Tuvalu

Tuvalu
Status	Independent State
Social and Moral Index	139th best
Capital	Funafuti
Land Area	30km21
Location	Australasia, Polynesia
Groupings	Small Islands
Population	11 5082
Life Expectancy	64.55yrs (2017)3
GNI	$6 351 (2017)4
ISO3166-1 Codes	TV, TUV, 7985
Internet Domain	.tv6
Currency	Dollar (AUD)7
Telephone	+6888

1. Overview
2. Tuvalu National and Social Development
3. Tuvalu's Demographics and Migration
4. Tuvalu's Human Rights, Equality & Tolerance
5. Tuvalu's Health
6. Tuvalu's Responsibility Towards The Environment
7. Tuvalu's Modernity and Learning
8. Economic Inequality and Poverty
9. Religion and Beliefs
10. Links

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1. Overview

#new_zealand

“In 1974, ethnic differences within the British colony of the Gilbert and Ellice Islands caused the Polynesians of the Ellice Islands to vote for separation from the Micronesians of the Gilbert Islands. The following year, the Ellice Islands became the separate British colony of Tuvalu. Independence was granted in 1978. In 2000, Tuvalu negotiated a contract leasing its Internet domain name ".tv" for $50 million in royalties over a 12-year period.”

CIA's The World Factbook (2013)₉

“Approaching Tuvalu by plane, after miles of dull ocean, a dazzling smear of turquoise appears, ringed with coral and studded with palm-topped islets - a vulnerable Pacific paradise. The landmass of Fongafale, Tuvalu´s main island, is so startlingly narrow that as the plane nears the airstrip it seems as if it´s about to tip into the ocean.

Unfortunately, environmental concerns have focused international attention on Tuvalu. As an atoll nation, the major long-term ecological threat to Tuvalu comes from global warming and rising sea levels. As well as shoreline erosion, water bubbles up through the porous coral on which the islands are based, and causes widespread salt contamination of areas used to grow staple crops. Over the past few years, king tides - the biggest swells of the year - have been higher than ever. If sea levels continue to rise as predicted, the islands could be wiped off the face of the earth.

What will happen to the population if Tuvalu does start to go under? New Zealand currently accepts 75 migrants a year and has said it will absorb Tuvalu´s population if it comes to that.”

"The World" by Lonely Planet (2014)₁₀

2. Tuvalu National and Social Development

#economics #human_development #wealth

UN HDI (2021)11
Pos.		Higher is better Value11
1	Switzerland	0.962
2	Norway	0.961
3	Iceland	0.959
	...
127	Bhutan	0.666
128	Cape Verde	0.662
129	Bangladesh	0.661
130	Tuvalu	0.641
131	Marshall Islands	0.639
132	India	0.633
133	Ghana	0.632
134	Micronesia	0.628
	Australasia Avg	0.70
	World Avg	0.72
q=191.

Gross National Income Per-Capita (2021)11
Pos.		Higher is better PPP $11
1	Liechtenstein	$146 830
2	Singapore	$90 919
3	Qatar	$87 134
	...
126	Tonga	$6 822
127	India	$6 590
128	Palestine	$6 583
129	Tuvalu	$6 351
130	Belize	$6 309
131	Cape Verde	$6 230
132	Ghana	$5 745
133	Nicaragua	$5 625
	Australasia Avg	$12 519
	World Avg	$20 136
q=193.

Social & Moral Development Index12
Pos.		Lower is better Avg Rank12
1	Denmark	27.4
2	Norway	27.6
3	Sweden	30.4
	...
136	Kenya	107.3
137	Timor-Leste (E. Timor)	107.9
138	Nauru	108.2
139	Tuvalu	108.4
140	Lesotho	108.5
141	Micronesia	108.6
142	Zambia	111.5
143	Samoa	112.0
	Australasia Avg	95.3
	World Avg	89.7
q=198.

The United Nations produces an annual Human Development Report which includes the Human Development Index. The factors taken into account include life expectancy, education and schooling and Gross National Income (GNI) amongst many others..

The Social and Moral Development Index concentrates on moral issues and human rights, violence, public health, equality, tolerance, freedom and effectiveness in climate change mitigation and environmentalism, and on some technological issues. A country scores higher for achieving well in those areas, and for sustaining that achievement in the long term. Those countries towards the top of this index can truly said to be setting good examples and leading humankind onwards into a bright, humane, and free future. See: Which are the Best Countries in the World? The Social and Moral Development Index.

3. Tuvalu's Demographics and Migration

#birth_control #demographics #fertility #health #immigration #life_expectancy #longevity #migration #overpopulation #population #yemen

Population:

Tuvalu's population is predicted to fall to 11 000 by 2030. This country has a fertility rate of 3.14. The fertility rate is, in simple terms, the average amount of children that each woman has. The higher the figure, the quicker the population will grow, although, to calculate the rate you also need to take into account morbidity - the rate at which people die. If people live healthy and long lives and morbidity is low, then, 2.0 approximates to the replacement rate (two new children for each set of parents who die), which would keep the population stable. If all countries had such a fertility rate, population growth would end. The actual replacement rate in most developed countries is around 2.1. The highest fertility rate ever detected in a single year was in Yemen in 1985, at 8.86.₁₃

Population2
Pos.		2018 Population2
1	China	1.4b
2	India	1.4b
3	USA	327.1m
	...
188	Marshall Islands	58 413
189	St Kitts & Nevis	52 441
190	Monaco	38 682
191	Liechtenstein	37 910
192	San Marino	33 785
193	Palau	17 907
194	Tuvalu	11 508
195	Nauru	10 670
	World Avg	39.0m
q=195.

Life Expectancy Higher is better11
Pos.		2021 Years11
1	Monaco	85.9
2	Hong Kong	85.5
3	Japan	84.8
	...
149	Marshall Islands	65.3
150	Sudan	65.3
151	Ethiopia	65.0
152	Tuvalu	64.5
153	Madagascar	64.5
154	Mauritania	64.4
155	Ghana	63.8
156	Yemen	63.8
	World Avg	71.28
q=195.

Fertility Rate 2.0 is best14
Pos.		202214
1	US Virgin Islands	2.00
2	Ecuador	2.00
3	Nepal	2.01
	...
150	Kazakhstan	3.05
151	Puerto Rico	0.90
152	Tajikistan	3.14
153	Tuvalu	3.14
154	Papua New Guinea	3.17
155	Tonga	3.19
156	S. Korea	0.78
157	Namibia	3.25
	World Avg	2.47
q=208.

• The Population of the Earth
• Abortion, Birth Control and Contraception

Migration:

Immigrants15
Pos.		2017 %15
1	UAE	88.4%
2	Kuwait	75.5%
3	Qatar	65.2%
	...
143	Niger	1.4%
144	Yemen	1.4%
145	Bolivia	1.3%
146	Tuvalu	1.3%
147	Malawi	1.3%
148	Sierra Leone	1.3%
149	Guinea-Bissau	1.3%
150	Vanuatu	1.2%
	World Avg	9.4%
q=195.

4. Tuvalu's Human Rights, Equality & Tolerance

#equality #freedom #freethought #gender_equality #homosexuality #human_rights #international_law #morals #politics #prejudice #religious_tolerance #tolerance #women

Compared to Australasia (2025)16
Pos.		Lower is better Avg Rank16
1	New Zealand	16.0
2	Australia	22.2
3	Fiji	100.3
	...
7=	Nauru	115.2
7=	Kiribati	115.2
9	Papua New Guinea	120.2
10	Tonga	122.4
11	Vanuatu	123.3
12	Samoa	125.3
13	Tuvalu	132.2
14	Cook Islands	144.5
15	Solomon Islands	151.2
	Australasia Avg	107.7
q=15.

Human Rights, Equality & Tolerance (2025)16
Pos.		Lower is better Avg Rank16
1	Sweden	8.5
2	Denmark	13.5
3	Norway	13.5
	...
174	Turkmenistan	130.1
175	Burundi	130.4
176	Congo, DR	130.9
177	Tuvalu	132.2
178	Myanmar (Burma)	133.8
179	Zimbabwe	134.5
180	Chad	134.6
181	Equatorial Guinea	135.4
	World Avg	87.8
q=200.

The best countries in the world at ensuring human rights, fostering equality and promoting tolerance, are Sweden, Denmark and Norway₁₇. These countries are displaying the best traits that humanity has to offer. The worst countries are Somalia, The Vatican City and Sudan₁₇.

The data sets used to calculate points for each country are statistics on supporting press freedom, eliminating modern slavery, supporting personal, civil & economic freedoms, its average Freedom in the World rating, commentary in Human Rights Watch reports, its nominal commitment to Human Rights, speed of uptake of HR treaties, opposing gender inequality, the rate of gender bias (from 7 indicators), the year from which women could participate in democracy, its success in fighting anti-semitic prejudice, LGBT equality and freethought. The regions with the best average results per country are Scandinavia, Baltic States and Europe₁₇, whereas the worst are Melanesia, The Middle East and Micronesia₁₇.

For more, see:

• " Which are the Best Countries for Human Rights, Equality and Tolerance?" by Vexen Crabtree (2025).

Human Rights & Tolerance:

Freedom in the World Lower is better
Pos.		2024 Score
1=	Norway	1.0
1=	Canada	1.0
1=	Cape Verde	1.0
	...
33=	Uruguay	1.0
33=	Australia	1.0
33=	UK	1.0
33=	Tuvalu	1.0
33=	Switzerland	1.0
33=	Sweden	1.0
42	France	1.5
43=	St Kitts & Nevis	1.5
	Australasia Avg	1.8
	World Avg	3.7
q=205.

Nominal Commitment to HR Higher is better18
Pos.		2009 Treaties18
1	Argentina	24
2=	Chile	23
2=	Costa Rica	23
	...
182	Brunei	6
183=	Tonga	6
183=	Pakistan	6
185	Tuvalu	5
186=	Micronesia	5
186=	Singapore	5
186=	Nauru	5
189	Marshall Islands	4
	Australasia Avg	8.7
	World Avg	15.1
q=194.

HR Treaties Lag Lower is better19
Pos.		2019 Avg Yrs/Treaty19
1	Ecuador	2.15
2	Uruguay	2.25
3	Tunisia	3.65
	...
188	Kiribati	15.80
189	Solomon Islands	15.81
190	Nauru	16.16
191	Sao Tome & Principe	16.17
192	Tuvalu	16.33
193	Palau	16.34
194	Marshall Islands	16.34
195	Palestine	17.21
	Australasia Avg	14.35
	World Avg	10.02
q=195.

Gender Equality:

See:

• "Religion Versus Womankind" by Vexen Crabtree

Year Women Can Vote Lower is better
Pos.		Total Year
1	New Zealand	1893
2	Australia	1902
3	Finland	1906
	...
148=	Papua New Guinea	1964
149	Lesotho	1965
150=	Botswana	1965
151	Tuvalu	1967
152=	Kiribati	1967
152=	Ecuador	1967
154	Swaziland	1968
155=	Nauru	1968
	Australasia Avg	1962
	World Avg	1930
q=189.

Prejudice:

LGBT Equality Higher is better20
Pos.		2017 Score20
1	Netherlands	103
2	Belgium	90
3	Sweden	86
	...
177=	Angola	-30
177=	Uzbekistan	-30
177=	Tonga	-30
177=	Tuvalu	-30
181	Mauritania	-32
182	UAE	-34
183=	Kuwait	-37
183=	Algeria	-37
	Australasia Avg	07.1
	World Avg	12.6
q=196.

Freedom of Thought Lower is better21
Pos.		202121
1=	Belgium	1.0
1=	Netherlands	1.0
1=	Taiwan	1.0
	...
102	Moldova	3.0
103=	Serbia	3.0
103=	Cyprus	3.0
103=	Tuvalu	3.0
103=	Mexico	3.0
103=	El Salvador	3.0
103=	Cambodia	3.0
109	Zambia	3.3
	Australasia Avg	2.6
	World Avg	3.0
q=196.

5. Tuvalu's Health

#alcohol #birth_control #demographics #health #life_expectancy #longevity #obesity #overpopulation #vaccines

Compared to Australasia (2020)22
Pos.		Lower is better Avg Rank22
1	Australia	84.1
2	New Zealand	86.1
3=	Fiji	86.9
	...
8	Tonga	106.4
9	Micronesia	111.3
10=	Samoa	112.6
11	Tuvalu	120.6
12	Papua New Guinea	122.8
13	Cook Islands	123.7
14	Nauru	141.0
15	Palau	146.0
16	Marshall Islands	150.0
	Australasia Avg	111.0
q=16.

Health (2020)22
Pos.		Lower is better Avg Rank22
1	Monaco	13.0
2	Maldives	41.7
3	Sri Lanka	43.1
	...
174=	Guinea-Bissau	118.6
174=	Mozambique	118.6
176	Togo	119.1
177	Tuvalu	120.6
178	Ukraine	120.6
179	Swaziland	120.8
180	Burkina Faso	121.5
181	Central African Rep.	122.1
	World Avg	95.1
q=198.

The countries with the best overall approach to public health, in terms of both public policy and individual lifestyle choices, are Monaco, The Maldives and Sri Lanka₂₃. These countries are worth emulating. And, although often through no fault of the average citizen, the worst countries are S. Sudan, The Marshall Islands and Nigeria₂₃.

The data sets used to calculate points for each country are its average life expectancy, its alcohol consumption rate, its fertility rate, its smoking rate, its suicide rate, its food aid and health contributions and WHO compliance, the prevalence of overweight adults, its adolescent birth rate and its immunizations take-up. The regions with the best average results per country are Scandinavia, Asia and The Mediterranean₂₃, whereas the worst are Micronesia, Africa and Australasia₂₃.

For more, see:

• "Countries With the Healthiest Cultures and Health Policies" by Vexen Crabtree (2020).

Health:

Tuvalu has some poor policies and cultural issues which cause some public health problems. Tuvalu does better than average in its alcohol consumption rate₂₄ and in its immunizations take-up₂₅. And finally, it does worse than average in its average life expectancy₁₁ (one of the worst in Australasia) and in its fertility rate₁₄. The number of overweight adults has increased by 14% over the past 40 years. Life expectancy in Tuvalu improved by just +2.6yrs in the 30 years from 1990, significantly less than almost everywhere else in the world. Tuvalu's peak fertility rate was 4.78 in 1960.

Life Expectancy Higher is better11
Pos.		2021 Years11
1	Monaco	85.9
2	Hong Kong	85.5
3	Japan	84.8
	...
149	Marshall Islands	65.3
150	Sudan	65.3
151	Ethiopia	65.0
152	Tuvalu	64.5
153	Madagascar	64.5
154	Mauritania	64.4
155	Ghana	63.8
156	Yemen	63.8
	Australasia Avg	70.11
	World Avg	71.28
q=195.

Alcohol Consumption Lower is better24
Pos.		2016 Per Capita24
1	Bangladesh	0.0
2	Kuwait	0.0
3	Libya	0.0
	...
35=	Tonga	1.5
35=	Lebanon	1.5
37	Chad	1.6
38	Tuvalu	1.7
39=	Madagascar	1.9
39=	Tunisia	1.9
39=	Bahrain	1.9
42	Qatar	2.0
	Australasia Avg	4.3
	World Avg	6.2
q=189.

Fertility Rate 2.0 is best14
Pos.		202214
1	US Virgin Islands	2.00
2	Ecuador	2.00
3	Nepal	2.01
	...
150	Kazakhstan	3.05
151	Puerto Rico	0.90
152	Tajikistan	3.14
153	Tuvalu	3.14
154	Papua New Guinea	3.17
155	Tonga	3.19
156	S. Korea	0.78
157	Namibia	3.25
	Australasia Avg	2.82
	World Avg	2.47
q=208.

Overweight Adults Lower is better26
Pos.		2016 %26
1	Vietnam	18.3
2	India	19.7
3	Bangladesh	20.0
	...
184	Tonga	78.5
185	Kiribati	78.7
186	Niue	80.0
187	Tuvalu	81.9
188	Marshall Islands	83.5
189	Cook Islands	84.7
190	Palau	85.1
191	Nauru	88.5
	Australasia Avg	73.3
	World Avg	49.0
q=191.

Children's Health:

Infant Immunizations 2011-2015 Higher is better25
Pos.		2015 Avg %25
1=	Hungary	99.0
1=	China	99.0
3	Uzbekistan	98.9
	...
69=	Macedonia	95.2
70	Belize	95.1
71	Algeria	95.0
72	Tuvalu	94.9
73	Eritrea	94.7
74	Singapore	94.6
75	UK	94.6
76	Solomon Islands	94.5
	Australasia Avg	86.4
	World Avg	88.3
q=194.

6. Tuvalu's Responsibility Towards The Environment

#biodiversity #deforestation #over-exploitation #the_environment

This rank is calculated from 2 data sets. Tuvalu does better than average in its forested percent change 2000-2020₂₇. And finally, it falls into the worst-performing 20 for how quickly it ratified the 1993 Convention on Biological Diversity.

Forest Area Change 2000-2020 Higher is better27
Pos.		Total27
1	Guernsey	82.6%
2	Bahrain	75.2%
3	Iceland	64.7%
	...
98=	Afghanistan	0.0%
98=	Vatican City	0.0%
98=	Vanuatu	0.0%
98=	Tuvalu	0.0%
98=	Nauru	0.0%
98=	Seychelles	0.0%
98=	St Martin	0.0%
98=	St Kitts & Nevis	0.0%
	Australasia Avg	0.1%
	World Avg	-0.1%
q=234.

Convention on Biological Diversity Earlier is better
Pos.		Total Signed
1=	China	1993 Dec 29
1=	Guinea	1993 Dec 29
1=	Cook Islands	1993 Dec 29
	...
184	Kuwait	2002 Oct 31
185	Bosnia & Herzegovina	2002 Nov 24
186	Afghanistan	2002 Dec 18
187	Tuvalu	2003 Mar 20
188	Thailand	2004 Jan 29
189	Montenegro	2006 Jun 03
190	Timor-Leste (E. Timor)	2007 Jan 08
191	Brunei	2008 Jul 27
	Australasia Avg	1899 Dec 30
	World Avg	1899 Dec 30
q=197.

7. Tuvalu's Modernity and Learning

#education #modernity #technology #the_internet

Compared to Australasia (2020)28
Pos.		Lower is better Avg Rank28
1	New Zealand	19.4
2	Australia	20.8
3	Palau	59.3
	...
8	Nauru	99.0
9	Marshall Islands	102.8
10	Samoa	103.4
11	Vanuatu	117.0
12	Micronesia	131.3
13	Kiribati	143.0
14	Tuvalu	148.0
15	Papua New Guinea	150.4
16	Solomon Islands	152.7
	Australasia Avg	98.4
q=16.

Modernity & Learning (2020)28
Pos.		Lower is better Avg Rank28
1	Finland	7.7
2	Taiwan	10.0
3	Switzerland	14.7
	...
191	Kiribati	143.0
192	Gambia	144.0
193	Central African Rep.	146.3
194	Tuvalu	148.0
195	Equatorial Guinea	149.3
196	Papua New Guinea	150.4
197	Chad	150.6
198	Niger	151.0
	World Avg	82.7
q=205.

Modernity and Education:

In the 2010s, Tuvalu decreased its expected duration of education by 1.3 years, which was the fourth-largest decrease of any country in that decade. ₂₉

Length of Schooling Higher is better30
Pos.		2021 Years30
1	Australia	21.1
2	New Zealand	20.3
3	Greece	20.0
	...
175	Ethiopia	9.7
176	Sierra Leone	9.6
177	Gambia	9.4
178	Tuvalu	9.4
179	Mauritania	9.4
180	Tanzania	9.2
181	Syria	9.2
182	Burkina Faso	9.1
	Australasia Avg	13.4
	World Avg	13.5
q=193.

Technology and Information:

IPv6 Uptake Higher is better31
Pos.		2017 Ratio31
1	Belgium	55.4
2	Germany	41.8
3	Switzerland	35.1
	...
116=	New Caledonia	0.0
116=	Maldives	0.0
118	Tunisia	0.0
119=	Tuvalu	0.0
119=	Marshall Islands	0.0
119=	Georgia	0.0
119=	Swaziland	0.0
119=	Mongolia	0.0
	Australasia Avg	1.55
	World Avg	3.82
q=176.

8. Economic Inequality and Poverty

#capitalism #economics #inequality #social_development

Income Inequality (Gini Coefficient) Lower is better32
Pos.		2023 %32
1	Slovakia	24.1%33
2	Slovenia	24.3%33
3	Belarus	24.4%34
	...
112=	El Salvador	38.8%35
112=	Laos	38.8%36
114	Bulgaria	39.0%33
115	Tuvalu	39.1%37
116	Suriname	39.2%35
117	Morocco	39.5%38
118	Micronesia	40.1%38
119	Jamaica	40.2%33
	Australasia Avg	34.8%
	World Avg	36.5%
q=167.

Income inequality data for Tuvalu is only available for the year 2010.

9. Religion and Beliefs

#buddhism #christianity #hinduism #islam #judaism

Data from the Pew Forum, a professional polling outfit, states that in 2010 the religious makeup of this country was as follows in the table below₃₉:

Christian	96.7%
Muslim	0.1%
Hindu	0.1%
Buddhist	0.1%
Folk Religion	0.1%
Jewish	0.1%
Unaffiliated	1.3%

The CIA World Factbook has slightly different data, and states: Protestant 98.4% (Church of Tuvalu (Congregationalist) 97%, Seventh-Day Adventist 1.4%), Baha'i 1%, other 0.6%₄₀.

Links:

• A List of All Religions and Belief Systems