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Asia and Oceania
Tuvalu |
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Last reviewed: 31 March 2009 |
Country information
Area: 26 sq km (16 sq mi)
Population: 12,177 (July 2008 est.)
Capital city: Funafuti
People: Polynesian 96%, Micronesian 4%
Languages: Tuvaluan, English, Samoan, Kiribati (on the island of Nui)
Religions: Church of Tuvalu (Congregationalist) 97% 1.4%, Baha'i 1%, Other 0.6%Currency: Australian dollar (AUD); there is also a Tuvaluan dollar, which exists only as coinage
Currency: Australian dollar (AUD); there is also a Tuvaluan dollar, which exists only as coinage
Major political parties: Independent, Westminster-style parliamentary democracy.
Government: Unicameral Parliament or Fale I Fono, also called House of Assembly (15 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)
Head of State: Queen Elizabeth II (since 6 February 1952), represented by Governor General HE the Reverend Filoimeia Telito GCMG MBE (since April 2005)
Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs & Labour:Hon Apisai Ielemia (since 14 August 2006)
Membership of international groups/ organisations: Africa, Caribbean and Pacific Group of States (ACP), Asian Development Bank (ADB), Commonwealth, Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP), Intelsat (nonsignatory user), International Telecommunication Union, South Pacific Regional Trade and Economic Co-operation Agreement (SPARTECA), Pacific Community (SPC), Pacific Island Forum (PIF), United Nations (UN), United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD ), United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO), Universal Postal Union (UPU), World Health Organisation (WHO), World Trade Organisation (WTO) (applicant)
Health
As in other developing countries, health care financing remains a problem in Tuvalu. However, the government is working towards improving it. Human resources are the main challenge.
The national health policy goals for Tuvalu are to prevent diseases, promote healthy lifestyles and raise the standard of living; to provide high quality primary, secondary and tertiary health services, to continually improve the effectiveness and efficiency of the health care delivery system, to develop all health services to be customer-focused and to produce and retain high quality personnel for the health services.
There is one hospital, located on the main island of Funafuti. The outer islands have clinics staffed by trained nurses. Health services are working to meet the new demands of the changing lifestyles (especially regarding diet) of the population.
