Tuvalu: Geography#
| Location | Oceania, island group consisting of nine coral atolls in the South Pacific Ocean, about one-half of the way from Hawaii to Australia |
|---|---|
| Geographic Coordinates | 8 00 S, 178 00 E -8.0,178.0 |
| Area | total: 26 sq km land: 26 sq km water: 0 sq km [Verified in 8 databases] |
| Land boundaries | 0 km |
| Coastline | 24 km |
| Elevation Extremes | lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: unnamed location 5 m |
| Highest Mountains | |
| Terrain | low-lying and narrow coral atolls |
| Natural Hazards | severe tropical storms are usually rare, but in 1997 there were three cyclones; low levels of islands make them sensitive to changes in sea level |
| Natural Resource | fish |
| Land Use | arable land: 0% permanent crops: 60% other: 40% (2011) |
| Climate | tropical; moderated by easterly trade winds (March to November); westerly gales and heavy rain (November to March) |
| Irrigated Land | NA |
| Renewable Water Resources | NA |
| Environment_CurrentIssues | since there are no streams or rivers and groundwater is not potable, most water needs must be met by catchment systems with storage facilities (the Japanese Government has built one desalination plant and plans to build one other); beachhead erosion because of the use of sand for building materials; excessive clearance of forest undergrowth for use as fuel; damage to coral reefs from the spread of the Crown of Thorns starfish; Tuvalu is concerned about global increases in greenhouse gas emissions and their effect on rising sea levels, which threaten the country's underground water table; in 2000, the government appealed to Australia and New Zealand to take in Tuvaluans if rising sea levels should make evacuation necessary |
| Environment - international agreements | party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Whaling signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements |
| Large Cities | Due to difference in city rankings taken from two data sources we are listing here both lists : According to Wolfram: Vaiaku; Asau; Lolua; Savave; Kua According to Geonames: Funafuti; Alapi Village; Fakifou Village; Senala Village; Savave Village Attempted Explanation: Please help us to try to explain the discrepancies by sending us helpful information to office nospam@TUGraz.at @global-geography.org |
| Geography-note | one of the smallest and most remote countries on Earth; six of the nine coral atolls - Nanumea, Nui, Vaitupu, Nukufetau, Funafuti, and Nukulaelae - have lagoons open to the ocean; Nanumaya and Niutao have landlocked lagoons; Niulakita does not have a lagoon |