Ellice

Ellice commonly refers to the Ellice Islands, the historic name for the island group now known as Tuvalu in the western Pacific Ocean. The name derives from Edward Ellice, 1st Baron Ellice, a British politician after whom the group was named during the period of European exploration and colonial administration. The Ellice Islands were part of a British colonial framework known as the Gilbert and Ellice Islands, established in the early 20th century and administered together until Tuvalu’s independence.

Geographically, the Ellice Islands are a low-lying atoll and reef island chain in the central Pacific. Tuvalu comprises nine atolls and reef islands with a small total land area, and its capital is Funafuti. The country has a small population and relies on subsistence practices, fishing, and remittances from abroad. Official languages are Tuvaluan and English, and the population is predominantly Christian.

Historically, the Ellice Islands were administered as part of the Gilbert and Ellice Islands colony. In the late 20th century, Tuvalu moved toward self-government and independence, ultimately becoming an independent sovereign state within the Commonwealth in 1978. Since independence, the archipelago has been known as Tuvalu, though the term Ellice remains a historical reference in scholarly and archival contexts and appears in the former colonial name of the territory.

Beyond the geographic and historical use, Ellice can also be encountered as a surname or given name in English-speaking contexts, though such uses are unrelated to the Pacific island group.