Tuvalu
Capital: Funafuti
Languages: Tuvaluan, English
GDP (PPP): $36.58 million
Currency: Tuvaluan Dollar
HDI: Not Counted
Population: 10,6440
Tuvalu, formerly known as the Ellice Islands, is a Polynesian island nation located in the Pacific Ocean, midway between Hawaii and Australia, lying east-northeast of the Santa Cruz Islands (belonging to the Solomons), southeast of Nauru, south of Kiribati, west of Tokelau, northwest of Samoa and Wallis and Futuna and north of Fiji. It comprises three reef islands and six true atolls spread out between the latitude of 5° to 10° south and longitude of 176° to 180°, west of the International Date Line. Tuvalu has a population of 10,640 (2012 census).The total land area of the islands of Tuvalu is 26 square kilometres (10 sq mi).
The first inhabitants of Tuvalu were Polynesians. The pattern of settlement that is believed to have occurred is that the Polynesians spread out from Samoa and Tonga into the Tuvaluan atolls, with Tuvalu providing a stepping stone to migration into the Polynesian Outlier communities in Melanesia and Micronesia.
In 1568, Spanish navigator Álvaro de Mendaña was the first European to sail through the archipelago, sighting the island of Nui during his expedition in search of Terra Australis. In 1819 the island of Funafuti was named Ellice’s Island; the name Ellice was applied to all nine islands after the work of English hydrographer Alexander George Findlay. The islands came under Britain’s sphere of influence in the late 19th century, when each of the Ellice Islands was declared a British Protectorate by Captain Gibson of HMS Curacoa between 9 and 16 October 1892. The Ellice Islands were administered as British protectorate by a Resident Commissioner from 1892 to 1916 as part of the British Western Pacific Territories (BWPT), and then as part of the Gilbert and Ellice Islands colony from 1916 to 1974.
A referendum was held in December 1974 to determine whether the Gilbert Islands and Ellice Islands should each have their own administration. As a consequence of the referendum, the Gilbert and Ellice Islands colony ceased to exist on 1 January 1976 and the separate British colonies of Kiribati and Tuvalu came into existence.
RESEARCH
Economic Overview
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Tuvalu Economy 2016, CIA World Factbook
http://www.theodora.com/wfbcurrent/tuvalu/tuvalu_economy.html
Tuvalu consists of a densely populated, scattered group of nine coral atolls with poor soil. Only eight of the atolls are inhabited. The country has no known mineral resources and few exports and is almost entirely dependent upon imported food and fuel. Subsistence farming and fishing are the primary economic activities.
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Tuvalu: Economy | Asian Development Bank
https://www.adb.org/countries/tuvalu/economy
Forecast growth in 2016 is revised down by half a percentage point as delays affect the implementation of infrastructure projects, but maritime projects funded by development partners are expected to maintain growth as forecast in 2017.
Industry Trends & Business Climate
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Tuvalu – International Trade Centre
http://www.intracen.org/country/tuvalu/
Tuvalu is classified as a Least Developed Country (LDC) & a Small Island Developing State (SIDS). Subsistence farming and fishing are the primary economic activities. Main exports are fish and related products mainly exported to Thailand, Japan and Australia. Tuvalu’s key imports include ship, boat and other floating structures, fuel, furniture and machinery.
Establishing a Presence
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Companies and Business Registration Act
http://tuvalu-legislation.tv/cms/images/LEGISLATION/PRINCIPAL/1978/1978-0002/CompaniesandBusinessRegistrationAct_1.pdf
2008 legislation regarding the formation and registration of a new company in Tuvalu
Taxes
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2016 VAT and GST global rates
http://www.vatlive.com/vat-rates/international-vat-and-gst-rates/
This country directory of VAT/sales tax rates lists Tuvalu’s at 5%
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tuvalu tax information – KnowYourCountry
http://www.knowyourcountry.com/tuvalu3.html
This site lists the corporate tax rate in Tuvalu at 40%
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Taxation – Tuvalu
http://www.nationsencyclopedia.com/Asia-and-Oceania/Tuvalu-TAXATION.html
The income of both nonresidents and foreign resident companies is taxed at a flat rate of 40%.
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tuvalu tax information – KnowYourCountry
http://www.knowyourcountry.com/tuvalu3.html
This site lists the personal tax rate in Tuvalu at 30%
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Taxation – Tuvalu
http://www.nationsencyclopedia.com/Asia-and-Oceania/Tuvalu-TAXATION.html#ixzz4Sp71HxBW
The personal income tax rate on chargeable income is 30%.
Visas
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Tuvalu Visa: Application, Requirements
https://tuvalu.visahq.com/
Comprehensive Information on Tuvalu Visa Requirements
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Tuvalu Visa and Passport Requirements
http://www.worldtravelguide.net/tuvalu/passport-visa
Tuvalu visa and passport requirements & Embassy and Colsulate addresses. Full detail on passports, visas and entry requirements for Tuvalu, including types, costs
Infrastructure
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Tuvalu Transportation – Taxi, Train, Bus & Airport Tips
https://www.virtualtourist.com/travel/Australia_and_Oceania/Tuvalu/Transportation-Tuvalu-TG-C-1.html
Tips on getting to and getting around Tuvalu from real travelers and locals.
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Tuvalu – Transportation
http://www.nationsencyclopedia.com/Asia-and-Oceania/Tuvalu-TRANSPORTATION.html
Transportation is inadequate. Most roads are little more than tracks, although Funafuti has about 19.5 km (12.1 mi) of coral-impacted roads for use by the island’s few cars and trucks.
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Tuvalu Telecommunications Corporation
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tuvalu_Telecommunications_Corporation
Tuvalu Telecommunications Corporation (TTC) is a state-owned enterprise of Tuvalu, which provides fixed line telephone communications to subscribers on each of the islands of Tuvalu. Each island in Tuvalu relies on TCC for the use of a satellite dish for inter-island telephone communication and internet access. TTC also provides mobile phone services on Funafuti,Vaitupu and Nukulaelae.
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Tuvalu’s First ISP – Internet Society
https://www.isoc.org/inet2000/cdproceedings/8d/8d_1.htm
A commentary on the establishment of Tuvalu’s Internet Service Provider (ISP)
Employer Obligations
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Legislation Tuvalu (Lexadin)
http://www.lexadin.nl/wlg/legis/nofr/oeur/lxwetuv.htm
See “Labor Law” on this site
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Tuvalu – a small island State tackles labour law reform
http://www.ilo.org/global/docs/WCMS_241030/lang--en/index.htm
Last year (2013) the Labour Ministry prioritised reviewing the Employment Act, Trade Unions Act and Industrial Relations Code to consider how it could be modernised and improve compliance with the eight Fundamental ILO Conventions.
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Legislation Tuvalu (Lexadin)
http://www.lexadin.nl/wlg/legis/nofr/oeur/lxwetuv.htm
See “Labor Law” on this site
Culture/Living
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Schools in Tuvalu – Commonwealth Education Online
http://www.cedol.org/pacific/tuvalu/schools_in_tuvalu/
There are seven years of compulsory education starting at the age of six. Primary school comprises seven years and secondary six, with cycles of four and two years. There are ten state primary schools, two on the island of Vaitupu and one on each of the other eight inhabited islands.
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Cost of Living in Tuvalu. Prices
https://www.numbeo.com/cost-of-living/country_result.jsp?country=Tuvalu
Average prices of more than 40 products and services in Tuvalu. Prices of restaurants, food, transportation, utilities and housing are included.
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Cost of Living in Tuvalu. 2016 prices
https://www.expatistan.com/cost-of-living/country/tuvalu
Cost of living comparisons in more than 1,600 cities all over the world.
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Culture of Tuvalu – history, people, clothing, traditions
http://www.everyculture.com/To-Z/Tuvalu.html
Valuable information for visitors on the culture of Tuvalu
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Tuvalu: Tipping & Etiquette – TripAdvisor
https://www.tripadvisor.com/Travel-g294481-s606/Tuvalu:Tipping.And.Etiquette.html
Dining etiquette in Tuvalu
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Climate of the World: Tuvalu
http://www.weatheronline.co.uk/reports/climate/Tuvalu.htm
The climate of Tuvalu can be described as a typical warm, tropical climate with two different seasons. The dry seasons are between December and begin February and from June to mid September; the rainy seasons last from February to end May, and from September to end November.
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Climate of Tuvalu, South Pacific
http://tuvalu.southpacific.org/tuvalu/climate.html
Tuvalu’s climate is warming faster than anywhere else in the South Pacific, and this has led to an increase in the frequency and severity of hurricanes.
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Tuvalu travel advice – GOV.UK
https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/tuvalu/safety-and-security
Latest travel advice for Tuvalu including safety and security, entry requirements, travel warnings and health
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Travel Advice and Advisories for Tuvalu
https://travel.gc.ca/destinations/tuvalu
Petty crime occurs. Ensure that your personal belongings, passports and other travel documents are secure at all times.
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Tuvalu – Researching Virtual Initiatives in Education
http://www.virtualschoolsandcolleges.eu/index.php/Tuvalu
This site discusses the various levels of education available in Tuvalu
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Tuvalu Public Holidays 2016 and 2017
http://publicholidays.asia/tuvalu/
Discover the complete list of Tuvalu’s public holidays for 2016 and 2017.
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Tuvalu 2016 / 2017 Holiday Calendar
http://holiday-calendar.com/tuvalu-public-holiday-calendar/1498/
Tuvalu 2016 / 2017 Public Holidays, BankHolidays, Government Holidays, School Holidays, Festivals
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Tuvalu – The World Factbook — Central Intelligence Agency
https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/tv.html
See “People and Society” on this CIA site
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Learn and talk about Demographics of Tuvalu
http://www.digplanet.com/wiki/Demographics_of_Tuvalu
Demographic facts and statistics of Tuvalu
Trade
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Customs: Regulations, Export-Import
https://cape-verde.visahq.com/customs/
A summary of import and export regulations
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Tuvalu Ratifies Trade Agreement
http://www.solomontimes.com/news/tuvalu-ratifies-trade-agreement/1683
The 2008 announcdement of Tuvalu’s ratification of the Pacific Island Countries Trade Agreement ((PICTA)
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Tuvalu – International Trade Centre
http://www.intracen.org/country/tuvalu/
Information on Tuvalu from the International Trade Centre (ITC)
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Tuvalu: Customs Act – WIPO
http://www.wipo.int/wipolex/en/text.jsp?file_id=197527
Full text of the Tuvalu Customs Act
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Tuvalu Customs Regulations
https://tuvalu.visahq.com/customs/
Tuvalu Customs regulations and procedures for importing and exporting goods at border.
Housing and Rentals
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Tuvalu – Travel And Accommodation Guide
http://www.janeresture.com/tuvcom/
See “Places to Stay” on this travel site
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The Best Tuvalu Accommodation of 2016
https://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotels-g294481-Tuvalu-Hotels.html
37 traveller reviews and 61 candid photos for Tuvalu hotels onTripAdvisor.
Travel
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Travelling to Tuvalu
http://www.tuvaluislands.com/travel.html
The official travel website for the government of Tuvalu. Complete with information on how to get to Tuvalu, accommodations and attractions.
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Tuvalu 2016: Best of Tuvalu Tourism
https://www.tripadvisor.com/Tourism-g294481-Tuvalu-Vacations.html
TripAdvisor has 132 reviews of Tuvalu Hotels, Attractions, and Restaurants making it your best Tuvalu resource.
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