The first Europeans came to the islands in the period 1568-1826. British missionaries came from Samoa in the 1860s. At about the same time, the islands were hit by slave trade and European diseases. From 1850 to 1875, the population must have decreased from 20,000 to 3,000 people. In 1892, the area together with the Gilbert Islands became a British protectorate, the Gilbert and Ellice Islands Colony. The islands were outside the combat zone during World War II. In a 1974 referendum, Tuvalu parted ways with the Gilbert Islands, which became part of Kiribati. On October 1, 1978, Tuvalu became an independent monarchy within the Commonwealth of Nations. The island nation has long emerged as one of the region’s most stable democracies with sound finances and an independent judiciary. Since the turn of the millennium, political conditions have been more unstable with many shifts of power.
- Countryaah: Check to see the location of Tuvalu on the world map. Also covers major mountains, rivers and lakes in Tuvalu.
Tuvalu came into conflict with the British government in 1992 after demanding compensation for the poor constitution of the island’s economy and infrastructure allegedly at the end of the colonial rule. One of the objections was that during the Second World War, the British allowed the United States to build a base that still makes almost half the main atoll Funafuti uninhabitable. The claims were rejected. The government responded to this by removing the Union Jack from the Tuvalu flag, but later withdrew the old flag. The edition without Union Jack was thus only in use 1995-97. A proposal to leave the Commonwealth of Nations and no longer recognize the British monarch as head of state was rejected by the National Assembly. To see more information other than history, please visit Abbreviationfinder to learn more about climate, population, government, and economy for the country of Tuvalu.
A report from the United Nations Environment Program in 1989 warned that Tuvalu is one of five archipelagos that is particularly threatened by the so-called greenhouse effect. In the 1990s, Tuvalu repeatedly brought the issue to the forefront of international forums, with recommendations to industrialized countries for immediate action on climate change. Tuvalu believes the greenhouse effect and global climate change may be causing a dramatic increase in the frequency of cyclones and tropical storms. Protests have primarily been directed to the US for wrecking the Kyoto agreement. The government has asked Australia and New Zealand to welcome Tuvalers when they are expected to leave the island kingdom sometime in the future. Only New Zealand has expressed its willingness to accept a limited number of Tuvalers. Australia has established a research station to monitor changes in water levels, which are expected to rise 5 mm annually.
Demography and economic geography. – Island state of Oceania, in the central-western Pacific Ocean. The estimated population for 2012 was 10,619 residents, with a very high density (414.32 residents / km2); according to an estimate by UNDESA (United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs) in 2014 the residents were 9894. The country’s economy depends largely on international aid (66% of GDP), especially from the United Kingdom and Taiwan, and on the granting of fishing licenses. Unemployment in 2012 reached 40%. Strong concerns are related to the rise in sea level caused by climate change, against which Tuvalu is actively engaged internationally.