Geography of Tuvalu

Main article: Tuvalu

The Western Pacific nation of Tuvalu, formerly known as the Ellice Islands, is situated 4,000 kilometers (2,500 mi) northeast of Australia. It is one half of the way from Hawaii to Australia. Tuvalu consists of three reef islands and six true atolls (see Islands of Tuvalu). Its small scattered group of atolls has poor soil and a total land area of only about 26 km², less than 10 sq mi (30 km²).

Tuvalu has westerly gales and heavy rain from November to March and tropical temperatures moderated by easterly winds from March-November. The land is very low-lying, with narrow coral atolls. The highest elevation is 4.6 metres (15 ft) above sea level on Niulakita.

Location: Oceania, island group of nine islands comprising three reef islands and six true atolls in the South Pacific Ocean, about one-half of the way from Hawaii to Australia.^[1]

Geographic coordinates: 8°00′S 178°00′E / 8°S 178°E / -8; 178

Map references: Oceania

Area:
total: 26 km²
land: 26 km²
water: 0 km²

Area - comparative: 0.1 times the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 24 kilometres (15 mi)

Maritime claims:
contiguous zone: 24 nmi (44 km)
exclusive economic zone: 200 nmi (370 km)
territorial sea: 12 nmi (22 km)

Climate: tropical; moderated by easterly trade winds (March to November); westerly gales and heavy rain (November to March)

Terrain: very low-lying and narrow coral atolls

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: unnamed location, 4.6 metres (15 ft) on Niulakita

Natural resources: fish

Land use:
arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 0%
permanent pastures: 0%
forests and woodland: 0%
other: 100% (1993 est.)

Irrigated land: NA km²

Natural hazards: severe tropical storms are usually rare, but, in 1997, there were three cyclones; the low level of islands makes them very sensitive to sea-level rise.

See also: Climate change in Tuvalu

Environment - current issues: since there are no streams or rivers and groundwater is not potable, most water needs must be met by catchment systems with storage facilities (the Japanese Government has built one desalination plant and plans to build one other); beachhead erosion because of the use of sand for building materials; excessive clearance of forest undergrowth for use as fuel; damage to coral reefs from the spread of the Crown of Thorns starfish; Tuvalu is very concerned about global increases in greenhouse gas emissions and their effect on rising sea levels, which threaten the country's underground water table.

See also: Funafuti Conservation Area

El Niño and La Niña: Tuvalu experiences the effects of El Niño and La Niña that flow from changes in ocean temperatures in equatorial and central Pacific. El Niño effects increase the chances of tropical storms and cyclones; while La Niña effects increase the chances of drought conditions in Tuvalu.^[2] On October 3, 2011, drought conditions resulted in a state of emergency being declared as water reserves ran low.^{[3] [4]} Typically the islands of Tuvalu receive between 200mm to 400mm of rainfall per month, however a weak La Niña effect caused a drought by cooling the surface of the sea around Tuvalu.^[2]

See also: 2011 Tuvalu drought

Environment - international agreements:
party to: Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution.
signed, but not ratified: Biodiversity

Extreme points

This is a list of the extreme points of Tuvalu, the points that are farther north, south, east or west than any other location.

• Northern-most point – Lakena island, Nanumea
• Eastern-most point – Niuoko island, Nukulaelae
• Southern-most point – Niulakita
• Western-most point - Lakena island, Nanumea

See also

• Tuvalu
• Islands of Tuvalu
• List of cities in Tuvalu
• "Maps of Tuvalu". http://www.tuvaluislands.com/maps/maps.html. 

Footnotes

1. ^ "Maps of Tuvalu". http://www.tuvaluislands.com/maps/maps.html. 
2. ^ ^{a b} "El Niño and La Niña". Australian Government Bureau of Meteorology. http://www.bom.gov.au/climate/pi-cpp/training/nms/ENSO.ppt. Retrieved 9 Oct. 2011. 
3. ^ Benns, Matthew (3 Oct. 2011). "Tuvalu 'to run out of water by Tuesday'". The Telegraph (London). http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/australiaandthepacific/tuvalu/8804093/Tuvalu-to-run-out-of-water-by-Tuesday.html. 
4. ^ Macrae, Alistair (11 October 2011). "Tuvalu in a fight for its life". The Drum – Australian Broadcasting Corporation. http://www.abc.net.au/unleashed/3497128.html. Retrieved 12 Oct. 2011.