ABOUT TUVALU:

Tuvalu, a group of nine atolls and coral islands, is one of the most inaccessible and unspoiled island groups in the Pacific. Until the 1940s, only eight of them were inhabited hence its name Tuvalu or 'eight standing together'.

Five of the islands-Funafuti, Nanumea, Nui, Nukufetau, and Nukulaelae-are atolls (a ring-shaped group of islands surrounding a central lagoon). The remaining islands-Nanumaga, Niutao, Vaitupu, and Niulakita-are single islands with smaller lagoons. The main island is Funafuti.

Linguists believe the islands were settled 2000 years ago because of Lapita pottery found on the islands. The Tuvaluans can trace their genealogies back about 700 years and believe their early ancestors came by accident, because of war or famine in their home islands or in search of adventure.

The island gained early renown for the part it played in proving scientist, Charles Darwin's theory that coral islands were built on slowly subsiding volcanic rocks. In 1896 and 1897, two parties of scientists travelled to Funafuti and drilled below the island's surface to gain samples of the coral rock's core. Their findings supported Darwin's theory.

European contact with the islands actually began when Spanish explorer Mendana arrived in 1568 however it wasn't until the 19th century that the islands were colonised by Europeans. In the late 1700s, traders and whalers briefly visited Tuvalu, especially after the discovery of the Central Pacific whaling grounds in 1818. A year later, Captain Arwent de Peyster "discovered" Funafuti and called it Ellice Island after Edward Ellice, the owner of the cargo he was carrying on his ship Rebecca.

European contact proved almost disastrous for the Tuvaluans. Diseases cut the population from 20,000 in 1850 to 3000 in 1875. Two years later, the islands were taken under British jurisdiction and ruled from Fiji. In 1863 slave traders, or "black birders", kidnapped 450 mainly male Tokelauns to work in Peru. None of them ever returned. Others were later recruited for plantations in Fiji, Samoa and Hawai'i.

In 1916, Tuvalu was taken into the Gilbert and Ellice Islands and ruled as a colony until internal self-government was granted in 1974. The islands were split from the Gilberts (which became Kiribati) in 1976 and became independent as Tuvalu in 1978. Now the world's second smallest sovereign state (after Nauru), Tuvalu's post-independence governments have been much concerned with maintaining the economy.

Most food (about 75%), fuel and manufactured goods are imported, while only a small quantity of fish, copra and locally made clothing are exported. Only coconuts and pandanus grown naturally although bananas, papayas and breadfruit are also cultivated.

Tuvalu is an expensive place to get to but it has a thriving tourist industry. The main hotel is based on Funafuti and there are plenty of guesthouses to stay at. Today about 10,000 people live in Tuvalu - the majority on Funafuti. Tuvalu is best known internationally for its internet address dot tv and its colourful postage stamps (the Philatelic Bureau was set up in 1977 to market Tuvaluan stamps).