Funafuti, << `fyoo` nuh FYOOT ee >> (pop. 2,800), is the capital of Tuvalu, a small island country in the South Pacific Ocean. Funafuti is one of the world’s smallest and most unusual national capitals. It is the largest islet of an atoll that is also called Funafuti. An atoll is a ring-shaped coral reef that surrounds a lagoon. The Funafuti atoll consists of 30 islets that have a total area of 689 acres (279 hectares). Most of the people live in Fongafale village on the islet of Funafuti. The main government offices of Tuvalu and a hospital, a hotel, a jail, and a wharf are at Vaiaku on the islet. Funafuti was the site of a United States military base during World War II (1939-1945). The base is now an airstrip just east of Vaiaku.
