Some Interesting Facts About Tuvalu
You may have never heard of Tuvalu. Well, it is a country made up of several islands that is located in Oceania. It is an archipelago that owes the usual ignorance to the fact that it is extremely small and, in addition, it is very uninhabited.
However, it is worth knowing more about him. So we are going to give you some information of interest, in case at any time you decide to travel to this place in Polynesia, in the heart of the Pacific Ocean.
The islands of Tuvalu
The curiosities about Tuvalu begin with the very name of the country. Tuvalu means in the local language ‘eight islands’. However, the nation is comprised of nine, which are actually four coral reefs and five atolls.
The least inhabited country in the UN
Tuvalu is ranked number one in a ranking . It has a population of just 11,000 people, making it the country with the fewest inhabitants of all those that make up the United Nations. Although, it must be remembered that the state with the fewest inhabitants on the planet is the Vatican, which is not a member of the UN.
A Spanish discovery
The first European name that Tuvalu was known by was the Name of Jesus Islands. And it is that the first white men who came to this remote archipelago of Polynesia were Spanish navigators in 1568.
However, the archipelago later became part of the huge British Empire. In fact, it was a colony of Great Britain until 1978. Even today the English queen is queen of Tuvalu, the country is part of the Commonwealth and has a British governor on the island and an honorary consul in London.
An international airport of military origin
To get to Tuvalu, the usual thing is to fly there by plane. And the destination is always the Funafuti International Airport, the capital of the country. Well, that airport had its origin in World War II, when it was created by the US Army for its airplanes. Do not forget that Tuvalu is a strategic point in the ocean between Hawaii and Australia.
Getting around the islands of Tuvalu
Tourism in Tuvalu is certainly scarce, so there is no great infrastructure for travelers. In fact, there are no large infrastructures in general. Only a few ferries link the islands and there are only eight kilometers of roads on them. Also, only the main streets are paved and for only a few years.
The stamps of Tuvalu
Curiously, in a country with scarce resources beyond fishing, philately has become an important economic supplement. Here, the Tuvalu Philatelic Bureau prints stamps that are highly valued by collectors around the world. So you can always buy one as a souvenir . And who knows? It may be a good investment for the future.
Sinking hazard
Another very interesting fact about Tuvalu is to know that the maximum height on the entire surface of its islands is five meters above sea level. Only the archipelago of the Maldives has a lower altitude.
It is an interesting fact and also chilling. Why? Because both countries, like many other islands in the world, are condemned to disappear under the waters of the oceans due to the already inevitable climate change. In fact, its beaches have been gradually dwindling and the soils are becoming more saline, damaging crops.
The threat is more than evident. So much so that they are even trying to design plans to relocate the Tuvulan inhabitants to other countries. So, if you have the opportunity to meet them, take the opportunity because you may not have another opportunity later.
