In 1974, ethnic
differences within the British colony of the Gilbert and Ellice Islands
caused the Polynesians of the Ellice Islands to vote for separation
from the Micronesians of the Gilbert Islands. The following year, the
Ellice Islands became the separate British colony of Tuvalu.
Independence was granted in 1978. In 2000, Tuvalu negotiated a contract
leasing its Internet domain name ".tv" for $50 million in royalties
over a 12-year period. Tuvaluan,
English,
Samoan, and Kiribati are spoken.