According to COUNTRYAAH, Tuvalu is a State of Oceania (25.63 km²). Capital: Vaiaku. Population: 10,500 (2008 estimate). Language: English and Tuvaluan (official). Religion: Protestants 85.2%, Catholics 1.4%, others 13.4%. Monetary unit: Tuvalu dollar, at par with the Australian dollar (100 cents). Borders: Pacific Ocean. Member of: Commonwealth, UN and CP, EU associate.
Population
The average density, of 410 residents / km², is far above that of the continent, which is around 4 residents / km². The population is mainly made up of Tuvaluans (97.9%) of Polynesian stock; there are still minorities of Micronesians (1%) and Europeans; overall, the urban population amounts to just under 5,000 units. Emigration is a widespread phenomenon due to the country’s scarcity of resources that has led to the search for employment on other islands: more than a fifth of the residents work in Nauru and Kiribati in the phosphate mines. Most of the Tuvaluans live in the Funafuti atoll: this concentration causes considerable problems of overcrowding and waste disposal. The capital Vaiaku, on the same atoll, is the only port of any importance, also equipped with an airport.
Environment
Coconut palms, bread trees, pandanus and ferns are the most common plants and cover a third of the country’s surface. The traditional use of wood as fuel and for the construction of boats and buildings has compromised large portions of the bush. Tuvalu is devoid of endemic mammals but there are some species imported from Europeans. Instead, birds abound, such as white terns, waders, etc.; among the reptiles present there are the green turtle and the hawksbill turtle, considered at risk; the marine fauna is very rich, with a large quantity of fish inhabiting the coral reef. The latter is threatened by the spread of the crown of thorns star (Acanthaster planci), a sea star which feeds on coral polyps. Other environmental problems are due to the rise in water levels caused by global warming of the planet: it is believed that Tuvalu may be one of the first countries to disappear. Faced with this eventuality, in 2000 the government made a request for the reception of the population in Australia and New Zealand. The most urgent issues concern, instead: the contamination of the soil with salt water; water supply which, in the absence of freshwater streams, depends entirely on desalination systems; waste disposal. The only protected area in the country, whose extension corresponds to less than 0.2% of the territory, is the conservation area of Funafuti founded in 1996. The park includes 5 uninhabited islets of the atoll.
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Temperatures, precipitation, sunshine in Funafuti (Tuvalu)
| Jan | Feb | March | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
| Daytime temperature | 31 ° C | 31 ° C | 31 ° C | 31 ° C | 31 ° C | 31 ° C | 30 ° C | 30 ° C | 31 ° C | 31 ° C | 31 ° C | 31 ° C |
| Night temperature | 26 ° C | 25 ° C | 25 ° C | 26 ° C | 26 ° C | 26 ° C | 26 ° C | 26 ° C | 26 ° C | 26 ° C | 26 ° C | 26 ° C |
| Water temperature | 29 ° C | 29 ° C | 29 ° C | 29 ° C | 29 ° C | 29 ° C | 28 ° C | 28 ° C | 28 ° C | 28 ° C | 28 ° C | 29 ° C |
| Precipitation in mm | 414 | 361 | 324 | 256 | 260 | 217 | 253 | 276 | 218 | 266 | 276 | 394 |
| Rainy days | 20 | 19 | 20 | 19 | 18 | 19 | 19 | 18 | 16 | 18 | 17 | 19 |
| Hours of sunshine | 6 | 6 | 6 | 7 | 6 | 7 | 6 | 7 | 7 | 8 | 6 | 6 |
| Sunrise | 5:55 | 6:05 | 6:05 | 6:05 | 6:10 | 6:15 | 6:20 | 6:15 | 5:55 | 5:40 | 5:35 | 5:40 |
| Sunset | 18:30 | 18:30 | 18:15 | 18:00 | 17:50 | 17:50 | 18:00 | 18:05 | 18:00 | 17:55 | 18:05 | 18:15 |
Temperatures
The annual average temperature in Funafuti is 28.2 ° C. For comparison: Munich reaches an average of 8.6 ° C, in Berlin it is 9.6 ° C. The warmest month is May (28.4 ° C), coldest month of February with averages of 28.1 ° C. The maximum water temperature in Funafuti is 29 ° C. Comfortable bathing is possible at these temperatures. All months have a water temperature of at least 21 ° C and are therefore suitable for a beach holiday.
Precipitation
The annual precipitation is 3515 mm on 222 days with precipitation. For comparison: In Munich, 967 mm, in Berlin 570 mm, precipitation is measured annually. The all months are considered the rainy season, as more than 175 mm of precipitation can be expected in this month. Overall, about 3515 mm of precipitation can be expected in the rainy season. You cannot expect snow in any month in Funafuti.
Sunshine
As our climate table shows, October is the sunniest month with an average of 7.5 hours of sunshine per day. The average annual sunshine is 6.4 hours per day. For comparison: In Munich and Berlin, the sun shines an average of 4.7 hours per day throughout the year.
