Report of the Community Natural Resource Use Survey and Environmental Awareness Survey, Funafuti atoll, Tuvalu, December 1999

Being the Capitol of Tuvalu, the seat of National Government and the centre of employment opportunities, Funafuti atoll is now home to more than 40% of the country's people, having a population of around 4,000 on less than 3 square kilometres of land (Mclean & Hosking,1992). As most people rely heavily on marine and island resources, the large population is putting increasing pressure on the atoll's natural resources through harvesting as well as from environmental hazards such as rubbish dumping and pollution.