Place details
Place nameTuvalu
Other namesTUV, TV, ISO798, TV00, Ellice Islands, Lagoon Islands, Tuvaluan
Latitude-8
Longitude178
SourceThesaurus of Geographic Names
Overview
Comprises 9 coral atolls; original Melanesian inhabitants were invaded by Polynesians from Samoa 16th century; sighted by British John Byron 1764; part of Britain's Gilbert and Ellice Islands Colony 1915; separated from Gilberts (now Kiribati) 1974; main languages are Tuvaluan and English.