Part 846

Disputes - international: none

Illicit drugs: transshipment point for South American narcotics destined for the US ______________________________________________________________________

TUVALU

@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

Map references: Oceania

Area: total : 26 sq km land: 26 sq km water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative: 0.1 times the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 24 km

Maritime claims: contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm territorial sea : 12 nm

Climate: tropical; moderated by easterly trade winds (March to November); westerly gales and heavy rain (November to March)

Terrain: very low-lying and narrow coral atolls

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: unnamed location 5 m

Natural resources: fish

Land use: arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% permanent pastures: 0% forests and woodland: 0% other : 100% (1993 est.) note: Tuvalu's nine coral atolls have enough soil to grow coconuts and support subsistence agriculture

Irrigated land: NA sq km

Natural hazards: severe tropical storms are rare

Environment - current issues: since there are no streams or rivers and groundwater is not potable, all water needs must be met by catchment systems with storage facilities; 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

Environment - international agreements: party to: Climate Change, Endangered Species, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Whaling signed, but not ratified: Biodiversity, Law of the Sea

@Tuvalu:People

Population: 10,297 (July 1997 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 36% (male 1,871; female 1,803) 15-64 years : 59% (male 2,903; female 3,226) 65 years and over: 5% (male 229; female 265) (July 1997 est.)

Population growth rate: 1.45% (1997 est.)

Birth rate: 23.31 births/1,000 population (1997 est.)

Death rate: 8.84 deaths/1,000 population (1997 est.)

Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1997 est.)