Formerly known as the Ellice Islands, Tuvalu became a British protectorate in 1892, and in 1916 the islands became part of the Gilbert and Ellice Islands Colony. Tuvalu was administrered as a single administrative unit from the district headquarters in Funafuti. American military bases were set up at Funafuti, Nanumea and Nukufetau in 1942. Funafuti became the administrative centre of the colony for the period of the Japanese occupation of Nauru and the Gilbert Islands. The colonial headquarters shifted to Tarawa after the War. Tuvalu was granted self-government on 1 October 1975.

Selected series from the archives of the Gilbert and Ellice Islands Colony, Ellice Islands District, as arranged by the Western Pacific Archives, documenting Nanumea and Funafuti Island Councils, Island Courts and Lands Commission proceedings, as follows:
• Reel 1-2, TUV4(3)IV, Nanumea Island Council, Land correspondence files and Land Court Minute Books, 1936-1962
• Reel 2-3, TUV4(3)V, Nanumea Island Council, Registers, 1935-1961;
• Reel 3, TUV4(3)VI, Nanumea Island Council, Wills, Agreements and Contracts, 1899-1968;
• Reel 3, TUV4(3)VII, Nanumea Island Council, Station Diaries, 1949-1952;
• Reel 3-4, TUV4(3)I, Nanumea Island Council, Correspondence files, 1947-1967;
• Reel 4, TUV4(3)II, Nanumea Island Council, Island Council and Native Court Minutes and Registers, 1909-1966;
• Reel 4-5, TUV4(3)III, Nanumea Island Council Minutes, 1948-1965;
• Reel 5-6, TUV4(3)VIII, Nanumea Island Council, Miscellaneous Items, 1934-1952;
• Reel 6-7, TUV4(1)I, Funafuti Island Council, Correspondence files, 1948-1964;
• Reel 7, TUV4(1)II, Funafuti Island Council, Un-numbered Files, 1932-1962;
• Reel 7-8, TUV4(1)IV, Funafuti Island Council, Minute books, 1948-1965;
• Reel 8, TUV4(1)V, Funafuti Island Council, Court Minute Book, 1923-1932;
• Reel 8, TUV4(1)VI, Funafuti Lands Commission and Land Court Minutes, 1948-1957;
• Reel 8, TUV4(1)VII, Funafuti Island Council, Registers and Copies of Wills, 1949, 1967-1973;
• Reel 8-9, TUV4(1)VIII, Funafuti Island Council, Registers, 1949-1967;
• Reel 10, TUV4(1)IX, Lands Commission, Funafuti, Ellice Islands, records of individual land owners, 1933-1958;
• Reel 10, TUV4(1)X, Lands Commission, Funafuti, Ellice Islands, records, 1932-1958;
• Reel 10, TUV4(1)XI, Lands Commission, Funafuti, Ellice Islands, findings,1935-1936, and wills, 1896-1988;
• Reel 10, TUV7/III, Ellice Islands Land Commission, Regulations and Instructions, 1941-1952;
• Reel 11, TUV7/IV, Ellice Islands Land Commission., Land Lists and Registers, n.d. (1935-1936).

For Island Council and Lands records of Nanumanga, TUV4(2), Niutao, TUV4(4), Nui, TUV4(5), Nukufetau, TUV4(6), and Nukulaelae, TUV4(7) , see PMB 1283.
See Finding aids for details.