- Population:
- 11,448
- Religion:
- Christianity
Tuvalu in the South Pacific is an independent island nation within the British Commonwealth. Its 9 islands comprise small thinly populated atolls and reef islands with palm-fringed beaches and WWII sites. Off Funafuti the capital the Funafuti Conservation Area offers calm waters for diving and snorkelling among sea turtles and tropical fish plus several uninhabited islets sheltering sea birds.
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. The agreement was subsequently renegotiated but details were not disclosed.
