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Travel Tuvalu

Official Name of Tuvalu: Tuvalu
Government type in Tuvalu: constitutional monarchy with a parliamentary democracy; began debating republic status in 1992
Capital of Tuvalu: Funafuti
Primary Language in Tuvalu: Tuvaluan, English, Samoan, Kiribati
Currency in Tuvalu: Australian dollar

In 1974, ethnic differences within the British colony of the Gilbert and Ellice Islands caused the Polynesians of the Ellice Islands to vote for separation from the Micronesians of the Gilbert Islands. The following year, the Ellice Islands became the separate British colony of Tuvalu. Independence was granted in 1978. In 2000, Tuvalu negotiated a contract leasing its Internet domain name ".tv" for $50 million in royalties over the next dozen years. One of the smallest and most remote countries on Earth; six of the coral atolls - Nanumea, Nui, Vaitupu, Nukufetau, Funafuti, and Nukulaelae - have lagoons open to the ocean; Nanumaya and Niutao have landlocked lagoons; Niulakita does not have a lagoon.