The country in Oceania formerly known as the Ellice Islands is Tuvalu. The name Ellice Islands was used for the Polynesian island group that now forms Tuvalu, while the neighboring Gilbert Islands became Kiribati.
In 1892, Britain proclaimed a protectorate over the Ellice and Gilbert Islands. They were later administered together as the Gilbert and Ellice Islands Colony. A 1974 referendum supported separate administrations, and the two groups were divided in 1976.
Tuvalu became fully independent from the United Kingdom on October 1, 1978. The country consists of six atolls and three reef islands scattered across the central Pacific, between Hawaii and Australia. Its capital, Funafuti, is one of the best-known locations in the country.
A common mix-up is confusing Tuvalu with Kiribati: Kiribati largely corresponds to the former Gilbert Islands, whereas Tuvalu corresponds to the former Ellice Islands. Tuvalu is also known for its highly sought-after .tv internet domain and vulnerability to rising sea levels.