Nukufetau

Nukufetau is an atoll that is part of the Tuvaluan nation. The atoll was claimed by the United States under the Guano Islands Act somewhere in the nineteenth century and was transferred in a friendship treaty signed in 1979 and entered into force in 1983. Savave islet has a population of 597 people (2017 Census). The school on Motumua islet was relocated to Savave in 1951 and became the government primary school for Nukufetau. In honor of its predecessor, it was renamed the Tutasi Memorial School.

According to local legend, the first individuals to settle on Nukufetau were a group of Tongans. When they arrived, they discovered only one fetau (or fetau in Tongan) tree flourishing on the atoll, therefore they named it Nukufetau - the fetau's island. They cultivated coconut trees and settled on Fale on the atoll's western edge. Motulalo is Nukufetau's largest islet. After the arrival of the missionaries in the late nineteenth century, the residents of Nukufetau lived on Fale islet until relocating to Savave, which is located on the lagoon side of the Fale community. On Savave islet, Aulotu has 331 residents and Maneapa has 191. (2012 census).

Location: Tuvalu