Executive branch: chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II of the UK (since 6 February 1952), represented by Governor General Manuella TULAGA (since NA June 1994) head of government : Prime Minister Bikenibeu PAENIU (since 23 December 1996) and Deputy Prime Minister Ionatana IONATANA (since 23 December 1996) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the governor general on the recommendation of the prime minister elections: the queen is a hereditary monarch; governor general appointed by the queen on the recommendation of the prime minister; prime minister and deputy prime minister elected by and from the members of Parliament; election last held NA December 1996 (next to be held by NA 1997) election results: Bikenibeu PAENIU elected prime minister; percent of Parliament vote - NA; Ionatana IONATANA elected deputy prime minister; percent of Parliament vote - NA
Legislative branch: unicameral Parliament or Fale I Fono (12 seats - two from each island with more than 1,000 inhabitants, one from all the other inhabited islands; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms) elections: last held 25 November 1993 (next to be held by NA 1997) election results : percent of vote - NA; seats - independents 12
Judicial branch: High Court; note - a chief justice visits twice a year to preside over sessions of the High Court
Political parties and leaders: none
International organization participation: AsDB, C (special), ESCAP,
Intelsat (nonsignatory user), ITU, Sparteca, SPC, SPF, UNESCO, UPU,
WHO, WTrO (applicant)
Diplomatic representation in the US: Tuvalu does not have an embassy in the US
Diplomatic representation from the US: the US does not have an embassy in Tuvalu; the US ambassador to Fiji is accredited to Tuvalu
Flag description: 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
Economy
Economy - overview: Tuvalu consists of a densely populated, scattered group of nine coral atolls with poor soil. The country has no known mineral resources and few exports. Subsistence farming and fishing are the primary economic activities. The islands are too small and too remote for development of a large-scale tourist industry. Government revenues largely come from the sale of stamps and coins and worker remittances. About 1,000 Tuvaluans work in Nauru in the phosphate mining industry. Nauru has begun repatriating Tuvaluans, however, as phosphate resources decline, which will present additional problems for Tuvalu's already stretched economy. Substantial income is received annually from an international trust fund established in 1987 by Australia, NZ, and the UK and supported also by Japan and South Korea. In an effort to reduce its dependence on foreign aid, the government is pursuing public sector reforms, including privatization of some government functions and personnel cuts of up to 7%.