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Funafuti
Funafuti is an atoll, comprising numerous islets, that serves as the capital of Tuvalu. As of the 2017 census, it has a population of 6,320 people. More people live in Funafuti than the rest of Tuvalu combined, with it containing approximately 60% of the nation's population. The main islet, Fongafale, hosts Vaiaku, the administrative center of the nation. Funafuti was first sighted by Europeans in 1819 by Arent Schuyler de Peyster, an American sea captain, who named it Ellice's Island. Between 1850 and 1875, Funafuti, with its navigable lagoon, was targeted by Blackbirding, blackbirders who kidnapped natives to work at mines off the coast of Peru and Chile. In 1892, each of the Ellice Islands was declared a British protectorate by Captain Herbert William Sumner Gibson, Herbert Gibson of . In 1909, the first resident magistrate was appointed to Funafuti; in 1915, Funafuti, along with the rest of the Ellice Islands, were incorporated into the Gilbert and Ellice Islands as a crown c ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Tuvalu
Tuvalu ( ) is an island country in the Polynesian subregion of Oceania in the Pacific Ocean, about midway between Hawaii and Australia. It lies east-northeast of the Santa Cruz Islands (which belong to the Solomon Islands), northeast of Vanuatu, southeast of Nauru, south of Kiribati, west of Tokelau, northwest of Samoa and Wallis and Futuna, and north of Fiji. Tuvalu is composed of three reef islands and six atolls spread out between the latitude of 5th parallel south, 5° and 10th parallel south, 10° south and between the longitude of 176th meridian east, 176° and 180th meridian, 180°. They lie west of the International Date Line. The 2022 census determined that Tuvalu had a population of 10,643, making it List of countries and dependencies by population, the second-least populous country in the world, behind Vatican City. Tuvalu's total land area is . The first inhabitants of Tuvalu were Polynesians arriving as part of the History of the Polynesian people, migration of ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Naval Base Funafuti
Naval Base Funafuti was a naval base built by the United States Navy in 1942 to support the World War II effort. The base was located on the Island of Funafuti of the Ellice Islands in the Western Pacific Ocean. The island is now Tuvalu, an island country in the Polynesian. After the Attack on Pearl Harbor, surprise attack on Naval Station Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941, the US Navy was in need of setting up more US Naval Advance Bases, advance bases in the Pacific Ocean. At Naval Base Funafuti the Navy built a sea port, a small hospital, PT boat base, a seaplane base and an Funafuti International Airport, airbase. The United States Marine Corps landed on Funafuti on 2 October 1942 and on Nanumea and Nukufetau in August 1943. The Japanese had already occupied Tarawa and other islands in what is now Kiribati, but were delayed by the losses at the Battle of the Coral Sea. History The United States Armed Forces started the construction of an airfield on Funafuti before the US en ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Fongafale
Fongafale (also spelled Fogale or Fagafale) is the largest and most populated of Funafuti's islets in Tuvalu. It is a long narrow sliver of land, 12 kilometres long and between 10 and 400 metres wide, with the South Pacific Ocean and reef on the east and the protected lagoon on the west. The north part is the Tengako peninsula, and Funafuti International Airport runs from northeast to southwest on the widest part of the island, with the village and administrative centre of Vaiaku on the lagoon side. On Fongafale, the Funafuti Kaupule is responsible for approval of the construction of houses or extensions to existing buildings on private land, and the Lands Management Committee is the responsible authority in relation to lands leased by government. In 1972, Funafuti was in the path of Cyclone Bebe. Cyclone Bebe knocked down 90% of the houses and trees on Fongafale. The storm surge created a wall of coral rubble along the ocean side of Fongafale and Funafala that was about ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Funafuti International Airport
Funafuti International Airport is an airport in Vaiaku on Funafuti, an atoll that serves as the capital of the island nation of Tuvalu. It is the sole international airport in Tuvalu. Fiji Airways operates between Suva, Nadi and Funafuti. It is adjacent to the Tuvalu Mosque on Te Auala Street. History Funafuti Airport was built by a Seabee detachment of the 2nd Naval Construction Battalion of the United States Navy in 1943 during World War II. The military airfield included an airstrip, control tower and facilities, with a radio station at Tepuka, connected by cable to the airfield. The base headquarters buildings were at the present-day Teagai Apelu's residence, and a bunker is there to this day. The first offensive operation was launched on 20 April 1943 when 22 B-24 Liberator aircraft from 371 and 372 Bombardment Squadrons bombed Nauru. The next day the Japanese made a predawn raid on the strip at Funafuti that destroyed one B-24 and caused damage to five other planes ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Funafala
Funafala is an islet of Funafuti, Tuvalu that is inhabited by five families, with a church also located on the islet. Funafala means 'the pandanus of Funa', the name of a chief, after whom also the group has been named Funafuti. Cyclones of 1883 & 1972 George Westbrook, a trader on Funafuti, recorded a cyclone, that struck Funafuti in 1883. At the time the cyclone struck, he was the sole inhabitant of Fongafale; Tema, the Samoan missionary, had taken everyone else to Funafala to work on erecting a church. The buildings on Fongafale were destroyed, including the church and the trade stores of George Westbrook and Alfred Restieaux. Little damage had occurred at Funafala, and the people returned to rebuild at Fongafale. In 1972, Funafuti was in the path of Cyclone Bebe. Tropical Cyclone Bebe was a pre-season tropical cyclone that impacted the Gilbert, Ellice Islands, and Fiji island groups.Bureau of Meteorology (1975) ''Tropical Cyclones in the Northern Australian Regions 1971-1972 ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Tuvaluan Mythology
Tuvaluan mythology tells stories of the creation of the islands of Tuvalu and of the founding ancestors of each island. While on some of the islands there are stories of spirits creating the islands, a creation story that is found on many of the islands is that ''te Pusi mo te Ali'' (the Eel and the Flounder) created the islands of Tuvalu; ''te Ali'' (the flounder) is believed to be the origin of the flat atolls of Tuvalu and ''te Pusi'' (the eel) is the model for the coconut palms that are important in the lives of Tuvaluans. The strength of this belief has the consequence that Moray eel are ''tapu'' and are not eaten. Origin myths of the people of Tuvalu The reef islands and atolls of Tuvalu are identified as being part of West Polynesia. During pre-European-contact times there was frequent canoe voyaging between the islands as Polynesian navigation skills are recognised to have allowed deliberate journeys on double-hulled sailing canoes or outrigger canoes. The pattern of ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Vaiaku
Vaiaku is a village located on the southern coast of the island of Fongafale in the atoll of Funafuti in Tuvalu, which is home to most of the major administrative buildings. However, it is not the official capital, as that title belongs to the entirety of Funafuti. According to the census of 2017, Vaiaku has 462 inhabitants, out of 6,320 for the whole atoll of Funafuti, which is the official capital of Tuvalu. All the administrative buildings, including the National Bank of Tuvalu, and the only hotel of Tuvalu, Vaiaku Langi Hotel, are located in Vaiaku. It also has Teone Church, which is the only church of the Latin Catholic Mission Sui Iuris of Funafuti. The most prominent building on Funafuti is the ''Fētu'ao Lima'' (Morning Star Church) of the Church of Tuvalu. Climate Vaiaku has a tropical rainforest climate A tropical rainforest climate or equatorial climate is a tropical climate sub-type usually found within 10 to 15 degrees latitude of the equator. There are some oth ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Cyclone Bebe
Severe Tropical Cyclone Bebe, also known as Hurricane Bebe, was a pre-season storm during October 1972 in the South Pacific Ocean that severely affected Fiji, the Ellice Islands (now Tuvalu), and the Gilbert Islands (now Kiribati). Meteorological history The origins of Severe Tropical Cyclone Bebe can be traced to a pair of tropical disturbances, which were first noted on either side of the Equator near the 175th meridian west during October 16. The first system developed in the Northern Hemisphere and eventually developed into Typhoon Olga, before it impacted the Marshall Islands. The second disturbance developed within the South Pacific Ocean and moved westwards, before it started to show signs of developing into a tropical cyclone during October 19. Over the next couple of days, the system started to move south-westwards and was named Bebe by the New Zealand Meteorological Service, after it had become a category 1 tropical cyclone on the modern-day Australian scale. Durin ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Gilbert And Ellice Islands
The Gilbert and Ellice Islands (GEIC as a colony) in the Pacific Ocean was part of the British Empire from 1892 to 1976. It was a British protectorate, protectorate from 1892 to 12 January 1916, and then a crown colony, colony until 1 January 1976, and was administered as part of the British Western Pacific Territories (BWPT) until it became independent as two separate states. The history of GEIC was mainly characterized by phosphate mining in Banaba and Nauru, phosphate mining on Ocean Island. In October 1975, these islands were divided by force of law into two separate colonies, and they became independent nations shortly thereafter: the Ellice Islands became Tuvalu in 1978, and the Gilbert Islands with Banaba (Ocean Island) became part of Kiribati in 1979. Location The Gilbert IslandsReilly Ridgell. ''Pacific Nations and Territories: The Islands of Micronesia, Melanesia, and Polynesia.'' 3rd. Ed. Honolulu: Bess Press, 1995. p. 95. sometimes also known as ''Kingsmill Islands' ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Tuvalu–United States Relations
Tuvalu – United States relations are bilateral relations between Tuvalu and the United States. The United States does not have a dedicated ambassador to Tuvalu. Instead, the U.S. ambassador to Fiji is also accredited to Tuvalu, handling diplomatic relations from Suva, Fiji. Tuvalu maintains a diplomatic presence in the United States through its Permanent Mission to the United Nations, in New York City; it is headed by Tapugao Falefou, Tuvalu's Permanent Representative to the United Nations. Tuvalu's Permanent Representative to the United Nations also acts as Tuvalu's ambassador to the United States. History There was limited interaction between U.S. citizens and the Tuvaluan people in the 19th century. American whaling ships were active in the waters of the Tuvaluan archipelago. In 1821 Captain George Barrett, of the Nantucket whaler ''Independence II'', visited Niulakita, which he named ''Rocky (Group)''.Keith S. Chambers & Doug Munro, ''The Mystery of Gran Cocal: European ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Alfred Restieaux
Alfred Restieaux (1832–1911) was born in Paris, France, and came from a family of French descent. His grandfather was a French nobleman who escaped the guillotine during the French Revolution. At the age of 16 he migrated to Australia and later he travelled to South America and North America. He later became an island trader in the central Pacific. From 1867 to 1872 he had dealings with Ben Pease and Bully Hayes, two of the more notorious captains of ships and blackbirders that operated in the Pacific at that time. Early history Restieaux left England in the Barque ''Cromwell'' soon after the Chartist Riots in London and arrived in South Australia in August 1848 or 1849. He worked on sheep stations and engaged in exploration for gold in South Australia and Victoria. At one time he spent two weeks in the company of 3 bushrangers, who were on the run from the police after a robbery of gold. It is possible that this was the party of bushrangers, led by John Francis, who hel ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Simon Kofe
Simon Kofe is a Tuvaluan politician. He was appointed as the Minister for Justice, Communication & Foreign Affairs, in the cabinet of Kausea Natano following the 2019 Tuvaluan general election. Early life He is the son of a Tuvaluan teacher at the University of the South Pacific (USP) in Suva, Fiji, Kofe was educated in a primary school of the Marist Brothers in Suva. He attended secondary school in various schools while his parents worked in several countries of Oceania. Legal career Kofe earned a Bachelor of Laws degree from the University of the South Pacific in 2004, followed by a master's degree in international maritime law from the University of Malta in 2014. As the former senior magistrate of Tuvalu, Afele Kitiona, retired in mid-June 2014, Kofe was appointed as senior magistrate on 24 September 2014. In May 2016, as the senior magistrate, Kofe determined that former Prime Minister Apisai Ielemia was guilty of corruption and sentenced him to 12-month imprisonment. In ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
