1. A group of coral islands in Micronesia southwest of Hawaii; Also called: Ellice Islands.
2. An island country on the Tuvalu islands; formerly part of the British colony of Gilbert and Ellice Islands until it withdrew in 1075 and became independent in 1978.
Country in the SW Pacific Ocean; formerly (until 1976) the Ellice Islands; part of Polynesia.
government
The constitution dates from 1978 when Tuvalu became an independent state within the Commonwealth, accepting the British monarch as head of state, represented by a resident governor general, who must be a Tuvaluan citizen and is appointed on the recommendation of the prime minister.
There is a single-chamber parliament of 12 members and a prime minister and cabinet elected by and responsible to it. Members of parliament are elected by universal suffrage for up to four years. Each of the inhabited atolls of the Tuvalu group has its own elected island council, responsible for local affairs.
history
The islands were inhabited by Melanesians, and were invaded and occupied by Samoans during the 16th century. They were first reached by Europeans 1765. During the mid-19th century European slave traders captured indigenous Melanesians for forced labor on plantations in South America. As a result of this, and the importation of European diseases, the population declined from an estimated 20,000 to barely 3,000. Originally known as the Ellice Islands, the islands were a British protectorate 1892–1915 and part of the Gilbert and Ellice Islands colony 1915–75, when they became a separate British colony.
special member of Commonwealth
In 1978 the Ellice Islands became fully independent within the Commonwealth, reverting to their old name of Tuvalu, meaning “eight standing together” (there are nine, but one is very small).
Because of its small size, Tuvalu is a “special member” of the Commonwealth and does not have direct representation at meetings of heads of government. Its first prime minister was Toaripi Lauti, replaced 1981 as a result of his alleged involvement in an investment scandal, by Dr Tomasi Puapua, who was reelected 1985. In 1986 in a poll to decide whether Tuvalu should remain a constitutional monarchy or become a republic, only one atoll favored republican status. Puapua was replaced as prime minister by Bikenibeu Paeniu Sept 1989, whose new administration pledged to reduce the country’s dependence on foreign aid; he in turn was replaced by Kamuta Laatasi 1993. + prikaži više