Do You Know Of A Country Called Tuvalu?
There is a country called Tuvalu. It’s in Oceania. You can tour the whole country in less than 20 minutes. The population is less than 11k. They have only 4 hotels and 1 police station. It is forbidden to ride a car. Only government officials are permitted to because there’s no space. The whole country is like one narrow road. The whole area is 26 km2 (10 sq mi). You can see the ocean on the right and the sea on the left. They have no university (People go to nearby Fiji for university), but education up to high school is free. It is estimated that Tuvalu will sink fully in the next 30 to 40 years. I found out about them today
They have only 3 people in their prison. You can leave your cell at 5 pm to go to work and come back. You literally can’t run. They have only one bank. No online banking and no debit or credit cards are allowed. They spend Australian dollars and it’s cash only. They spend their time eating, fishing, drinking and gambling. Their internet domain name .tv is one of their highest means of revenue. A company like Twitch that uses their domain name pays them well annually. They make about 12m aus dollars from their domain name yearly. They have stable electricity too 😂
Summary
Tuvalu is a small island nation located in the Pacific Ocean, about halfway between Hawaii and Australia. Here are some key facts about Tuvalu:
*Location:*
– Oceania, Pacific Islands
– Northeast of Fiji, north of New Zealand
*Geography:*
– 9 islands (6 atolls, 3 reef islands)
– Total area: 26 km² (10.0 sq mi)
– Population density: 465 people/km² (1,204/sq mi)
*Capital:* Funafuti
*Population:* Approximately 11,700 (2020 estimate)
*Language:* Tuvaluan, English (official)
*Currency:* Tuvaluan dollar, Australian dollar
*Government:* Constitutional monarchy (Queen Elizabeth II represented by Governor-General)
*Economy:*
– Fishing, copra (dried coconut meat) production, and licensing fees from foreign fishing vessels
– Heavy reliance on foreign aid
*Challenges:*
– Climate change: Rising sea levels, increased storm frequency, and saltwater contamination threaten the islands’ existence
– Freshwater scarcity
– Limited economic opportunities
*Unique facts:*
– Tuvalu is one of the smallest countries in the world, both by area and population
– The country’s domain suffix (.tv) is popular globally for television-related websites
– Tuvalu was previously known as the Ellice Islands
*History:*
– Polynesian settlement around 1000 BC
– British protectorate (1892-1916), then colony (1916-1978)
– Independence on October 1, 1978
Tuvalu faces significant environmental and economic challenges but remains a unique and fascinating Pacific island nation.
Don Olive
donolive1@gmail.com
