Tuvalu, previously known as the Ellice Islands, is a Polynesian island in the Pacific Ocean halfway between Hawaii and Australia. Its nearest neighbours are Kiribati, Samoa and Fiji.

The nine islands of Tuvalu are all tiny coral atolls and Funafuti is the capital.  Tuvalu is made almost entirely of coral, so diving here is amazing.

The Funafuti lagoon itself is 14 km wide and about 18 km long. Part of the Tuvalu Funafuti Conservation area, it includes reef, lagoon, channel, ocean and islands habitats.

• Funafuti Island
• Nukufetau Reef - a fringing reef outside the lagoon.

Although Tuvalu is considered to be outside the cyclone belt there have been increasing occurrences of cyclones passing over the islands in recent times due to disturbances in global weather patterns.