Tuvalu
Country Profile
Located in the Southwest Pacific, spanning 5°S to 10°S and 176°E to 179°E, the country comprises nine coral islands, with a total land mass of only 26 square kilometers. The islands are flat, with a maximum elevation of less than four meters. Constantly threatened by sea erosion, Tuvalu prioritizes coastal conservation and the issue of climate change, and is undertaking land reclamation through the “Tuvalu Coastal Adaptation Project” (TCAP) with help from partners such as Taiwan. The climate is hot and humid tropical oceanic, with temperatures ranging from about 27℃ to 33℃. The total population is around 9,900, two-thirds of whom live in the capital, Funafuti. The majority ethnic group is Polynesian. The main religion is Christianity, and the languages are Tuvaluan and English; residents of the northern island of Nui also speak Gilbertese.
Development Overview
The country gained independence on October 1, 1978, and was named Tuvalu, meaning “eight standing together”. Residents primarily subsist on traditional fishing and farming produce such as taro, coconuts, breadfruit, and bananas, while increasingly relying on imported rice, flour, and technical mission-promoted vegetables in recent years. With no industrial production and only family-based crafts and small businesses, the country is highly dependent on imports for daily necessities, resulting in a limited market scale. The society is peaceful and friendly, and law and order are generally well-maintained.
Competition Event and Participants
- Traditional Archery: Individual Event－Open Men’s Division (2 Participants) /Individual Event－Open Women’s Division (2 Participants)
- Traditional Music and Dance: Group Event－Open Mixed Division (14 Participants)
- Log Sawing: Group Event－Open Mixed Division (4 Participants)
- Traditional Tug-of-War: Group Event－Open Mixed Division (21 Participants)
- Traditional Wrestling: Individual Event－Men’s Division 70kg and Above (2 Participants)
- Net Casting: Group Event－Open Mixed Division (4 Participants)
- Traditional Canoe Racing: Individual Event－Open Men’s Division (2 Participants)
- Traditional Road Running: Individual Event－Open Men’s Division (2 Participants) /Individual Event－Open Women’s Division (2 Participants)
- Weight Carrying: Group Event－Open Mixed Division (4 Participants)
- Freediving Sprint: Individual Event－Open Men’s Division (2 Participants) /Individual Event－Open Women’s Division (2 Participants)