Capital: Funafuti
Administrative divisions: none

Independence: 1 October 1978 (from UK)
National holiday: Independence Day, 1 October (1978)

Constitution: 1 October 1978

Legal system: NA
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952), represented by Governor General Tomu Malaefono SIONE (since NA 1993)
head of government: Prime Minister Kamuta LATASI (since 10 December 1993); Deputy Prime Minister Otinielu TAUSI (since 10 December 1993)
cabinet: Cabinet; appointed by the governor general on recommendation of the prime minister

Legislative branch: unicameral
Parliament (Palamene): elections last held 25 November 1993 (next to be held by NA 1997); results - percent of vote NA; seats - (12 total)

Judicial branch: High Court

Political parties and leaders: none
Member of: ACP, AsDB, C (special), ESCAP, INTELSAT (nonsignatory user), ITU, SPARTECA, SPC, SPF, UNESCO, UPU, WHO

Diplomatic representation in US: Tuvalu has no mission in the US
US diplomatic representation: none

Flag: light blue with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant; the outer half of the flag represents a map of the country with nine yellow five-pointed stars symbolizing the nine islands

NOTE: The information regarding Tuvalu on this page is re-published from the 1995 World Fact Book of the United States Central Intelligence Agency. No claims are made regarding the accuracy of Tuvalu Government 1995 information contained here. All suggestions for corrections of any errors about Tuvalu Government 1995 should be addressed to the CIA.