| Government | Tuvalu |
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Country name:
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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 |
Dependency status:
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void |
Government type:
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a parliamentary democracy and a Commonwealth realm |
Capital:
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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 located in Vaiaku Village on Fongafale Islet |
Administrative divisions:
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none |
Dependent areas:
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void |
Independence:
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1 October 1978 (from the UK) |
National holiday:
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Independence Day, 1 October (1978) |
Constitution:
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1 October 1978 |
Legal system:
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English common law supplemented by local customary law |
Suffrage:
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18 years of age; universal |
Executive branch:
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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:
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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:
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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:
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there are no political parties but members of Parliament usually align themselves in informal groupings |
Political pressure groups and leaders:
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none |
International organization participation:
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ACP, ADB, C, FAO, IFRCS (observer), IMO, IOC, ITU, OPCW, PIF, Sparteca, SPC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UPU, WHO |
Diplomatic representation in the US:
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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:
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the US does not have an embassy in Tuvalu; the US ambassador to Fiji is accredited to Tuvalu |
Flag description:
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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 |
Government - note:
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void |
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