Tuvalu is a tiny island nation in the South Pacific Ocean. The country is comprised of nine islands. Tuvalu has a population of approximately 11,000 people, and more than half of that total resides on the island of Funafuti, which is also nation’s capital.

Other languages such as Samoan, Kiribati, and Gilbertese are often spoken on the nation’s islands.

Tuvaluan is the most common language spoken in Tuvalu. It is used alongside English in official documents and by governmental organizations. The language is closely linked to Polynesian languages such as Samoan, Hawaiian, Tongan, and Tahitian. The Tuvaluan language has borrowed considerably from the Samoan language, which was used by missionaries on the islands of Tuvalu. In addition to the 11,000 residents of Tuvalu, Tuvaluan is also spoken by a small community of 3,000 Tuvaluans who reside in New Zealand.

Most residents of Tuvalu can speak Samoan, and this is attributed to the close link between Samoan and Tuvaluan. Christian missionaries led by Elekana introduced Samoan to the islands of Tuvalu in 1861.

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