Tuvalu has the smallest land area among the independent states of Polynesia. Its nine low-lying islands contain only about 26 square kilometres of land.
Tuvalu is an island country in the west-central Pacific Ocean, roughly midway between Hawaii and Australia. Its islands are narrow atolls and reef islands, and Funafuti is the capital atoll. The country became independent from the United Kingdom on 1 October 1978.
Nauru is smaller overall by land area, but it is generally classified as part of Micronesia rather than Polynesia. This geographic distinction explains why Tuvalu is the answer to a Polynesia-specific question. Tuvalu’s low elevation also makes it particularly vulnerable to coastal erosion, saltwater intrusion and rising sea levels.