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GEOGRAPHY OF TUVALU
Tuvalu is located in Oceania, island group consisting of nine coral atolls in the South Pacific Ocean, about half way from Hawaii to Australia. Its geographic coordinates are 8 00 S, 178 00 E. Tuvalu is one of the smallest and most remote countries on Earth; six of the nine coral atolls: Nanumea, Nui, Vaitupu, Nukufetau, Funafuti, and Nukulaelae: have lagoons open to the ocean; Nanumaya and Niutao have landlocked lagoons; Niulakita does not have a lagoon
Area: total: 26 square kilometers; land: 26 square kilometers; water: 0 square kilometers; ranking compared to other countries in the world: 237. It is about 0.1 times the size of Washington, DC. [Source: CIA World Factbook 2023]
Land Boundaries: total: 0 kilometers; Coastline: 24 kilometers; Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nautical miles; contiguous zone: 24 nautical miles; exclusive economic zone: 200 nautical miles.
Topography: low-lying and narrow coral atolls. Elevation: highest point: unnamed location 5 meters; lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 meters; mean elevation: 2 meters.
Climate: tropical; moderated by easterly trade winds (March to November); westerly gales and heavy rain (November to March).
Natural Hazards: severe tropical storms are usually rare, but in 1997 there were three cyclones; low levels of islands make them sensitive to changes in sea level
Islands
Ocean islands are basically divided into three types: 1) "low" coral and sand islands; 2) "high" islands (usually exposed peaks and ridge-tops of submerged mountains and volcanos); and 3) parts of the continental shelf. Some continental islands were mountains and hills along the coast during last Ice Age when ocean levels were lower.
Low islands or cays were formed on coral shoals from reef sediments. Atoll islands are low islands (See Below). Seabird dropping fertilize the soils of some of these islands, which allow scrubby forest to take root. Others are battered regularly by storms and are little more than shifting piles of sand. Some patches of sand are so low they disappear during low tide and lose their status as islands.
High islands generally have better soil and a better supply of water than low islands. Low islands support only a few species of plant because there little topsoil and this soil has a high salt content. Although they often have no visible water sources they often are positioned over water lenses that trap rain water and can provide fresh water through wells.
See Separate Article ISLANDS: TYPES, HOW THEY FORM, FEATURES AND NATIONS ioa.factsanddetails.com
Image Sources:
Text Sources: CIA World Factbook, 2023; “Encyclopedia of World Cultures, Volume 2: Oceania,” edited by Terence E. Hays, 1991, Wikipedia, New York Times, Washington Post, Los Angeles Times, Times of London, Lonely Planet Guides, Library of Congress, The Guardian, National Geographic, Smithsonian magazine, The New Yorker, Reuters, Associated Press, AFP, BBC, CNN, and various books, websites and other publications.
Last updated August 2023