How old is Tuvalu?

On 1 October 1978, Tuvalu became fully independent as a sovereign state within the Commonwealth realm. On 5 September 2000, Tuvalu became the 189th member of the United Nations….

What is the old name of Tuvalu?

Tuvalu, formerly Ellice Islands, country in the west-central Pacific Ocean.

How did Tuvalu get its name?

Eight of the nine islands of Tuvalu were inhabited; thus the name, Tuvalu, means “eight standing together” in Tuvaluan (compare to *walo meaning “eight” in Proto-Austronesian).

What language does Tuvalu speak?

Tuvaluan
English
Tuvalu/Official languages

Who first discovered Tuvalu?

Álvaro de Mendaña de Neira
History of Tuvalu Europeans first discovered the islands in the 16th century through the voyages of Álvaro de Mendaña de Neira, but it was only from the 1820s, with visits by whalers and traders, that they were reliably placed on European charts.

What makes Tuvalu so special?

Tuvalu is one of the smallest countries in the world. To put that into perspective, 23,000 people work at the Pentagon, which is a single building! In terms of total area, the country has only 26 km2 (10 mi2) of land, making it the third smallest country behind Monaco and Nauru.

How do you say hello in Tuvalu?

How to say hello in Tuvalu? In Tuvalu you will hear the greeting Tālofa all the time, meaning hello, and also Tōfā meaning goodbye. By the end of your stay you will be very into saying Tālofa, sometimes transliterated as Ta’alofa. This greeting is also used in Samoa, and is the same meaning as aloha in Hawaii.

How do I say hello in Tuvalu?

What do people in Tuvalu do for fun?

Get active on the airstrip. Of course during the day it’s too hot and humid to be outside, but come late afternoon, people gather there to walk and talk or play soccer, volleyball or touch football. Join in, watch from the grassy sidelines or just enjoy the open space and cooling sea breeze.

What are some Tuvalu traditions?

Tuvalu has a strong tradition of volunteerism, whereby persons and families present food, services, and money to the community on occasions such as a child’s educational achievement or a wedding.

Is Tuvalu safe?

While basic, Tuvalu has to be one of the safest places in the world to visit. There is hardly anything for a traveler to worry about as violent crime is virtually non-existent, and when it does happen it usually involves alcohol and family disputes.

What languages are spoken in Tuvalu?

Tuvaluan is an Austronesian language. It is spoken by the Tuvaluan people on the island of Tuvalu.

What do people eat in Tuvalu?

The Tuvaluan diet is comprised of pulaka, fuaga mei (breadfruit), futi (plantains or cooking bananas), cooked or raw fish, crayfish, pork, chicken, and such local vegetables as laulu (spinach). Many dishes are prepared in lolo (coconut cream). Tropical fruits like oolesi (papaya) and bananas are eaten.

What is Tuvalu like?

Tuvalu is an archipelago in the Pacific Ocean. The country, with a population of more than 10,000 is surrounded by other tropical paradises such as Fiji, the Solomon Islands and Wallis and Futuna . Tuvalu is situated just above sea level, just like the Maldives. That’s why the country is very vulnerable to hurricanes.

What is the political history of Tuvalu?

Due to the small population size and scale of the 16 seat parliament, Tuvalu has no political parties , meaning that the political system in Tuvalu exhibits the traits of a Non-partisan democracy . During the time Tuvalu was a British dependency the parliament was called the House of the Assembly or Fale i Fono.