Tuvalu

Tuvalu is an island group consisting of nine coral atolls in the South Pacific Ocean, about halfway from Hawaii to Australia, with low-lying and narrow coral formations. The climate is tropical, moderated by easterly trade winds from March to November, with westerly gales and heavy rain from November to March. Funafuti serves as the capital, and Tuvalu has a population of approximately 11,824 people who speak Tuvaluan and English.

Tuvalu has an upper middle-income Pacific island economy that is extremely environmentally fragile, with its currency pegged to the Australian dollar and significant reliance on international aid. Key industries include fishing, and the country’s primary natural resource is fish and coconut for copra production. Tuvalu generates income from domain name licensing and faces severe environmental threats from climate change and rising sea levels.