Not very often in Falmouth do we see ships with crews from the tiny south Pacific country of Tuvalu. 

With the arrival of the Danish vessel Amanda, currently in dry-dock, the town has welcomed a crew from what is the fourth smallest county in the world, by landmass. 

As the crow flies Tuvalu is about 9,800 miles, but far longer by sea. A group of coral islands, it lies between six and eight degrees south and 178 degrees east longitude.

With a population of just 11,000 and a small land area it is the fourth smallest country in the world. It provides about 800 seafarers through the local marine school.

The islands were once known as the Gilbert and Ellice islands.