This remote Pacific island nation just got its first ATMs

By Kathleen Magramo, CNN

(CNN) — The Pacific paradise of Tuvalu is one of the most remote nations in the world, surrounded by bountiful exotic fish and colorful corals.

Located between Australia and Hawaii, the country is so isolated that all transactions, either by locals or visitors, have only ever been done in cash.

So when the small country unveiled its first ever ATMs on April 15 it was a major celebration.

As officials gathered in front of one of the ATMs on the country’s main island of Funafuti, Prime Minister Feleti Teo hailed the “significant milestone.” He presented the new machines to the country on Tuesday surrounded by local dignitaries, cutting a massive chocolate cake.

Siose Teo, general manager of National Bank of Tuvalu, which operates the machines, said it was a “great achievement” and “transformative switch” that will “open doors for economic empowerment of the people of Tuvalu,” which has a population of around 11,200.

“It will definitely break the barriers and introduce the people to modern and reliable banking services,” Nisar Ali from Pacific Technology Limited, which helped design the machine, was quoted as saying by Australian public broadcaster ABC.

Tuvalu is one of the smallest countries in the world, its nine tiny islands covering just 10 square miles combined.

Not many people travel there. Just over 3,000 tourists visited the island in 2023, according to government data.

It has one airport, on Funafuti, that services just a handful of flights each week from Pacific neighbor Fiji. When no planes are landing, the runway is used by locals as a playground for all kinds of activities from rugby to soccer.

Within the country, people go between islands by ferry, as there are no domestic flights.

As its highest point is only 15 feet above sea level, Tuvalu is extremely vulnerable to rising sea levels and is one of the countries most threatened by the climate crisis.

Rising sea levels not only push back its shorelines, but the encroaching salt water also erodes the country’s limited farmland. The sea’s warming temperatures also threaten surrounding marine life.

The country made international headlines in 2021 when then-foreign minister Simon Kofe delivered a speech to the United Nations while standing knee-deep in water.

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