from tuna in the territorial waters), and the constraints imposed on the Tuvaluan economy by its remoteness and lack of economies of scale, practical policies are needed for improvements to the livelihoods of the growing numbers of young Tuvaluans who aspire to a more affluent lifestyle than older generations.
Tuvalu comprises four reef islands and five true atolls that result in a contiguous zone:24nmi (44km)exclusive economic zone:200nmi (370km)territorial sea:12nmi (22km).[16] Its nearest neighbours are Kiribati, Nauru, Samoa and Fiji. Tuvalu has worked with Secretariat of the Pacific Community (SPC) and the European Union and enacted the Seabed Minerals Act 2014. The SPC-EU Pacific Deep Sea Minerals Project involves cooperation between the Cook Islands, Fiji, Tonga and Tuvalu with the object of those countries making informed decisions about future deep seabed mineral activities.[18]
The population is 10,507 (2017 Census),[19] which makes Tuvalu the third-least populous sovereign state in the world; as compared to its immediate neighbours, it has a larger population than Nauru, but is smaller than Kiribati which has a permanent population of just over 100,000 (2011).[20] In terms of physical land size, at just 26 square kilometres (10sqmi) Tuvalu is the fourth smallest country in the world; as compared to its immediate neighbours, Tuvalu is larger than Nauru, which is 21km2 (8.1sqmi), and smaller than Kiribati, which comprises groups of atolls dispersed over 3.5million square kilometres, (1,351,000squaremiles) of the Pacific Ocean. Tuvalu's Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) covers an oceanic area of approximately 900,000km2.[21]
Tuvalu is considered a safe country of unspoiled natural beauty and friendly people. However, due to its remoteness, the cost of travelling to the island and limited air traffic to the country, limited numbers of tourists visit each year. The majority of visitors to Tuvalu are government officials, aid workers, NGO officials or consultants.[22]
Tuvaluans are primarily involved in traditional agriculture and fishing. Job opportunities also exist as observers on tuna boats where the role is to monitor compliance with the boat's tuna fishing licence.[23]
The Tuvaluan economy, therefore, relies heavily on its fishing income, with 42% of the Tuvaluan population involved in fishing activity at various levels. The fishing in the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) mainly consists of Skipjack Tuna, Yellowfin Tuna and Bigeye Tuna. UN Data calculated a gross value of fisheries at US$43,773,582 (2007 est), which accounted for the output of coastal commercial fishing, coastal subsistence fishing, locally based offshore fishing, foreign-based offshore fishing, freshwater fishing and aquaculture. In recent years all of the income has been generated through the listed activities in Tuvalu waters, rather than through exports direct from Tuvalu. The activities of international fishing vessels, which in 2008 comprised 42 longline fishing vessels, 3 pole/line vessels and 126 purse seiners, far outweigh domestic activity, with a production volume of 35,541 tonnes worth US$40,924,370 (2009 est) or 93.5% of gross value, although Tuvalu retains a sizeable share in income via licensing. Fishing licensing agreements with Taiwan, Japan, South Korea, New Zealand and the United States generated an income of A$9 million in 2009.[24][25] In 2013 revenue from fishing licenses doubled to more than 45% of GDP.[16]
On 29 June 2017, the National Fishing Corporation of Tuvalu (NAFICOT), signed a joint venture agreement with the Republic of Korea's SAJO Fishing Industry to operate the fishing vessel M.V. Taina within the Tuvaluan EEZ and other Pacific Island waters.[26][27]
The 2021 Budget of Tuvalu set out a shift in government policy regarding engagement in fishing activities, with a shift from joint venture arrangements (including the sale of FV Taumoana for $10.4 million) to just receiving revenue from fishing licenses and receiving management fees for flagged ships.[28]
Tuvalu men have for some time been employed abroad, working on container ships, primarily on German-owned ships. Remittances from seafarers is a major source of income for their families in Tuvalu. In 2002, the Asian Development Bank (ADB) approved an assistance package to upgrade the Tuvalu Maritime Training Institute (TMTI) which trains young Tuvaluans so they can work aboard foreign vessels.[29] This project was completed in 2011.[30]
The Great Recession impacted global export-import activities and the demand for shipping, which reduced the need for Tuvaluan seafarers.[31][32]
The 1991 census identified 272 seaman working on merchant ships. In 2002 the Tuvaluan Overseas Seaman's Union (TOSU) estimated the number as 417 seaman working on ships.[33] In 2011 the ADB estimated there were 800 TMTI graduates registered for employment as seafarers.[30] The ADB identified that the number of Tuvaluans employed as seafarers has decreased steadily from about 340 in 2001 to only 205 in 2010; so that of a total pool of 800 qualified seafarers, including those on leave, almost 450 were unemployed. This decline in seafarer employment has reduced remittances from $2.4 million in 2001 to a projected $1.2 million in 2010.[30] The International Labour Organization (ILO) also estimates that in 2010 there were approximately 200 Tuvaluan seafarers on ships. The International Monetary Fund 2014 Country Report described the effect of the GFC as reducing demand for the services of Tuvaluan seafarers. As of October 2013, there were about 112 Tuvalu seafarers working on cargo ships, compared to 361 in 2006. The consequence is that remittances from seafarers to their families in Tuvalu fell by about 9% of GDP for Tuvalu. In 2012 such remittances were 10% of GDP for Tuvalu.[34]
While a budget deficit of A$0.4 million was projected for 2015, the ADB assessed the budget as being A$14.3m in surplus as the result of high tuna fish license fees. The ADB predicted that the 2% growth rate for 2015 would continue into 2016.[35]
From 1996 to 2002, Tuvalu was one of the best performing Pacific Island economies and achieved an average real gross domestic product (GDP) growth rate of 5.6% per annum. Since 2002 economic growth has slowed as Tuvalu was exposed to rapid rises in world prices of fuel and food with the level of inflation peaking at 10% in 2008,[10] and falling to 0% in November 2010.[10]
However, due to the acute level of geographic, macroeconomic and financial isolation, scale of area, population infrastructure and agriculture, climate change, oil dependency, contracting GDP and economic dependency many sources in this decade view Tuvalu as an extremely vulnerable economy.[7] The country is also dependent on imported fuel, with gas prices quoted at $12/gal (2009). The high cost of petroleum products has encouraged the development of projects to access renewable energy in Tuvalu.
Although listed by the UN as a Lower Middle Income LDC, it scores very high in terms of Economic Vulnerability Index, with a rating of 79.7 out of 100 in 2009, leading the UN to state that Tuvalu is the most "economically vulnerable country in the world". Due to the factors addressed earlier, Tuvalu yields limited revenue from exports.[36]
Public sector enterprises
Offices of the Tuvalu Telecommunications Corporation
The government is the primary provider of medical services through Princess Margaret Hospital on Funafuti, which operates medical clinics on the other islands.
Banking services are provided by the National Bank of Tuvalu. Effective of 7 October 2016, Tuvalu accepted the Article VIII obligations of the IMF Articles of Agreement, to maintaining an exchange system free of restrictions on payments for international transactions.[11]
The Tuvalu Media Department of the Government of Tuvalu operates one station on the AM frequencies under the title of Radio Tuvalu.[38]Fenui – news from Tuvalu is a free digital publication of the Tuvalu Media Department that is emailed to subscribers and operates a Facebook page, which publishes news about government activities and news about Tuvaluan events, such as a special edition covering the results of the 2015 general election.[39]
The Tuvalu National Provident Fund (TNPF) and the Copra Trading Co-operative (CTC) are owned by the members of each organisation. The TNPF provides its members with loans, for which each member's account is used as collateral.[37] The Tuvalu Cooperative Society is the main wholesaler and retailer in Tuvalu.[10]
Private sector enterprises
The Tuvalu National Private Sector Organisation,[40] the Tuvalu National Chamber of Commerce and Tuvalu Business Centre are active in supporting private sector enterprises. In order to set up a business in Tuvalu, an investor needs a start-up capital of AUD$20,000, a Tuvaluan partner and pay a business registration fee of AUD$100.[41] As of 2010 there are only seven foreign-owned businesses operating in Tuvalu, which were mostly set up by Asian small business operators in the retail and restaurant sector.[41]
Mackenzie Trading Limited, established by Mackenzie Kiritome in 2008, operates small retail outlets in the outer islands to sell merchandise in competition with the Co-operative Society (which is a community-owned enterprise).[41] In 2010 Mackenzie Trading Limited employed 40 people.[41] Other supermarkets on Funafuti include the Edwin Food City store,[42] the Messamasui Supermarket, the SULANI Trading store and the JY Ocean Trading stores.[43] Government regulations prohibit trading on Sundays.[42]
Development of economic and social policy (Te Kakeega/Te Kete)
Flag of Tuvalu
Te Kakeega was the statement of the national strategy for the sustainable development of Tuvalu, with economic and social goals intended to be achieved in the period 2005 to 2015.[44] After consultations on each islands the National Summit on Sustainable Development (NSSD), was held at the Tausoalima Falekaupule in Funafuti from 28 June to 9 July 2004.[45] The meeting resulted in the Malefatuga Declaration,[46] which is the foundation of Te Kakeega II - National Strategy for Sustainable Development-2005-2015,[44] which “contained all the known aid projects, programmes, development initiatives and ideas adopted by the donors and the two successive Tuvalu governments (2004-2006 and 2006 to present)”.[47]
The Te Kakeega III - National Strategy for Sustainable Development 2016-2020 (TK III) includes new strategic areas, in addition to the eight identified in TK II. The additional strategic areas are climate change; environment; migration and urbanization; and oceans and seas.[48]
In the national strategy plan for 2021–2030,[49] the name Te Kakeega was replaced by Te Kete which is the name of a domestic traditional basket woven from green or brown coconut leaves.[50] Symbolically, Te Kete has biblical significance for Tuvaluan Christian traditions by referencing the basket or the cradle that saved the life of Moses.[50]
Tuvalu Trust Fund
The Tuvalu Trust Fund (TTF) was established in 1987 by the United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand with about A$27 million in capital.[4] The TTF, a prudently managed overseas investment fund, has contributed roughly (A$79 million), 15% of the annual government budget each year since 1990.[4] With a capital value of about 3.5 times GDP, the TTF provides an important cushion for Tuvalu's volatile income sources from fishing and royalties from the sale of the dot-TV domain.
The IMF 2014 Country Report noted the market value of the TTF dropped during the Great Recession, however by 2014 the total value of the fund had recovered to more than $A140 million (3.5 times GDP).[51] In 2018 the TTF amounted to about A$179 million.[52] In 2021 the TTF amounted to about A$192 million.[53] In 2021 the market value of the TTF rose by 12 percent to its highest level on record (261 percent of GDP). However, the volatility in global equity markets in 2022 resulted in the TTF’s value falling to A$191 million.[54]
The capital of the Trust Fund is known as the “A Account”. The "B Account" or “Consolidated Investment Fund” (CIF) is a revolving “buffer account” that receives funds from the returns or “disbursements” of the "A Account". The operation of the Trust Fund through two accounts assists in stabilising the long-term financial situation of the Government of Tuvalu as well as addressing short-term budget needs. The "B Account", which belongs exclusively to the Government, holds income distributions from the "A Account" until funds are needed to be used for the national budget. It, therefore, serves as a buffer against the volatility of the ‘A Account’ returns, i.e., during years when there are no returns or low returns. Brian Bell, a member of the Tuvalu Trust Fund Advisory Committee from the inception of the Trust Fund in 1987 to 2002, describes the purpose of the Trust Fund as being:
“The Tuvalu Trust Fund was aimed at providing a source of revenue to overcome a chronic budget deficit situation. The revenue is distributed to the Government from the A Account to the B Account. The amount needed is then drawn down into the consolidated revenue account as an additional source of revenue for expenditure on government services through the recurrent budget.”[55]
The 20th-anniversary review of the Tuvalu Trust Fund described the performance as being that:
“In the first twenty years of operation the Fund has grown to $106.6 million in Market Value as of 30 June 2007. The real rate of return on the Fund has averaged 6.2 percent per annum providing $65.7 million in revenue to Tuvalu. Of this $24.1 million has been used to help fund budget deficits, $29.2 million has been reinvested in the Fund and $12.4 million is held in the CIF awaiting drawdown as of 30 June 2007. The Government's subsequent reinvestments back into the Fund since inception raises Tuvalu's contributions to the Fund to $29.8 million including the initial contribution of $1.6 million. It makes Tuvalu the major contributor to the Fund, which is evidence of Tuvalu's commitment to the long term sustainability of the Fund.”[56]
Falekaupule Trust Fund
In 1999 the Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the government of Tuvalu set up the Falekaupule Trust Fund, which is intended to improve services on the outer islands.[57] The island councils – composed of traditional leaders – are responsible for managing their own finances from a budget allocated from the Tuvaluan government from the Falekaupule Trust Fund.[58] Under the Falekaupule Act, Falekaupule means “traditional assembly in each island...composed in accordance with the Aganu of each island”. Aganu means traditional custom and culture.[44] The initial capital of Falekaupule Trust Fund was A$12 million. The market value of the FTF has increased:
“As at 30 June 2007, the FTF's market value stood at $25.3 million. After eight years of operation, the FTF has made three distributions totalling to $4.7 million. A Reserve Account was established in 2005 having the exact same purpose as the CIF, which is to smooth out the stream of revenue from the main investment. At 30 June 2007, the FTF's Reserve Account was $1.4 million.”[56]
The Great Recession affected the FTF, which is required to maintain its value in real terms before a distribution can be made. As of 30 September 2010, the maintained value was $27.3 million; the result of capital growth and contributions from development partners. This is some $3.5 million higher than the market value of $23.8 million. The gap of 15% between the market value and the maintained value must be recouped before another distribution can be made.[59] Since the commencement of FTF, there have been four years in which distributions were made. The FTF has distributed $6.4 million with some $5.3 million allocated to island development (the balance of $1.1 million is held in reserve by the communities). This equates to an average of $55,000 spent per island per year.[59]
The Tuvalu Trust Fund was established for the intended purpose of helping to supplement national deficits, underpin economic development, and help the nation achieve greater financial autonomy.[9][57] The Trust Fund, has contributed roughly (A$79 million) 15% of the annual government budget each year since 1990.[4] With a capital value of about 2.5 times GDP, the Trust Fund provides an important cushion for Tuvalu's volatile income sources from fishing and royalties from the sale of the .tv domain.[10] Meeting the needs of the 2013/14 budget of the Tuvaluan Government will require drawing from funds held in the “Consolidated Investment Fund” (CIF) of the Tuvalu Trust Fund.
Fishing Licenses
Fishing licences are an important source of revenue. The fishing in the 900,000km2 of water area mainly consists of Skipjack Tuna, Yellowfin Tuna and Bigeye Tuna. Payments from US government made under the South Pacific Tuna Treaty (SPTT) was about $9million in 1999.[3] In May 2013 representatives from the United States and the Pacific Islands countries agreed to sign interim arrangement documents to extend the Multilateral Fisheries Treaty (which encompasses the South Pacific Tuna Treaty) to confirm access to the fisheries in the Western and Central Pacific for US tuna boats for 18 months.[62][63] In 2015 Tuvalu has refused to sell fishing days to certain nations and fleets that have blocked Tuvaluan initiatives to develop and sustain their own fishery.[64] In 2016 Dr Puakena Boreham, the Minister of Natural Resources, drew attention to Article 30 of the WCPF Convention, which describes the collective obligation of members to consider the disproportionate burden that management measures might place on small-island developing states.[65]
.tv Domain
The ".tv" domain name generates around A$7 million each year from royalties. In 2019, 8.4% of total government revenue came from .tv royalties.[66] The domain name is sought after due to its similarity to the abbreviation of the word television.[67][68]VeriSign, Inc managed the .tv domain with the agreement running until 2021.[69] On 14 December 2021 the Ministry of Justice, Communication and Foreign Affairs of the Tuvalu Government announced that they had selected GoDaddy Registry as the new registry service provider, after Verisign did not participate in the process.[70] The success of Twitch.tv and other esports and video game platforms means that Tuvalu can expect to derive increased revenue from the domain.[68]
Economic Assessment
The Asian Development Bank described the Global Economic Crisis (GEC) as impacting on Tuvalu through: “(i) lower demand for Tuvalu seafarers and, therefore, falling remittances; (ii) volatile exchange rate movements affecting the value of remittances, revenues from fishing licence fees, and food prices; and (iii) lower market value of the Tuvalu Trust Fund (TTF), which at the end of May 2010 was about 12% below the maintained value. Thus, as a direct result of the GEC, no distribution was made from the fund to the budget for 2010 and further distributions are unlikely while there is uncertainty in international financial markets.”[71]
The IMF 2010 Country Report describes economic activity in Tuvalu as dampened by lower offshore earnings, with “[t]he economy is expected to have almost no growth in 2010, and growth is projected to be zero or even turn negative in 2011, led by lower government spending, and remain low over the medium term.”[10]
The IMF 2014 Country Report noted that real GDP growth had been volatile averaging only 1 percent in the past decade. The 2014 Country Report describes economic growth prospects as generally positive as the result of large revenues from fishing licenses, together with substantial foreign aid, "while, over the medium to long run, growth prospects may be hampered by the dominance of inefficient public enterprise in the economy, uncertainty in the fisheries sector, and weak competitiveness."[72]
The IMF 2021 Country Report concluded that swift implementation of COVID-19 containment measures and COVID-related fiscal spending financed by buoyant fishing revenues and donor grants have allowed Tuvalu to avoid a recession in 2020.[53]
Least developed country status
The United Nations designates Tuvalu as a least developed country because of its limited potential for economic development, absence of exploitable resources and its small size and vulnerability to external economic and environmental shocks.[73] Tuvalu participates in the Enhanced Integrated Framework for Trade-Related Technical Assistance to Least Developed Countries, which was established in October 1997 under the auspices of the World Trade Organisation.[74][75] In 2013 Tuvalu deferred its graduation from least developed country status to a developing country to 2015. Prime Minister Enele Sopoaga said that this deferral was necessary to maintain access by Tuvalu to the funds provided by the United Nations's National Adaptation Programme of Action (NAPA), as "Once Tuvalu graduates to a developed country, it will not be considered for funding assistance for climate change adaptation programmes like NAPA, which only goes to LDCs". Tuvalu had met targets so that Tuvalu was to graduate from LDC status. Prime minister, Enele Sopoaga wants the United Nations to reconsider its criteria for graduation from LDC status as not enough weight is given to the environmental plight of small island states like Tuvalu in the application of the Environmental Vulnerability Index.[76]
International aid
Australia and New Zealand continue to contribute capital to the Tuvalu Trust Fund and provide other forms of development assistance.[4][77] Financial support to Tuvalu is also provided by Japan, South Korea and the European Union.[78]
Tuvalu joined the Asian Development Bank (ADB) in 1993. To improve aid effectiveness, the government of Tuvalu, ADB, AusAID, and NZAID signed the Development Partners Declaration (DPD) in 2009. The DPD is designed to improve aid effectiveness, both in the implementation of specific projects and in assisting the Tuvaluan government achieve performance benchmark indicators.[10][58]
Tuvalu became a member of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) in July 2010[79] and also joined the World Bank. In 2013 the World Bank approved US$6.06 million in finance for the existing Tuvalu Aviation Investment Project (TvAIP) for the purpose of improving operational safety and oversight of international air transport and associated infrastructure at Funafuti International Airport.[80]
Tuvalu participates in the Enhanced Integrated Framework for Trade-Related Technical Assistance to Least Developed Countries, which was established in October 1997 under the auspices of the World Trade Organisation.[74][81] In 2013 Tuvalu deferred its graduation from Least Developed Country status to a developing country to 2015. Prime Minister Enele Sopoaga said that this deferral was necessary to maintain access by Tuvalu to the funds provided by the United Nations's National Adaptation Programme of Action (NAPA), as “Once Tuvalu graduates to a developed country, it will not be considered for funding assistance for climate change adaptation programmes like NAPA, which only goes to LDCs”. Tuvalu had met targets so that Tuvalu was to graduate from LDC status. Prime minister, Enele Sopoaga wants the United Nations to reconsider its criteria for graduation from LDC status as not enough weight is given to the environmental plight of small island states like Tuvalu. Sopoaga said that:
“The present application of those criteria we feel is totally unrealistic and perhaps very very wrong. We need to address that. The application of the current criteria - we have no problem with the criteria but the application - Environmental Vulnerability Index must be one of the two.”[76]
The South Pacific Applied Geoscience Commission (SOPAC) suggests that, while Tuvalu is vulnerable to climate change, environmental problems such as population growth and poor coastal management also affect sustainable development. SOPAC ranks the country as extremely vulnerable using the Environmental Vulnerability Index. Tuvalu's National Adaptation Programme of Action (NAPA) describes a response to the climate change problem as using the combined efforts of several local bodies on each island that will work with the local community leaders (the Falekaupule). The main office, named the Department of Environment, is responsible for coordinating the non-governmental organizations, religious bodies, and stakeholders. Each of the named groups are responsible for implementing Tuvalu's NAPA, the main plan to adapt to the adverse effects of human use and climate change.[85]
The establishment of the A$5 million Tuvalu Survival Fund (TSF) in the 2016 Tuvaluan budget was intended for climate change mitigation and the recovery expenses that followed the impact of Cyclone Pam, which impacted Tuvalu in 2015.[86]
The Tuvalu Coastal Adaptation Project (TCAP) was launched in 2017 for the purpose of enhancing the resilience of the islands of Tuvalu to meet the challenges resulting from higher sea levels.[87] Tuvalu was the first country in the Pacific to access climate finance from Green Climate Fund, with the support of the UNDP.[87] In December 2022, work on the Funafuti reclamation project commenced. The project is to dredge sand from the lagoon to construct a platform on Fongafale, Funafuti that is 780 meters long and 100 meters wide, which is designed to remain above sea level rise and the reach of storm waves beyond the year 2100.[87] The Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) also provided funding for the TCAP. Further projects that are part of TCAP are capital works on the outer islands of Nanumea and Nanumaga aimed at reducing exposure to coastal damage resulting from storms.[87]
On 26 September 2023, the World Bank (WB) approved US$11.5 million (AUD$18 million) in new grant financing to Tuvalu as part of the WB’s First Climate and Disaster Resilience Development Policy Financing program.[88] This WB support includes a development policy grant of US$7.5 million (AU$11.8 million). This grant is directed to assisting Tuvalu's National Disaster Management Office in coordinating post-disaster response activities; as well to the work of Tuvalu’s National Building Code Assessment Unit, of the Public Works Department, to develop more disaster-resilient infrastructure in Tuvalu.[88] The WB program includes an additional Catastrophe Deferred Drawdown Option (Cat DDO) of US$4 million (AU$6.3 million). The Cat DDO funds are made available to Tuvalu in the event of a natural disaster.[88] The purpose of the WB grant is to support improved monitoring and reporting for the assessment of Tuvalu’s climate and disaster risks, and to help the government fast-track the flow of critical supplies to the islands of Tuvalu following emergencies and natural disasters.[88]
GDP - nominal: A$47 million (2015);[52] A$49 million (2016);[52] A$59.1 million (2017);[53] A$64.4 million (2018);[53] A$77.9 million (2019);[91] A$75.2 million (2020);[91] A$80.1 million (2021);[91] A$85.2 million (2022 est.);[91] A$93.8 (2023 proj.);[91] A$100.9 (2024 proj.);[91] A$107.9 (2025 proj.).[91]
Labor force - by occupation: people make a living mainly through exploitation of the sea, reefs, and atolls and from wages sent home by those working abroad in Australia and New Zealand and sailors working on merchant ships.
The economy of Nauru is tiny, based on a population in 2019 of only 11,550 people. The economy has historically been based on phosphate mining. With primary phosphate reserves exhausted by the end of the 2010s, Nauru has sought to diversify its sources of income. In 2020, Nauru's main sources of income were the sale of fishing rights in Nauru's territorial waters, and revenue from the Regional Processing Centre.
The economy of Seychelles is based on fishing, tourism, processing of coconuts and vanilla, coir rope, boat building, printing, furniture and beverages. Agricultural products include cinnamon, sweet potatoes, cassava (tapioca), bananas, poultry and tuna.
Tuvalu is an island country in the Polynesian subregion of Oceania in the Pacific Ocean, about midway between Hawaii and Australia. It lies east-northeast of the Santa Cruz Islands, northeast of Vanuatu, southeast of Nauru, south of Kiribati, west of Tokelau, northwest of Samoa and Wallis and Futuna, and north of Fiji.
Demographic features of the population of Tuvalu include the age structure, ethnicity, education level, life expectancy, religious affiliations and other aspects of the population.
The government of the Marshall Islands is the largest employer, employing 30.6% of the work force, down by 3.4% since 1988. GDP is derived mainly from payments made by the United States under the terms of the amended Compact of Free Association. Direct U.S. aid accounted for 60% of the Marshall Islands' $90 million budget.
A per capita GDP of $3,200 ranks Solomon Islands as a lesser developed nation. Over 75% of its labour force is engaged in subsistence farming and fishing.
The Tuvaluan dollar is one of the currencies of Tuvalu, whose unofficial international currency code is TVD. Tuvalu has never had banknotes of its own, and has been issuing coins since 1976. However, the Tuvaluan dollar is used as a unit of account, and is pegged to the Australian dollar at parity. From 1966 to 1976, Tuvalu officially used the Australian dollar. In 1976, Tuvalu began issuing its own coins, which continue to circulate alongside Australian coins. Tuvalu continues to use Australian banknotes. Tuvaluan coins are not legal tender in Australia. Similar to the Faroese króna's relationship to the Danish krone and the Panamanian balboa's relationship to the United States dollar, the Tuvaluan dollar is not an independent currency, but a variation of the Australian dollar.
The Tuvalu Overseas Seamen's Union (TOSU) is the only registered trade union in Tuvalu. It represents workers on foreign ships, and has a membership of 600.
Tuvalu – United States relations are bilateral relations between Tuvalu and the United States.
The Tuvalu Trust Fund is an international sovereign wealth fund established to benefit Tuvalu, a small, central Pacific island nation, by providing income to cover shortfalls in the national budget, underpin economic development, and help the nation achieve greater financial autonomy. The Tuvalu Trust Fund was established in 1987 by the United Kingdom, Australia and New Zealand.
Kausea Natano is a politician who served as the Prime Minister of Tuvalu from 19 September 2019 to 26 February 2024. He represented Funafuti as a Member of Parliament. He was first elected in the 2002 Tuvaluan general election and served as an MP until he was unseated in the 2024 Tuvaluan general election.
The Republic of Kiribati's per capita Gross National Product of US$1,420 (2010) makes it the poorest country in Oceania. Phosphates had been profitably exported from Banaba Island since the turn of the 20th century, but the deposits were exhausted in 1979. The economy now depends on foreign assistance and revenue from fishing licenses to finance its imports and development budget.
Climate change is particularly threatening for the long-term habitability of the island country of Tuvalu, which has a land area of only 26 square kilometres (10 sq mi) and an average elevation of less than 2 metres (6.6 ft) above sea level, with the highest point of Niulakita being about 4.6 metres (15 ft) above sea level. Potential threats to the country due to climate change include rising sea levels, increasingly severe tropical cyclones, high temperatures, and drought. King tides can combine with storm surges and the rising sea level to inundate the low lying atolls.
The Funafuti Conservation Area is a marine conservation area covering 33 square kilometers of reef, lagoon and motu (islets) on the western side of Funafuti atoll in Tuvalu. The marine environment of the conservation area includes reef, lagoon, channel and ocean; and are home to many species of fish, corals, algae and invertebrates. The islets are nesting sites for the green sea turtle and Fualopa hosts a breeding colony of black noddy.
The Tuvalu Maritime Training Institute (TMTI) is on Amatuku motu, on Funafuti atoll in Tuvalu. TMTI provides training to approximately 120 marine cadets each year, to provide them with the basic skills necessary for employment as seafarers on merchant shipping. TMTI operates under the Tuvalu Maritime Training Institute Act 2000.
Princess Margaret Hospital (PMH) on Funafuti atoll in Tuvalu is the only hospital in the country, and the primary provider of medical services for all the islands of Tuvalu. The hospital is located about 1.3 kilometres north from the centre of Funafuti on Fongafale islet.
The Sopoaga Ministry was the 14th ministry of the Government of Tuvalu, led by Prime Minister Enele Sopoaga. It succeeds the Telavi Ministry upon its swearing in by Governor-General Sir Iakoba Italeli on 5 August 2013.
Women in Tuvalu continue to maintain a traditional Polynesian culture within a predominantly Christian society. Tuvaluan cultural identity is sustained through an individual's connection to their home island. In the traditional community system in Tuvalu, each family has its own task, or salanga, to perform for the community. The skills of a family are passed on from parents to children. The women of Tuvalu participate in the traditional music of Tuvalu and in the creation of the art of Tuvalu including using cowrie and other shells in traditional handicrafts. There are opportunities of further education and paid employment with non-government organisations (NGOs) and government enterprises, education and health agencies being the primary opportunities for Tuvaluan women.
The National Bank of Tuvalu (NBT) is the sole provider of banking services in Tuvalu. These services include taking deposits, making loans, and engaging in foreign exchange transactions. In 2020, its assets were AUD$128 million, or 160% of the country's GDP.
As in much of Oceania, obesity is a major health issue in Tuvalu with 65% of men and 71% of women being overweight. In 2012 the birth rate on the islands was estimated at 23 per 1,000 people and life expectancy was 65.
↑ "Tuvalu". New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs & Trade. Archived from the original on 2015-07-03. Retrieved 22 December 2011.
↑ "Doing Business in Tuvalu"(PDF). Pacific Islands Trade and Investment Commission, Sydney Creating Opportunities Between Australia and the Pacific. Archived from the original(PDF) on 10 April 2012. Retrieved 21 December 2011.
1 2 Colin Ward, Darrell Freund, Mose Saitala and David Burrowes, for Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning of Tuvalu (July 2009). Technical Assistance Consultant's Report - Project Number: 41180-01-2. Asian Development Bank.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
↑ Jo Tacchi; Heather Horst; Evangelia Papoutsaki; Verena Thomas; Joys Eggins (6 October 2013). "State of Media & Communication Report - Tuvalu"(PDF). Pacific Media Assistance Scheme (PACMAS). Retrieved 5 January 2015.
↑ Tausoalima means “hand of friendship” and Falekaupule means traditional island meeting hall.
↑ Malefatuga is the area bounded by the Funafuti lagoon foreshore and the Fetu Ao Lima Church (“Morning Star”), where the Tausoalima is located. The old meaning of malefatuga is “challenge”, the place where conflicts were resolved. Its modern usage is “place of identity and confidence, where good deeds are recorded”.
↑ Te Kakeega II, (June 2008) prepared for the Donor Round Table Meeting in Suva in June 2008.
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