Geography and History of Tuvalu

Tuvalu and the Impacts Global Warming

SolaraStills/Getty Images 

  • Country Information
  • Physical Geography
  • Political Geography
  • Key Figures & Milestones
  • Urban Geography
  • M.A., Geography, California State University - East Bay
  • B.A., English and Geography, California State University - Sacramento

Tuvalu is a tiny island country located in Oceania about halfway between the state of Hawaii and the nation of Australia. It consists of five coral atolls and four reef islands but none are more than 15 feet (5 meters) above sea level. Tuvalu has one of the world's smallest economies and has recently been featured in the news as it is becoming increasingly threatened by global warming and rising sea levels.

Basic Facts

Population: 11,147 (July 2018 estimate)

Capital: Funafuti (also Tuvalu's largest city)

Area: 10 square miles (26 sq km)

Coastline: 15 miles (24 km)

Official Languages: Tuvaluan and English

Ethnic Groups: 96% Polynesian, 4% Other

History of Tuvalu

The islands of Tuvalu were first inhabited by Polynesian settlers from Samoa and/or Tonga and they were left largely untouched by Europeans until the 19th century. In 1826, the whole island group became known to Europeans and was mapped. By the 1860s, labor recruiters began arriving on the islands and removing its inhabitants either by force and/or bribe to work on sugar plantations in Fiji and Australia. Between 1850 and 1880, the population of the islands fell from 20,000 to just 3,000.

As a result of its decline in population, the British government annexed the islands in 1892. At this time, the islands became known as the Ellice Islands and in 1915-1916, the islands were formally taken over by the British and formed a part of the colony called Gilbert and Ellice Islands.

In 1975, the Ellice Islands separated from the Gilbert Islands due to hostilities between the Micronesian Gilbertese and the Polynesian Tuvaluans. Once the islands separated, they became known officially as Tuvalu. The name Tuvalu means "eight islands" and although there are nine islands comprising the country today, only eight were initially inhabited so the ninth is not included in its name.

Tuvalu was granted full independence on September 30, 1978, but is still a part of the British Commonwealth today. In addition, Tuvalu grew in 1979 when the U.S. gave the country four islands that had been U.S. territories and in 2000, it joined the United Nations .

Economy of Tuvalu

Today Tuvalu has the distinction of being one of the smallest economies in the world. This is because the coral atolls on which its people are populated have extremely poor soils. Therefore, the country has no known mineral exports and it is largely unable to produce agricultural exports, making it dependent on imported goods. In addition, its remote location means tourism and the related service industries are mainly non-existent.

Subsistence farming is practiced in Tuvalu and to produce the largest agricultural yield possible, pits are dug out of the coral. The most widely grown crops in Tuvalu are taro and coconut. In addition, copra (the dried flesh of a coconut used in making coconut oil) is a major part of Tuvalu's economy.

Fishing has also played an historic role in Tuvalu's economy because the islands have a maritime exclusive economic zone of 500,000 square miles (1.2 million sq km) and because the region is a rich fishing ground, the country gains revenue from fees paid by other countries such as the U.S. wanting to fish in the region.

Geography and Climate of Tuvalu

Tuvalu is one of the smallest countries on Earth. It is in Oceania south of Kiribati and halfway between Australia and Hawaii. Its terrain consists of low lying, narrow coral atolls and reefs and it is spread over nine islands which stretch for just 360 miles (579 km). Tuvalu's lowest point is the Pacific Ocean at sea level and the highest is an unnamed location on the island of Niulakita at only 15 feet (4.6 m). The largest city in Tuvalu is Funafuti with a population of 5,300 as of 2003.

Six of the nine islands comprising Tuvalu have lagoons open to the ocean, while two have landlocked regions and one has no lagoons. In addition, none of the islands have any streams or rivers and because they are coral atolls , there is no drinkable ground water. Therefore, all of the water used by Tuvalu's people is gathered via catchment systems and is kept in storage facilities.

Tuvalu's climate is tropical and is moderated by easterly trade winds from March to November. It has a heavy rain season with westerly winds from November to March and although tropical storms are rare, the islands are prone to flooding with high tides and changes in sea level.

Tuvalu, Global Warming, and Rising Sea Levels

Recently, Tuvalu has gained significant media attention worldwide because its low-lying land is so susceptible to rising sea levels. The beaches surrounding the atolls are sinking due to erosion caused by waves and this is exacerbated by rising sea levels. In addition, because the sea level is rising on the islands, Tuvaluans must continually deal with their homes flooding, as well as soil salination. Soil salination is a problem because it is making it difficult to get clean drinking water and is harming crops as they cannot grow with the saltier water. As a result, the country is becoming more and more dependent on foreign imports.

The issue of rising sea levels has been a concern for Tuvalu since 1997 when the country began a campaign to show the need to control greenhouse gas emissions, reduce global warming and protect the future of low lying countries. In more recent years though, the flooding and soil salination have become such a problem in Tuvalu that the government there has made plans to evacuate the entire population to other countries as it is believed that Tuvalu will be completely submerged by the end of the 21st century.

Resources and Further Reading

  • Central Intelligence Agency. (2010, April 22). CIA The World Factbook -- Tuvalu .
  • Infoplease.com. (n.d.) Tuvalu: History, Geography, Government, and Culture - Infoplease.com .
  • United States Department of State. (2010, February). Tuvalu (02/10).
  • The World's 17 Smallest Countries
  • The Geography of Oceania
  • History and Geography of Greenland
  • Geography of Kiribati
  • Geography of Queensland, Australia
  • Facts and Geography of Honduras
  • 10 Interesting Facts About New Orleans
  • Geography of Pakistan's Provinces and Capital Territory
  • Geography of Sichuan Province, China
  • History and Geography of the Florida Keys
  • History of Hoover Dam
  • What Does It Mean When a Country Is Developed or Developing?
  • Geography of Cairo
  • Kosovo Independence
  • Geography of the Netherlands
  • Facts About Las Vegas, Nevada

Content Search

How tuvalu is dealing with impacts of the climate crisis.

5 December 2023, Dubai UAE - As a small, low-lying atoll nation in the middle of the vast Pacific Ocean, Tuvalu faces extraordinary challenges due to climate change, in particular from sea level rise.

By 2050, it is estimated that half the land area of the nation’s capital Funafuti will become flooded by tidal waters. By 2100, 95% of land will be flooded by routine high tides. Climate change also poses extreme risks to drinking water, food security, and energy supply.

Speaking on the margins of COP28 in Dubai, UAE, Tuvalu’s Minister for Finance, Hon. Seve Paeniu said the situation for his country is “very dire.”

“Our communities live with the reality of their land being eaten away by coastal erosion and rising sea levels, their foreshores eroding, some of the islands are disappearing,” he said. “When people talk about relocation, the concept doesn’t work in Tuvalu, we are a low-lying atoll nation just two metres above sea level with a very thin strip of land. So when you move from the foreshore inland, you actually go into the ocean on the other side. That’s how precarious our situation in Tuvalu.”

Hon. Paeniu is among Pacific leaders at COP28 amplifying the One Pacific Voice calling for urgent and ambitious climate action to address climate change. Despite the Pacific’s minimal contribution to the causes of climate change, Pacific communities are placed at the forefront of the crisis.

“Our taro plantations and our crops are dying because sea water has infiltrated our lands. Our fisheries has also been affected because of the salinity and the warming of the sea and so forth,” said Hon. Paeniu.

“Non-economic losses are real, our culture, traditions, language are very closely aligned with the land, so when you lose part of your land, that takes away part of your culture. That’s the non-economic loss we would like the Loss and Damage Fund to support. We need the Board to finalise the access procedures.”

According to the Minister of Finance, Tuvalu is not just making noises on the global stage, the Government is also actively seeking home grown solutions. One of them is Tuvalu’s Long-Term Adaptation Plan (L-TAP), also known as 'Te Lafiga o Tuvalu' (Tuvalu’s Refuge), developed by the Government of Tuvalu with the support of UNDP.

The plan presents a new approach to adaptation, designed to provide comprehensive solutions beyond 2100. The vision: 3.6 square kilometres of raised, safe land with staged relocation of people and infrastructure over time; a sustainable water supply; greater food and energy security; and space for expanding civic and commercial areas, including government offices, schools, and hospitals.

“For Tuvalu, the only permanent solution to protecting our land is to build more land and build up and that’s the true cost of adaptation. We didn’t cause climate change and sea level rise yet we face the full brunt of it. So loss and damage and climate financing needs to be provided at scale to enable us to implement permanent adaptation solutions to save our land,” he said.

“The accessibility to climate finance is really important. We need to have ready access to the Loss and Damage Fund and other climate finance mechanisms. Tuvalu has also come up with a Long-term Adaptation Plan to build more land and build upwards.

“We are doing our due diligence and planning and we will put that across to the international community over the coming months in terms of the cost.”

The Minister also highlighted Tuvalu’s Climate Change and Disaster Survival, established in December 2015 to provide immediate vital services to the people of Tuvalu in combating the devastating impact of climate change and natural disasters; and allow Tuvalu to respond to future climate change impacts and natural disasters in a coordinated, effectively and timely manner.

“The last cyclone we had, we were able to provide monies from the Tuvalu Survival Fund to compensate for housing and properties damaged as a result of that cyclone. It’s a small fund but it’s mechanism that is fit for purpose and we would like to welcome more contributions by partners to help us with this.”

The 28th Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC COP28) in Dubai, UAE is taking place from Thursday 30 November 2023 – Tuesday 12 December 2023.

It is being attended by Pacific leaders and their delegations, who are advocating for the survival of Pacific communities who continue to be at the forefront of climate change impacts.

A key part of amplifying the One Pacific Voice at COP28 is the Moana Blue Pacific Pavilion, which is a Pacific partnership with Aotearoa New Zealand and Australia. Another key part of the Pacific’s work at COP28 is the Pacific Delegation Office, which is Pacific partnership with Aotearoa New Zealand. Both the Moana Pacific Pavilion and the Pacific Delegation Office are managed by the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP).

Related Content

Social justice is climate justice in tuvalu, development of tuvalu national adaptation plan progresses to next steps, science says tuvalu will drown within decades; the reality is worse, world bank provides us$11.5 million grant to boost tuvalu’s climate and disaster resilience, preparedness, and respons.

  • DOI: 10.2495/ECO110221
  • Corpus ID: 129097296

Climate change in the Pacific: Tuvalu case-study

  • I. Madaleno
  • Published 23 March 2011
  • Environmental Science, Geography

Figures and Tables from this paper

table 1

6 Citations

Cultivating our cities, collaboration in international policy for the climate displaced, landscapes of health: the kochi case study, plantas da medicina popular de são luís, brasil, geoheritage and geodiversity elements of the sw pacific: a conceptual framework, exposure to legal risk for climate change damage under the unfccc, kyoto protocol and losc: a case study of tuvalu and australia, 23 references, seasonal climate change and the indoor city worker, an integrative approach to study and promote natural hazards adaptive capacity: a case study of two flood‐prone communities in puerto rico, imaging vulnerability: the iconography of climate change, paradise found and lost, climate change and sustainable development: towards dialogue, climate change and sustainable development: the quest for green communities, co-leadership in climate change: an agenda to 2013 and beyond, state of the environment, qualitative research methods for the social sciences, the southwest pacific since 1900., related papers.

Showing 1 through 3 of 0 Related Papers

Academia.edu no longer supports Internet Explorer.

To browse Academia.edu and the wider internet faster and more securely, please take a few seconds to  upgrade your browser .

Enter the email address you signed up with and we'll email you a reset link.

  • We're Hiring!
  • Help Center

paper cover thumbnail

Imaginative Geographies of Climate Change Induced Displacements and Migrations: A Case Study of Tuvalu

Profile image of sonali  narang

Since climate change is both about physicality (physical transformations) and the ideational (various ideas, understandings and representations), it is more revealing and enlightening to focus on the interplay between the two. Taking Tuvalu, a small Island country in the Pacific with 10,509 inhabitants as my case study, and against the backdrop of highly alarmist geopolitical discourses about climate change in the small islands of the Pacific. I make the following argument in this paper. The so-called 'endangered nation' of Tuvalu is a revealing example of how displacements and migrations are likely to be caused (rather forced) more due to the government policy responses anchored in the imagined geographies of fear i.e. in anticipation of climate change consequences) than by material transformations in the environment per-se. Through a critical engagement with the official discourses, scholarly articles and media reporting, I further argue and illustrate that the discourse of climate displacements and relocations has a far more complex geography to it than normally acknowledged.

Related Papers

Global Environmental Change

Carol Farbotko

tuvalu geography case study

Geografiska Annaler. Series B, Human Geography

Island Studies Journal

Carol Farbotko , Elaine Stratford

New evidence is emerging to suggest that climate change mobility is giving effect to changing forms of island identity among Tuvaluans and i-Kiribati. This nascent shift prompts a number of questions addressed in this paper. What, for example, does climate change migration mean for island identity and its geographic performance? How does the spatialization of identity inform shared experiences of climate change, and how does identity assist in the formation of shared positions from which to advocate for change? Drawing on discourses of sedentarism and mobilization among Tuvaluan and i-Kiribati, we explore performances of identity related to climate change being fashioned and refashioned in different contexts.

Asia Pacific Viewpoint

Andrea E Murray

This is the third article in a three-part special issue titled "Pacific Islands, Extreme Environments" edited by Andrea E. Murray. Murray's review of a documentary film about the present-day consequences of climate change in Papua New Guinea provides an ethnographic complement to the other two articles in the series: Ilan Kelman's piece on the challenges of multiscalar governance in Small Island Developing States, and Tarique Niazi's inquiry into the fate of so-called "climate refugees" in the Asia-Pacific. In this review, Murray argues for the power and urgency of multimedia research and reporting in places most immediately affected by rising sea levels. The author also questions the pervasive belief that certain dwindling human populations and cultural practices can be "saved" by relocation to a more densely populated mainland.

Peter Rudiak-Gould

The citizens of the Marshall Islands have been told that sea level rise and other impacts of climate change will doom their low-lying country, and they have seen evidence in the land, air, and sea to confirm it. This book investigates how grassroots Marshallese society has interpreted and responded to this threat. Islanders triangulate between observations of ecological and cosmic change; media, government, and NGO translations of climate science; and informal exegesis of Genesis and Revelation passages that speak to climate change. With Biblical, historical, and psychological grounds to dismiss the threat, Marshall Islanders have instead largely embraced it. With reasons to forswear guilt and responsibility, they have instead adopted in-group blame and worked to reduce the country’s carbon footprint. Having been instructed that mass resettlement is inevitable, they have vowed instead to retain the homeland through adaptation measures. These predominant responses are understandable in light of a pre-existing Marshallese narrative of cultural decline and seduction by American modernity, inspired by a long history of contact with powerful foreigners and their colonial, economic, and military agendas. Climate change is understood to be both cause and consequence of ‘living by money,’ and its final act, the destruction of the archipelago, is considered the ultimate triumph of modernity. This case study illuminates islander agency at the intersection of the local and the global, and suggests a theory of risk perception based on ideological commitment to narratives of historical progress and decline.

Karen E McNamara

Rosita Henry

New Zealand Geographer

Wardlow Friesen

Loading Preview

Sorry, preview is currently unavailable. You can download the paper by clicking the button above.

RELATED PAPERS

Singapore Journal of Tropical Geography

Colette Mortreux

Revista Brasileira de Planejamento e Desenvolvimento

Meredian Alam

Leif Schenstead-Harris

Conference Reader

Elisabeth Worliczek

christel cournil

Vol. 3 No. 1 (2022): J. Peace Dipl.

Institute of Peace and D I P L O M A T I C Studies , Tooba Urooj

TODA Policy Brief

Christiane Fröhlich (she/her)

Former som formar: Musik, kulturarv, öar – Festskrift till Owe Ronström

Camilla Asplund Ingemark

Fiona Cameron

sumonmarn singha

Amelia Moore

Silja Klepp

Simon Bradshaw

Sergio Jarillo

Ximena Flores Palacios

Tristan Pearce

Geografiska Annaler: Series B, Human Geography

Shadananan Nair

Chris Gibson

Flores-Palacios, X. (2019): Climate-induced migration in Lotofaga village in Samoa. In: Klöck, C. & Fink, M. (eds.): Dealing with climate change on small islands: Towards effective and sustainable adaptation? (pp. 313–337). Göttingen: Göttingen University Press.

Rebecca Hofmann

New Security Beat Blog

Maxine Burkett

Frontiers in Climate

Andreas Neef

  •   We're Hiring!
  •   Help Center
  • Find new research papers in:
  • Health Sciences
  • Earth Sciences
  • Cognitive Science
  • Mathematics
  • Computer Science
  • Academia ©2024

tuvalu geography case study

  • The Open University
  • Accessibility hub
  • Guest user / Sign out
  • Study with The Open University

My OpenLearn Profile

Personalise your OpenLearn profile, save your favourite content and get recognition for your learning

tuvalu geography case study

Sea level rise in Tuvalu, South Pacific

Tuvalu, a country consisting of several small islands, has been described as a canary in a mine, as it is predicted to become the first country to disappear into the ocean (Mason, n.d.).

Location of Tuvalu Why is the sea level rising?

Global sea-level rise is caused by the melting of ice sheets in Greenland and Antarctica and the expansion of seawater as it heats up (Humphreys, 2019a).  Over the period 1901-2010 global average sea levels rose 0.19 metres (IPCC, 2013). Predictions for future sea-level rise vary. The impact on varying levels of sea-level rise in different locations can be explored by looking  at this map.   

Tuvalu's vulnerability to sea-level rise

As the fourth smallest country in the world, Tuvalu is a nation made up of several widely dispersed low-lying islands which are located between Australia and Hawaii in the Pacific Ocean. It is described as ‘ perhaps the most threatened atoll  nation due to impacts of climate change’ by Tuvalu’s former prime minister Enele Sopoaga (The Guardian, Oct 2019).  Indeed, over 30 years ago (in 1989) a United Nations report stated that Tuvalu would vanish in the twenty-first century unless global warming was drastically reduced (Mason, n.d.).

What are the effects of climate change on Tuvalu?

A demonstration in support of the islands of Tuvalu

Tuvalu's fight for existence - Environmental justice

People in the sea in Tuvalu, holding up a banner

The ASIS (Alliance for Small Island States) has been arguing that there should be urgent international action to mitigate climate change. Mitigation of climate change could be achieved by the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions or the enhancement of carbon sinks, where carbon dioxide is removed from the atmosphere, such as by increasing tree cover.  The ASIS argues that damaging greenhouse emissions have been caused primarily by the burning of fossil fuels, mainly by rich industrialised countries.  They argue that as small island states have not been responsible for the damaging greenhouse gas emissions, but are suffering the consequences, it is the industrialised countries who caused the problem that should take responsibility. To do this the industrialised countries should cover more of the cost of adaption measures to help deal with the effects of climate change.  The issue of who should take responsibility is one of ethics and moral fairness.  It is a matter of ‘environmental justice’ (Humphreys 2019).  

The future for Tuvalu? 

Disagreements continue internationally with some big polluters, such as the US, being reluctant to take action to curb their emissions.  Even if urgent action for mitigation began now, the sea level will continue to rise for some time.  In the meantime, Tuvalu has its own Coastal Adaption Plan.  This includes mitigation such as a programme of tree planting and adaption: community water tank projects, seawall construction (UNDP, 2020) and new housing built on stilts (Mason, n.d.).  However, given the uncertain future some Tuvalu residents have relocated to other countries and others are planning similar moves.  People with children are especially concerned that there will be no future on the islands.  "I'm worried about the islands," said one woman with tears in her eyes. "This is the best island I know, and I think it's going to end up under the sea. We're thinking of migrating to New Zealand. I don't want my children to see this, it's enough." (Mason, n.d.). 

EXPLORE FURTHER: To see how  Bangladesh is coping with the effects of sea-level rises, click here. Too see how your local area might be affected, follow  this link to the map  produced by Climate Central, based on the  recent paper by Kulp and Strauss (2019). 

Edwards, T. (2017) Future of the Sea: Current and Future Impacts of Sea Level Rise in the UK, FORESIGHT, Government Office for Science

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/663885/Future_of_the_sea_-_sea_level_rise.pdf

Accessed 25 th January 2020

Humphreys, D. (2019) ‘Climate Change: an introduction to a heated debate’, Chapter 1, in Jehlicka, P. and D. Humphreys, D. (Eds) Environmental Policy in an International Context, Milton Keynes, The Open University

Jehlicka, P. and D. Humphreys, D. (Eds) (2019 Glossary, in Environmental Policy in an International Context, Milton Keynes, The Open University

Mason, M.K. (n.d.)  ‘Tuvalu: Flooding, Global Warming, and Media Coverage

http://www.moyak.com/papers/tuvalu-climate-change.html

Accessed 27 th January 2020

The Guardian

https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2019/oct/23/former-tuvalu-pm-says-he-was-stunned-by-scott-morrisons-behaviour-at-pacific-islands-forum Accessed 7 th February 2020

https://www.adaptation-undp.org/explore/polynesia/tuvalu

Accessed 28 th January 2020

https://350.org/

Accessed 30 th January 2020

Our Free Courses:

Managing coastal environments

Managing coastal environments

Coastal environments are by their nature ever-changing. This free course, Managing coastal environments, looks at the example of the Blackwater Estuary in Essex, England, describing how the current state of the estuary came to be. It examines the contests and conflicts that centre on the estuary in terms of managing the environment for human ...

Energy in buildings

Energy in buildings

Themes covered in this free course, Energy in buildings, include reducing heating demand in buildings, heating systems and fuel emissions, and reducing electricity use by appliances. The course looks at the importance of energy in buildings in the UK, investigate heat loss and how to prevent it, ways of increasing building efficiency, ...

Eating for the environment

Eating for the environment

This free course, Eating for the environment, will explore the links between food, nutrition and environmental sustainability.

Read more about the effects of plastic on the environment

Plastics in our ocean

Plastics in our ocean

Test your knowledge about plastics in our oceans, and learn about how they impact the environment by clicking on the image below...

Become an OU student

Ratings & comments, share this free course, copyright information, publication details.

  • Originally published: Monday, 17 February 2020
  • Body text - Creative Commons BY-NC-SA 4.0 : The Open University
  • Image 'Illustration of where Tuvalu is located on a globe' - Copyright: Wikimedia Commons
  • Image 'A demonstration in support of the islands of Tuvalu' - Oxfam International on Flickr under Creative-Commons license
  • Image 'People in the sea in Tuvalu, holding up a banner' - "Tuvalu" by 350.org is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 2.0 under Creative-Commons license
  • Image 'Energy in buildings' - Copyright free
  • Image 'Managing coastal environments' - Copyright: Used with permission
  • Image 'Eating for the environment' - Copyright free: © Sonyakamoz | Dreamstime.com
  • Image 'Plastics in our ocean' - Image by A_Different_Perspective from Pixabay under Creative Commons BY-NC-SA 4.0 license

Rate and Review

Rate this article, review this article.

Log into OpenLearn to leave reviews and join in the conversation.

Article reviews

For further information, take a look at our frequently asked questions which may give you the support you need.

  • Get involved

Tuvalu wields new data in the fight against climate change

June 9, 2020.

It's been said that climate change poses an existential threat to some small island states. To some, this sounds alarmist, yet it is not far-fetched. Scientists have estimated that Tuvalu and others may become largely uninhabitable by the end of the century. (Photo: UNDP/Aurélia Rusek)

If you’ve been following the news related to COVID-19, you will have heard the mantra “testing, testing, testing”. The understanding is, if we don’t know how the virus is spreading, how can we possibly contain or manage it?

When you think about it, the same logic applies to climate change – how can we possibly respond to its impacts, when we don’t know what is happening?

Of course, we (the global community) have known empirically for decades that the planet is warming and that this warming is having a host of consequences, from more frequent extreme weather events to rising sea levels to warming and acidifying oceans.  The science is clear and compelling.

We have also been aware for years that atoll islands are very low and threatened by sea level rise. But in this case, our understanding has been much less precise.

In fact, it might surprise you to know that until now, detailed and accurate measurement of land height has been not existed for the majority of atoll islands in the Pacific region.  

Fogafale, during Cyclone Tino, January 2020 (Photo: UNDP Pacific / Puanita Taomia Ewekia)

Nanumea Island (Photo: UNDP Pacific / Puanita Taomia Ewekia)

Made up of low-lying islands and atolls, Tuvalu is one of the world’s most vulnerable countries to the effects of a warming planet. Pictured is Nanumaga Island, 2020. (Photo: UNDP Pacific / Puanita Taomia Ewekia)

Climate crisis in the Pacific

In the Pacific, we know with high confidence that sea level rise is climbing at a rate of centimetres over decades . 

The outlook is very serious for low-lying atoll countries as the sea increasingly erodes shorelines, contaminates fresh water sources, and harms critical subsistence food crops such as coconuts, breadfruit trees, banana and taro. 

Building resilience is an urgent priority for countries like Tuvalu, where most land, communities and infrastructure are located near the shore and on land barely above sea level.

Tapping state-of-the-art technology in Tuvalu

Launched in 2017, with backing from the global Green Climate Fund and in partnership with the United Nations Development Programme , the Tuvalu Coastal Adaptation Project aims to reduce exposure to coastal hazards and to develop a long-term coastal adaptation strategy for the country.

One of the first and most fundamental tasks of the project has been to secure baseline data to elucidate the relationship between land elevation and sea level, to model future scenarios, and to inform design of coastal infrastructure, as well as development planning.

To gather the data, the project last year turned to airborne LIDAR, or Light Detection and Ranging – state-of-the-art airplane-mounted technology which can rapidly collect precise information on land surface height and sea floor depth.  

Readying for take-off, 28 January 2019. (Photo: UNDP Pacific / Arthur Webb)

Photo: UNDP Pacific / Arthur Webb

Reviewing the data on return to the Lands and Survey Department (Photo: UNDP Pacific / Arthur Webb)

The survey plane also captures aerial photographs of unprecedented accuracy and clarity, and when combined with the LIDAR data provide a very powerful 3-dimensional tool for use in hazards management.

These products are fundamental to the understanding of marine hazards and are also used to analyse coastal processes, sea level rise, storm wave inundation, sediment movement, and to identify low-lying flood zones.  (It also has a range of development uses too such as resource management, conservation, safe navigation, adaptation and development planning.)

A revolution in our understanding

From one survey completed under the project, we now have 100 percent coverage of all of Tuvalu’s nine atoll systems and all of the islands and surrounding reefs and lagoons – around 500 square kilometres in total. Pretty impressive.

An individual home can now easily be identified and its location in relation to the shore and to sea level instantly measured.

It is indeed a historic advance in our understanding, with implications for Tuvalu’s future but also for our understanding more broadly about coastal vulnerability and development priorities in atoll countries around the world.

Analysis of the data is progressing, but in just one example, we now know that during highest measured sea levels, 46 percent of the central built area of Fogafale is essentially below sea level – a fact which directly substantiates Tuvalu’s reports of ever-increasing flooding due to sea level rise in their capital.  

LIDAR digital elevation model of Nanumaga island, Tuvalu, 2019 (Photo: UNDP)

The data is already being put to numerous uses.

  • The project has used the data to directly brief outer island Kaupule (councils) about safer flood-free zones for building.
  • The Government has integrated the data into its national recovery and vulnerability reduction plan for Tropical Cyclone Tino (which by official estimates  severely affected more than half the population  last January and led to a State of Emergency).
  • The data will be incorporated into navigation charts, crucial for safe ship operations and trade (presently there are no updated charts for Tuvalu since the mid 1980s).
  • The Department of Lands and Survey is using the data as its baseline for planning and has also incorporated it into its maritime boundaries work.
  • The UNDP-supported  Ridge2Reef  project is drawing on the data to support reef conservation work.
  • A World Bank-backed project improving the climate resilience of Nanumaga’s harbour and Funafuti’s port is looking at using the data in their risk modelling around the impacts of storm surges.

Most importantly, the Government of Tuvalu is now basing their long-term adaptation strategy, including bold land reclamation plans, on the data collected.

“The LIDAR data collected by the Tuvalu Coastal Adaptation Project has provided the Department of Lands with the best possible coverage for development planning. In fact, the data is valuable across government departments, providing a tool for adaptation, development, resource management and environmental monitoring needs linked to climate change. Further, it has given us baseline information for each of Tuvalu's island — enabling us to compare with the past and to model the future,” Mr. Faatasi Malologa, Director of Tuvalu’s Department of Lands and Survey.  

(L-R) Director of Department of Lands and Survey, Mr Fatasi Malologa with Tuvalu Coastal Adaptation Project (TCAP) Project Manager, Alan Resture (Photo: UNDP Pacific/Puanita Taomia Ewekia)

Enele Sosene Sopoaga, former Prime Minister of Tuvalu, signs the Paris Agreement at the United Nations in New York, 22 April 2016 (Photo: UN / Amanda Voisard)

Tuvalu’s Prime Minister and Chair of the Pacific Islands Forum, Hon. Kausea Natano, has vowed to continue the country's climate change advocacy. (Photo: SPREP)

The products we get from the LIDAR survey are truly a game changer, informing all aspects of development, including infrastructure planning and adaptation.

In the fight against climate change, data is an incredibly empowering tool

Like COVID-19, without testing or measuring, the impacts of climate change are hard to grasp.

By testing and measuring, we quantify and bring the problems into sharp focus. Most importantly, it means we can better understand timelines and solutions, and therefore can respond more effectively.

With the new LIDAR data, there is state-of-the art science showing the tenuous nature of these islands under accelerating sea level rise and climate change – and the necessity of re-doubling adaptation support.  

Following their success, other Pacific countries are now looking to Tuvalu.  

UN Secretary-General António Guterres walks on the beach as children play in the ocean. Guterres visited the country as part of a Pacific trip to spotlight the issue of climate change ahead of the global Climate Action Summit in September 2019. (Photo: UN / Mark Garten)

The Tuvalu Coastal Adaptation Project is a seven-year project implemented by UNDP in close collaboration with the Government of Tuvalu and funding from the Green Climate Fund.

Contact information:

Aishath Azza, UNDP Regional Technical Advisor for Climate Change Adaptation,  [email protected]

Related Content

a body of water in front of a house

Engineering Resilience: Protecting Tuvalu’s Nanumea Island from Sea Level Rise

Nanumea, the fourth largest and most remote island of Tuvalu, is located 650 kilometers north of the nation’s capital. The outer island’s white shores are home to...

a house with a mountain in the background

Press Releases

Newly commissioned resilient infrastructure to provide safe haven for yalobi villagers.

A newly improved and upgraded risk-informed evacuation centre was commissioned for the villagers of Yalobi in Waya, Yasawa today, offering a safe haven for more t...

tuvalu geography case study

Green Climate Fund Approves US$23.9 Million for Tonga Coastal Resilience Project

The Green Climate Fund (GCF) Board has approved a US$22.66 million grant for Tonga’s Coastal Resilience Project, supplemented by US$1.2 million in co-financing fr...

tuvalu geography case study

Publications

Tuvalu coastal adaptation project - tcap ii - environmental and social impact assessment.

Following the success of the Tuvalu Coastal Adaptation Project’s (TCAP) stage 1 reclamation works, the Government of Tuvalu (GoT) has received funding from the Au...

tuvalu geography case study

Government of Fiji and UNDP Strengthen Strategic Partnership for Sustainable Community Development

The Ministry of Rural and Maritime Development and Disaster Management (MRMDDM) of Fiji and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Pacific Office in Fiji...

tuvalu geography case study

Skip to content

Get Revising

Join get revising, already a member.

Ai Tutor Bot Advert

Tuvalu- case study

  • Climate change
  • Created by: tasha.berkley
  • Created on: 19-05-19 14:55
  • small, cramped housing.
  • uninhabitable by 2050
  • flooding is more frequent. may road is flooded on funafuti
  • 4000 (1/3 pop) already moved to Nz
  • 5mm rainfall above normal.
  • South Pacific Ocean NE of Australia
  • coral atoll
  • 10-12000 people
  • 5 m max elevation.
  • gov wants to move the rest 10,000 people .
  • some low level sea walls
  • importing food + water
  • global fund, water aid
  • composting toilets (sewage issues)
  • global warming
  • thermal expansion
  • ice caps melting (Greenland)

Report Sun 12th January, 2020 @ 19:20

Thank you very much couldn't find on bitesize so this is a big help thanks.

Similar Geography resources:

Geography - Climate Change. 0.0 / 5

WJEC Geography 4.0 / 5 based on 12 ratings

Hazards Case Studies notes 0.0 / 5

Oceans on the edge 0.0 / 5

Environmental threats to our planet (OCR Geography A) 0.0 / 5

GCSE Geography- Unit 1A- The restless Earth 1.5 / 5 based on 3 ratings

Living World - Thar Desert Case Study (LEDC) 0.0 / 5

Climate Change Revision 0.0 / 5

Geography - Coastal change and conflict 3.5 / 5 based on 4 ratings

Tsunamis 1.0 / 5 based on 1 rating

tuvalu geography case study

Kenneth's Geography Blog

Wednesday, may 2, 2012, sea level rise case study: tuvalu.


3 comments:

tuvalu geography case study

Thank you. Very useful information :)

tuvalu geography case study

Thank you very detailed, will be useful in my AS geography exam tomorrow :)

Sames Geege starting to wish I never to AS geog it takes the mic.

xam content

  • India – Size and Location Class 9 Case Study Social Science Geography Chapter 1

Download CBSE and ICSE Books in PDF Format

Last Updated on September 8, 2024 by XAM CONTENT

Hello students, we are providing case study questions for class 9 social science. Case study questions are the new question format that is introduced in CBSE board. The resources for case study questions are very less. So, to help students we have created chapterwise case study questions for class 9 social science. In this article, you will find case study for CBSE Class 9 Social Science History Chapter 4 Forest Society and Colonialism. It is a part of Case Study Questions for CBSE Class 9 Social Science Series.

India – Size and Location
Case Study Questions
Competency Based Questions
CBSE
9
Social Science – Geography
Geography: Contemporary India – I
Class 9 Studying Students
Yes
Mentioned

Customised Study Materials for Teachers, Schools and Coaching Institute

Table of Contents

Case Study Questions on India – Size and Location Class 9

Read the following passage and answer the questions:

The Indian landmass has a central location between the East and the West Asia. India is a Southward extension of the Asian continent. The trans Indian Ocean routes, which connect the countries of Europe in the West and the countries of East Asia, provide a strategic central location to India. Note that the Deccan Peninsula protrudes into the Indian Ocean, thus helping India to establish close contact with West Asia, Africa and Europe from the Western coast and with South-East and East Asia from the Eastern coast. No other country has a long coastline on the Indian Ocean as India has and indeed, it is India’s eminent position in the Indian Ocean, which justifies the naming of an Ocean after it.

Q. 1. Of which continent is India a Southward extension? a. Asia b. Europe c. Antarctica d. Sri Lanka

Q. 2. Which routes connect the countries of Europe in the West and the countries of East Asia? a. Palk Strait route b. Trans Indian Ocean route c. Suez Canal route d. Bay of Bengal route

Q. 3. Name the only country in the world after which an ocean is named. a. Bangladesh b. Myanmar c. India d. Sri Lanka

Q. 4. What is the total length of the coastline of the Indian mainland? a. 7646 km b. 7243.6 km c. 7516.6 km d. 7526.8 km

Q. 5. Which of the following helps India to establish close contact with West Asia, Africa and Europe from the Western coast? a. Gulf of Mannar b. Palk Strait c. Deccan Peninsula d. Indian Peninsula

Q. 6. Where is the Indian landmass located in Asia? a. East located b. West located c. Southwards d. Centrally located

  • Forest Society and Colonialism Class 9 Case Study Social Science History Chapter 4
  • Nazism and the Rise of Hitler Class 9 Case Study Social Science History Chapter 3

Socialism in Europe and the Russian Revolution Class 9 Case Study Social Science History Chapter 2

The french revolution class 9 case study social science history chapter 1, topics from which case study questions may be asked.

Here is a list of topics from which case study questions may be asked.

  • Why Deforestation?
  • Rise of Commercial Forestry
  • How were Lives of People Affected
  • Rebellion in the Forests
  • The Fear of the People
  • Forest Transformation in Java
  • New Development in Forestry
India shares its international border with Pakistan and Afghanistan in the North-west.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) on India – Size and Location Class 9 Case Study

Q1: what are case study questions.

A1: Case study questions are a type of question that presents a detailed scenario or a real-life situation related to a specific topic. Students are required to analyze the situation, apply their knowledge, and provide answers or solutions based on the information given in the case study. These questions help students develop critical thinking and problem-solving skills.

Q2: How should I approach case study questions in exams?

A2: To approach case study questions effectively, follow these steps: Read the case study carefully: Understand the scenario and identify the key points. Analyze the information: Look for clues and relevant details that will help you answer the questions. Apply your knowledge: Use what you have learned in your course to interpret the case study and answer the questions. Structure your answers: Write clear and concise responses, making sure to address all parts of the question.

Q3: What are the benefits of practicing case study questions from your website?

A3: Practicing case study questions from our website offers several benefits: Enhanced understanding: Our case studies are designed to deepen your understanding of historical events and concepts. Exam preparation: Regular practice helps you become familiar with the format and types of questions you might encounter in exams. Critical thinking: Analyzing case studies improves your ability to think critically and make connections between different historical events and ideas. Confidence: Practicing with our materials can boost your confidence and improve your performance in exams.

Q4: What are the important keywords in this chapter “India – Size and Location”?

A4: Important keywords for CBSE Class 9 India – Size and Location are given below: Peninsula:  An area of land surrounded by water bodies on three sides. Subcontinent:  Landmass having distinct physical and cultural identity within the continent. Strategic Central Location:  Nuclear-like existence from where the entire periphery is controlled, manipulated and governed or linked. Strait:  A relatively narrow water way linking two large bodies of water. Island:  A land surrounded on all sides by water bodies. Indian Union:  Refers to the union country of India comprising 29 states and 7 union territories. Continent:  A large area of land that is surrounded or almost surrounded by oceans and that usually consists of several countries. Coastline:  It refers to the line forming the boundary between land and water. Gulf:  A large area of sea partly surrounded by land. Maritime:  Activities of trade and commerce relating to the sea.

Q5: What is a subcontinent? What two features that make India a subcontinent?

A5: A landmass with distinct physical and cultural diversity within a continent is called a subcontinent. Example: India is a subcontinent. Following qualities (features) make India a subcontinent: (i) India’s self-contained landmass forms a sub-division of the Asian continent. (ii) It is separated from the Asian continent by the Himalayas in the North, Karakoram mountains in the north-east and Arakan Hills in the east.

Q6: Which countries comprise the Indian subcontinent?

A6: The countries which comprise the Indian subcontinent are: (i) Pakistan (ii) Nepal (iii) Bhutan (iv) Myanmar (v) Bangladesh (vi) India

Q7: What is the difference between a continent and a subcontinent?

A7: A Subcontinent: A subcontinent is a part of a continent. It is an independent geographical unit and separated from the main continent. Example: India. Continent: A continent is a vast landmass. It stands as a separate physical unit. There are seven continents in the world. Example: Asia, Australia, North America, South America, Antarctica, Africa and Europe.

Q8: Where does India rank in terms of landmass in the world?

A8: India is ranked seventh in terms of landmass in the world.

Q9: Are there any online resources or tools available for practicing “ India – Size and Location” case study questions?

A10: We provide case study questions for CBSE Class 9 Social Science on our website. Students can visit the website and practice sufficient case study questions and prepare for their exams.

India – Size and Location Class 9 Case Study Social Science Geography Chapter 1

Related Posts

tuvalu geography case study

IMAGES

  1. Facts about Tuvalu for Kids

    tuvalu geography case study

  2. What are the Key Facts of Tuvalu?

    tuvalu geography case study

  3. Tuvalu Maps & Facts

    tuvalu geography case study

  4. Physical Map of Tuvalu

    tuvalu geography case study

  5. carte des îles tuvalu carte des îles tuvalu geographie ks1 1 Illustration

    tuvalu geography case study

  6. Facts about Tuvalu for Kids

    tuvalu geography case study

VIDEO

  1. GCSE Geography

  2. Social Studies World Geography Cultural Geography Case Study Instructional Activity Video

  3. Tuvalu Geography

  4. Geography CASE STUDY: GLASTONBURY FESTIVAL costs and benefits (Leisure Sport and Tourism) IBDP

  5. Nigeria GCSE Geography Case Study: Key Insights! #facts #education #knowledge #geography #africa

  6. Geography Case Study with Miss Bytheway

COMMENTS

  1. Case study: Tuvalu Flashcards

    Case study: Tuvalu. Describe the country of Tuvalu. Click the card to flip 👆. 4th smallest in the world. 9 widely dispersed low lying islands. 10m^2. A UN report 30 years ago stated that Tuvalu would vanish in the 21st century unless global warming was drastically reduced. Highest point is 4.5m above sea level. Click the card to flip 👆.

  2. PDF TUVALU

    TUVALU - A SINKING NATION (Case study) The country Tuvalu consists of nine coral coral islands with a total area less than 26 sq km located in the South Pacific Ocean near Fiji and about half way between Hawaii and Australia. Since there are no streams or rivers and groundwater is not potable, most water needs is met by rainwater harvesting ...

  3. How is Tuvalu's geography affecting the country's future?

    For example, an advantage of Tuvalu's spread out islands is that its residents from the country's outer islands are able to create short-term protection from future storms by migrating to the country's inner islands. However, regardless of residents' migratory patterns across the country, every atoll and reef island will eventually face ...

  4. Global Warming and the Risk of Flooding in Tuvalu

    Tuvalu's climate is tropical and is moderated by easterly trade winds from March to November. It has a heavy rain season with westerly winds from November to March and although tropical storms are rare, the islands are prone to flooding with high tides and changes in sea level. Tuvalu, Global Warming, and Rising Sea Levels.

  5. Tuvalu

    Tuvalu became part of Climate Resilient Islands in 2022. As a low-lying atoll country rising to a maximum elevation of 1.8m, Tuvalu is defined by its marine ecosystems, with lagoons, reefs and open ocean, which are essential to their traditional ways of life. However, these ecosystems are uniquely vulnerable to sea level rise, saltwater ...

  6. How Tuvalu is dealing with impacts of the climate crisis

    5 December 2023, Dubai UAE - As a small, low-lying atoll nation in the middle of the vast Pacific Ocean, Tuvalu faces extraordinary challenges due to climate change, in particular from sea level ...

  7. PDF The Interaction of Climate Change with Territorial Sovereignty: Tuvalu

    This essay will use Tuvalu as a case study in order to examine the ways in which climate change has and will increase pressure for a rethink . 3 of territorial state sovereignty in the 21st century. This essay will begin by introducing the concepts of sovereignty and territory, in order to show how they are currently defined and ...

  8. Climate change in the Pacific: Tuvalu case-study

    Climate change in the Pacific: Tuvalu case-study. I. Madaleno. Published 23 March 2011. Environmental Science, Geography. The Tuvalu Group is made of nine small low-lying coral atoll and reef islands, located in the South Pacific, about 1,100 km north of Fiji. With a total area of 26km 2 , it has about 11,000 residents and it is the first ...

  9. Imaginative Geographies of Climate Change Induced Displacements and

    There is, and always has been, a lot of movement around the Pacific, including to New Zealand." 277 Imaginative Geographies of Climate Change Induced Displacements and Migrations: A Case Study of Tuvalu The problem comes when the term climate refugee is used in an abstract form; we cannot say that it is an independent category, which will ...

  10. Sea level rise in Tuvalu, South Pacific

    Location of Tuvalu Why is the sea level rising? Global sea-level rise is caused by the melting of ice sheets in Greenland and Antarctica and the expansion of seawater as it heats up (Humphreys, 2019a). Over the period 1901-2010 global average sea levels rose 0.19 metres (IPCC, 2013). Predictions for future sea-level rise vary.

  11. PDF TUVALU

    2019, have an average height above sea-level of less than 3 meter (m). Not only is Tuvalu threatened by sea-level rise, it must contend with extreme exposure to tropical cyclones. Tuvalu's economy has become highly dependent on external aid and employment opportunities are limited. Issues of poverty and deprivation have persisted in Tuvalu,

  12. Geography case study

    CASE STUDY BOOKLET Climate Change in Tuvalu (Worldwide) Location and Background. Tuvalu is a group of nine small islands in the South Pacific. Most of the islands are low-lying with the highest point being only 4 above sea level.

  13. Tuvalu wields new data in the fight against climate change

    Pacific Office. Tuvalu wields new data in the fight against climate change. It's been said that climate change poses an existential threat to some small island states. To some, this sounds alarmist, yet it is not far-fetched. Scientists have estimated that Tuvalu and others may become largely uninhabitable by the end of the century.

  14. Geography Case study Climate change in Tuvalu Flashcards

    Study with Quizlet and memorise flashcards containing terms like Tuvalu case study: Location and Background, Tuvalu case study: Effects, Tuvalu case study: Management/responses and others.

  15. Geography Case Study

    Study with Quizlet and memorize flashcards containing terms like Where & what is Tuvalu?, What is Tuvalu like? -type of land = L-L -highest point = _._m A S L -population = _ _ 000 -economy = E C, F O T, S O P S, What issue is Tuvalu facing? and more.

  16. Geography Alevel Casestudies

    3,400. Tuvalu: the natural resources are: coconuts and fish. Study with Quizlet and memorise flashcards containing terms like Tuvalu: is made up of how many low lying atolls?, Tuvalu: where are tuvalu's nine islands located?, Tuvalu: was first recognised as under threat in what climare conference in 2009? and others.

  17. Tuvalu- case study

    Home > GCSE > Geography > Tuvalu- case study. Tuvalu- case study. 5.0 / 5 based on 2 ratings? Geography; Climate change; GCSE; OCR; Created by: tasha.berkley; Created on: 19-05-19 14:55; View mindmap. Tuvalu. EFFECTS. small, cramped housing. uninhabitable by 2050; flooding is more frequent. may road is flooded on funafuti; 4000 (1/3 pop ...

  18. Kenneth's Geography Blog: Sea Level Rise Case Study: Tuvalu

    Case Study: Tuvalu. Describe the location: It is located in in the Pacific Ocean, midway between Australia and Hawaii. It's some of it's nearby neighbors are Fiji and Samoa. They are formally known as Ellice Island. Location map + sea level rise. Explain why it is vulnerable to sea level rise…. The island is only 5m in height which makes ...

  19. Tuvalu Polynesia A Level geography case study Flashcards

    Study with Quizlet and memorise flashcards containing terms like How much do King tides increase per year, What is Tuvalu's highest point above sea level, When was Allen quoted and others.

  20. India

    The resources for case study questions are very less. So, to help students we have created chapterwise case study questions for class 9 social science. In this article, you will find case study for CBSE Class 9 Social Science History Chapter 4 Forest Society and Colonialism. It is a part of Case Study Questions for CBSE Class 9 Social Science ...

  21. Tuvalu case study Flashcards

    Study with Quizlet and memorise flashcards containing terms like Where is Tuvalu located?, What is Tuvalu's highest point above sea level?, How much have sea levels risen since pre industrial times? and others.

  22. OCR B GCSE Geography Changing Climate Case Studies

    OCR B GCSE Geography Changing Climate Case Studies. Tuvalu - background. Click the card to flip 👆. Tuvalu is a group of tiny islands in the South Pacific. Most islands are. low-lying with the highest point being 4.5m above sea level. Population is. 11,000 people and the economy relies mainly from exporting copra.