Tuvalu — Capital, Flag and Country Facts

Explore Tuvalu: capital Funafuti, population, flag, geography, languages, history and culture.

Tuvalu is in Oceania. Its capital is Funafuti.

Climate

Tropical; moderated by easterly trade winds; hot and humid with heavy rainfall

Very low-lying narrow coral atolls; highest point is only 5 meters above sea level

Tuvalu earns millions from its .tv internet domain name.

Tuvalu is one of the countries most threatened by climate change and rising sea levels.

With only 26 square kilometers, Tuvalu is the fourth-smallest country in the world.

1568: Spanish explorer Álvaro de Mendaña sights the islands

1892: Tuvalu becomes part of the British Gilbert and Ellice Islands colony

1943: US forces build airfields on Funafuti during World War II

1978: Tuvalu gains independence from the United Kingdom

2000: Tuvalu sells its .tv internet domain for $50 million over 12 years

2023: Tuvalu creates a digital nation plan to preserve sovereignty against rising seas