Tuvalu - Society

Population: 10,000 (2006); around 1,000 Tuvaluans working temporarily abroad; population density on inhabited islands very high, especially on Funafuti; 49% lives in urban areas; growth 2% p.a. 1970–90 and 0.7% p.a. 1990–2006; birth rate (2005) 22 per 1,000 people; life expectancy 68 years (2004). In February 2000, a request was made to New Zealand for resettlement of about one-third of Tuvalu’s population which was threatened by rising sea levels.

The Tuvaluans are a Polynesian people.

Religion: Mainly Christians, mostly of Church of Tuvalu (Ekalesia Tuvalu), autonomous since 1968 and derived from the Congregationalist foundation of the London Missionary Society. There are small Roman Catholic communities on Nanumea and Nui, and some Seventh Day Adventists and Baha’is.

Language: Tuvaluan and English. The people of Nui Island speak the language of Kiribati, I-Kiribati.

Media: The government publishes Tuvalu Echoes fortnightly in English, and a news sheet, Sikuleo o Tuvalu, in Tuvaluan. Each island has a radio station and the Tuvalu Broadcasting Service transmits daily, but access to TV broadcasts is via satellite. Radio Tuvalu is government operated and broadcasts a number of domestic and international programmes. There are 162 internet users per 1,000 people (2006).

Education: There are eight years of compulsory education starting at age seven. The pupil–teacher ratio for primary is 25:1 and for secondary 25:1 (2001/02). The school year starts in January.

The Maritime Training School on Funafuti (founded in 1979) offers vocational, technical and commerce courses. Tuvalu is a partner in the regional University of the South Pacific, which has its main campus in Suva, Fiji Islands, and the university has an extension centre on Funafuti. Adult illiteracy is less than 5%.

Health: There is a hospital on Funafuti and dispensaries on all the permanently inhabited islands. Health is generally good; there are occasional outbreaks of mosquito-borne dengue fever but no malaria. 93% of the population uses an improved drinking water source and 89% adequate sanitation facilities (2006). Infant mortality was 31 per 1,000 live births in 2006.

Communications: Country code 688. Internet connections are mainly restricted to Funafuti. There is a post office in Funafuti that provides international postal services.
There are 85 main telephone lines and 124 mobile phone subscriptions per 1,000 people (2006).

Public holidays: New Year’s Day, Commonwealth Day (second Monday in March), Queen’s Official Birthday (June), National Children’s Day (early August), Tuvalu Day (Independence Day, 1–2 October), Christmas Day and Boxing Day.

Religious and other festivals whose dates vary from year to year include Good Friday and Easter Monday.