Factbook
History of Tuvalu — Timeline
Key dates in the history of Tuvalu, from the Magna Factbook and the Universal Encyclopedia.
1819In the late 1700s and early 1800s, a series of American, British, Dutch, and Russian ships visited the islands, which were named the Ellice Islands in 1819.
1892The UK declared a protectorate over islands in 1892 and merged them with the Micronesian Gilbert Islands.
1916The Gilbert and Ellice Islands Protectorate became a colony in 1916.
1943During World War II, the US set up military bases on a few islands, and in 1943, after Japan captured many of the northern Gilbert Islands, the UK transferred administration of the colony southward to Funafuti.
1974Amid growing tensions with the Gilbertese, Tuvaluans voted to secede from the colony in 1974, were granted self-rule in 1975, and gained independence in 1978 as Tuvalu.
1978Independence: 1 October 1978 (from the UK).
1979In 1979, the US relinquished its claims to the Tuvaluan islands in a treaty of friendship.
2017Languages: Tuvaluan (official), English (official), Samoan, Kiribati (on the island of Nui) Religions: Protestant 92.7% (Congregational Christian Church of Tuvalu 85.9%, Brethren 2.8%, Seventh Day Adventist 2.5%, Assemblies of God 1.5%), Baha'i 1.5%, Jehovah's Witness 1.5%, other 3.9%, none or refused 0.4% (2017 est.) Urban population: 66.2% of total population (2023).
2018Major urban areas: 7,000 FUNAFUTI (capital) (2018) upper middle-income Pacific island economy; extremely environmentally fragile; currency pegged to Australian dollar; large international aid recipient; subsistence agrarian sector; Te Kakeega sustainable development; domain name licensing incomes Inflation: 11.5% (2022 est.).
2023Industries: fishing Agriculture: coconuts, vegetables, tropical fruits, bananas, root vegetables, pork, chicken, eggs, pork fat, pork offal (2023) Electricity access: 100% (2022 est.).
