- published: 14 Oct 2011
- views: 339
Tuvalu (i/tuːˈvɑːluː/ too-VAH-loo or /ˈtuːvəluː/ TOO-və-loo), formerly known as the Ellice Islands, is a Polynesian island nation located in the Pacific Ocean, midway between Hawaii and Australia. It comprises four reef islands and five true atolls spread out from 6° to 10° south. Its nearest neighbours are Kiribati, Nauru, Samoa and Fiji. Its population of 10,544 makes it the third-least populous sovereign state in the world, with only Vatican City and Nauru having fewer inhabitants. In terms of physical land size, at just 26 square kilometres (10 sq mi) Tuvalu is the fourth smallest country in the world, larger only than the Vatican City at 0.44 km2 (0.17 sq mi), Monaco at 1.98 km2 (0.76 sq mi) and Nauru at 21 km2 (8.1 sq mi).
The first inhabitants of Tuvalu were Polynesian people. In 1568 Spanish navigator Álvaro de Mendaña sailed through the islands and is understood to have sighted Nui during his expedition in search of Terra Australis. In 1819 the island of Funafuti was named Ellice's Island; the name Ellice was applied to all nine islands after the work of English hydrographer Alexander George Findlay (1812–1876). The islands came under Britain's sphere of influence in the late 19th century, when the Ellice Islands were declared a British protectorate by Captain Gibson, R. N. of HMS Curaçao between 9th and 16 October 1892. The Ellice Islands were administered as British protectorate by a Resident Commissioner from 1892 to 1916 as part of the British Western Pacific Territories (BWPT), and later as part of the Gilbert and Ellice Islands colony from 1916 to 1974.
How does that old song go? I forgot the words.
There was a boy who believed love is all you need.
He may have been right, it depends on what you mean.
What do you mean by love?
You told me no, said you love me though.
You had to go your own way.
If you change your mind, you know where to find me,
I'll be around.
Before the new dream can fly the old one has to die.
When we were boys we believed the dream was all we'd need.
Turned out to be wrong, now it's time to rise and shine
Singing a brand new song.
You told me no, said you love me though.
You had to go your own way.
If you change your mind, you know where to find me,
I'll be around.
I'll be around.
Woah.
How does that old song go? I forgot the words. Hey!
You told me no, said you love me though.
You had to go your own way.
If you change your mind, you know where to find me,
I'll be around.
You told me no, said you love me though.
You had to go your own way.
If you change your mind, you know where to find me,
I'll be around.