Tuvalu

Once known as the Ellice Islands, Tuvalu is one of the most remote places on the planet. Tuvalu is located in the Pacific Ocean and is an island group consisting of nine coral atolls. The islands are low lying and narrow. They have suffered severe deforestation and as for water, only rain water is of use because there are no rivers on the islands.

The original inhabitants of Tuvalu arrived about 2000 B C from the islands of Samoa and Tonga. One of the most interesting aspects of Tuvalu involves its early inhabitants. The the Caves of Nanumanga, if proven legitimation would be one of the oldest archaeology sites in Oceania and would radically alter the chronology of Oceania's history. In 1986, two scuba divers found a cave beneath the water which showed possible burns. The most likely explanation for such burns would be fire by people. Dated to around 9000 B C it is an earth shattering discovery for the region. This site is difficult to access as it is underwater but highlights an example of the importance of the burgeoning field of Underwater Archaeology.


Tuvalu is not highly developed and the population is 10,472 spread across the islands. The future of Tuvalu and her people is uncertain, like MOST of Oceania. What is known, is that it is one of the last corners of the earth and might remain so forever.