Funafuti Atoll

Funafuti Atoll, coral atoll, capital of Tuvalu, in the west-central Pacific Ocean. Funafuti is the most populous of the country’s nine atolls. Its main islet is Fongafale, the site of the village of Vaiaku, where most of Tuvalu’s government offices are located.

The atoll comprises some 30 islets strung around a lagoon (13.5 by 10 miles [21.7 by 16.1 km]) that affords good anchorage. A U.S. military base was established there in 1942, during World War II, to combat Japanese forces in the Pacific. The urbanization of Funafuti in the 21st century and the increasing salinization of its sandy soil reduced agricultural productivity on the atoll, which traditionally produced copra for export as well as bananas and papaya for domestic consumption. Subsistence fishing is a significant economic activity. The three-story Government Building in Vaiaku is situated on the west (lagoon) side of Funafuti. Government offices in Vaiaku include those of the governor-general, the prime minister and the cabinet, the High Court, and the unicameral Parliament. A hospital and a hotel are also located in Vaiaku, as is Funafuti International Airport. Area 0.9 square mile (2.4 square km). Pop. (2002) 4,362; (2012) 6,025.