After the Vatican, Monaco, and Nauru Funafuti is its capital Tuvalu is one of the smallest countries in the world. Formerly known as the Ellice Islands, the nation achieved independence from Great Britain in 1979. This low-lying island group in the South Pacific Ocean is made up of nine coral atolls, with a total land area of 10 square miles, and is particularly threatened by rising sea levels.

The island nation consists of four reef islands and five true atolls; it is located halfway between Hawaii and Australia. Tuvalu translates to "eight standing together" and refers to the eight traditional islands of Tuvalu (Nanumea, Niutao, Nanumaga, Nui, Vaitupu, Nukufetau, Funafuti, and Nukulaelae). The ninth island is tiny Niulakita. It was not a part of ancient Tuvalu and was inhabited much later, in the 1950's.