Languages spoken in Tuvalu
Oceania · Capital: Funafuti · Population 10,643
In Tuvalu, two languages have official status: Tuvalu and English. Tuvalu is the most widely spoken language, with an estimated 85% of the population speaking it as a first or additional language, or roughly 9,047 people. The only other recorded language is English, at 9.1% of the population. In total, two languages are recorded in Tuvalu, and their shares add up to 94.1% of the population, which implies the average resident speaks about 0.9 of them.
What languages are spoken in Tuvalu?
| Language | Share of population | Status | Estimated speakers |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tuvalu | 85% | Official | 9,047 |
| EnglishIndo-European | 9.1% | Official | 969 |
Percentages are the share of the population that speaks each language, including as a second language, so they add up to well over 100% in multilingual countries. Speaker counts are estimates derived from the percentage and the country's population, not counted figures.
What is the official language of Tuvalu?
In Tuvalu, two languages have official status: Tuvalu and English. Tuvalu is spoken by an estimated 85% of the population, or roughly 9,047 people, counting both first-language and additional speakers.
Official status comes from Unicode CLDR. It distinguishes languages that are official nationwide, those used as de facto official without being named in law, and those official only in particular regions or territories.
How many people speak Tuvalu in Tuvalu?
An estimated 85% of Tuvalu's 10,643 people speak Tuvalu, which works out at roughly 9,047 speakers. That figure is derived from the population and the reported share, and it counts second-language speakers, so it is an estimate rather than a census count.
Key facts about Tuvalu
- Capital
- Funafuti
- Population
- 10,643
- Continent
- Oceania
- Area
- 26 km²
- Currency
- AUD and TVD
- Languages recorded
- 2
- Land borders
- None
- ISO codes
- TV / TUV / 798
Explore more
Language shares, population, and official status: Unicode CLDR. Capital, area, borders, and currency: mledoze/countries (ODbL 1.0). Flag image: flagcdn.com. Speaker counts are estimates derived from population and reported share.