Tuvalu Government

What is the capital of Tuvalu?

Country Name Tuvalu
Full Country Name none
Local - Long none
Local - Short Tuvalu
Former Name Ellice Islands
Etymology- history of name "tuvalu" means "group of eight" referring to the country's eight traditionally inhabited islands
Government Type parliamentary democracy (House of Assembly) under a constitutional monarchy; a Commonwealth realm
Capital Name Funafuti; note - the capital is an atoll of some 29 islets; administrative offices are in Vaiaku Village on Fongafale Islet
Capital - geographic coordinate 8 31 S, 179 13 E
Capital Time Difference UTC+12 (17 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
Independence 1 October 1978 (from the UK)
National Holiday Independence Day, 1 October (1978)
Constitution previous 1978 (at independence); latest effective 1 October 1986; amended 2007, 2010, 2013

Tuvalu Capital City Map

Source: Google Maps

Tuvalu Government and Politics

Who is the president of Tuvalu?

Executive Branch: chief of state: King CHARLES III (since 8 September 2022); represented by Governor General Tofiga Vaevalu FALANI (since 29 August 2021)

head of government: Prime Minister Kausea NATANO (since 19 September 2019)

cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the governor general on recommendation of the prime minister

elections/appointments: the monarchy is hereditary; governor general appointed by the monarch on recommendation of the prime minister; prime minister and deputy prime minister elected by and from members of House of Assembly following parliamentary elections

election results: Kausea NATANO elected prime minister by House of Assembly; House of Assembly vote count on 19 September 2019 - 10 to 6
Citizenship Criteria: citizenship by birth: yes

citizenship by descent: yes; for a child born abroad, at least one parent must be a citizen of Tuvalu

dual citizenship recognized: yes

residency requirement for naturalization: na
Legal System: mixed legal system of English common law and local customary law
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Legislative Branch: description: unicameral House of Assembly or Fale I Fono (16 seats; members directly elected in single- and multi-seat constituencies by simple majority vote to serve 4-year terms)

elections: last held on 9 September 2019 (next to be held on September 2023)

election results: percent of vote - NA; seats - independent 16 (9 members reelected)
Judicial Branch: highest court(s): Court of Appeal is the Fiji Court of Appeal on Fiji Island (consists of the chief justice who visits twice a year); High Court, located on Fiji, consists of the chief justice of Fiji who presides over its sessions

judge selection and term of office: chief justice appointed by the president of Fiji on the advice of the prime minister following consultation with the parliamentary leader of the opposition; justices of the Court of Appeal and puisne judges of the High Court are appointed by the president of Fiji, upon the nomination of the Judicial Service Commission, after consulting with the Cabinet Minister and the committee of the House of Representatives responsible for the administration of justice; the chief justice and justices of Appeal generally required to retire at age 70; puisine judges appointed for not less than 4 years nor more than 7 years with mandatory retirement at age 65

subordinate courts: magistrates' courts; island courts; lands courts
Regions or States: 7 island councils and 1 town council*; Funafuti*, Nanumaga, Nanumea, Niutao, Nui, Nukufetau, Nukulaelae, Vaitupu
Political Parties and Leaders: there are no political parties but members of parliament usually align themselves in informal groupings
International Law Organization Participation: has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; non-party state to the ICCt
International Organization Participation: ACP, ADB, AOSIS, C, FAO, IBRD, IDA, IFAD, IFRCS (observer), ILO, IMF, IMO, IOC, ITU, OPCW, PIF, Sparteca, SPC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO
Diplomatic Representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Samuelu LALONIU (since 21 July 2017)

note - also Permanent Representative to UN

telephone: [1] (212) 490-0534

FAX: [1] (212) 808-4975

email address and website: email - tuvalumission.un@gmail.com

web address - https://www.un.int/tuvalu/about

embassy: 685 Third Avenue, Suite 1104, New York, NY 10017

note - the Tuvalu Permanent Mission to the UN serves as the Embassy
Diplomatic Representation from US: the US does not have an embassy in Tuvalu; the US Ambassador to Fiji is accredited to Tuvalu
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