United States. Central Intelligence Agency

“ The country has no known mineral resources and few exports. Subsistence farming and fishing are the primary economic activities. Fewer than 1,000 tourists, on average, visit Tuvalu annually. Government revenues largely come from the sale of stamps and coins and worker remittances. About 1,000 Tuvaluans work in Nauru in the phosphate mining industry. Nauru has begun repatriating Tuvaluans, however, as phosphate resources decline. Substantial income is received annually from an international trust fund established in 1987 by Australia, NZ, and the UK and supported also by Japan and South Korea. ”

“ Legislative branch: unicameral Parliament or Fale I Fono, also called House of Assembly (15 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 25 July 2002 (next to be held NA 2006)
election results: percent of vote - NA; seats - independents 15 Judicial branch: High Court (a chief justice visits twice a year to preside over its sessions; its rulings can be appealed to the Court of Appeal in Fiji) ”

“ 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%
other: 100% (2001) Irrigated land: NA sq km Natural hazards: severe tropical storms are usually rare, but, in 1997, there were three cyclones ”