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This page was last updated on 19 September, 2006


Map of Vanuatu



Legend: DefinitionDefinition Field ListingField Listing Rank OrderRank Order
   Introduction    Vanuatu Top of Page
Background:
Definition Field Listing
Multiple waves of colonizers, each speaking a distinct language, migrated to the New Hebrides in the millennia preceeding European exploration in the 18th century. This settlement pattern accounts for the complex linguistic diversity found on the archipelago to this day. The British and French, who settled the New Hebrides in the 19th century, agreed in 1906 to an Anglo-French Condominium, which administered the islands until independence in 1980, when the new name of Vanuatu was adopted.
   Geography    Vanuatu Top of Page
Location:
Definition Field Listing
Oceania, group of islands in the South Pacific Ocean, about three-quarters of the way from Hawaii to Australia
Geographic coordinates:
Definition Field Listing
16 00 S, 167 00 E
Map references:
Definition Field Listing
Oceania
Area:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
total: 12,200 sq km
land: 12,200 sq km
water: 0 sq km
note: includes more than 80 islands, about 65 of which are inhabited
Area - comparative:
Definition Field Listing
slightly larger than Connecticut
Land boundaries:
Definition Field Listing
0 km
Coastline:
Definition Field Listing
2,528 km
Maritime claims:
Definition Field Listing
measured from claimed archipelagic baselines
territorial sea: 12 nm
contiguous zone: 24 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin
Climate:
Definition Field Listing
tropical; moderated by southeast trade winds from May to October; moderate rainfall from November to April; may be affected by cyclones from December to April
Terrain:
Definition Field Listing
mostly mountainous islands of volcanic origin; narrow coastal plains
Elevation extremes:
Definition Field Listing
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: Tabwemasana 1,877 m
Natural resources:
Definition Field Listing
manganese, hardwood forests, fish
Land use:
Definition Field Listing
arable land: 1.64%
permanent crops: 6.97%
other: 91.39% (2005)
Irrigated land:
Definition Field Listing
NA
Natural hazards:
Definition Field Listing
tropical cyclones or typhoons (January to April); volcanic eruption on Aoba (Ambae) island began 27 November 2005, volcanism also causes minor earthquakes; tsunamis
Environment - current issues:
Definition Field Listing
a majority of the population does not have access to a reliable supply of potable water; deforestation
Environment - international agreements:
Definition Field Listing
party to: Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 94
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography - note:
Definition Field Listing
a Y-shaped chain of four main islands and 80 smaller islands; several of the islands have active volcanoes
   People    Vanuatu Top of Page
Population:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
208,869 (July 2006 est.)
Age structure:
Definition Field Listing
0-14 years: 32.6% (male 34,804/female 33,331)
15-64 years: 63.7% (male 67,919/female 65,138)
65 years and over: 3.7% (male 4,027/female 3,650) (2006 est.)
Median age:
Definition Field Listing
total: 23 years
male: 23 years
female: 23 years (2006 est.)
Population growth rate:
Definition Field Listing
1.49% (2006 est.)
Birth rate:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
22.72 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Death rate:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
7.82 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Net migration rate:
Definition Field Listing
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Sex ratio:
Definition Field Listing
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 1.1 male(s)/female
total population: 1.05 male(s)/female (2006 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
total: 53.8 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 56.35 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 51.13 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
total population: 62.85 years
male: 61.34 years
female: 64.44 years (2006 est.)
Total fertility rate:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
2.7 children born/woman (2006 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
NA
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
NA
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
NA
Nationality:
Definition Field Listing
noun: Ni-Vanuatu (singular and plural)
adjective: Ni-Vanuatu
Ethnic groups:
Definition Field Listing
Ni-Vanuatu 98.5%, other 1.5% (1999 Census)
Religions:
Definition Field Listing
Presbyterian 31.4%, Anglican 13.4%, Roman Catholic 13.1%, Seventh-Day Adventist 10.8%, other Christian 13.8%, indigenous beliefs 5.6% (including Jon Frum cargo cult), other 9.6%, none 1%, unspecified 1.3% (1999 Census)
Languages:
Definition Field Listing
local languages (more than 100) 72.6%, pidgin (known as Bislama or Bichelama) 23.1%, English 1.9%, French 1.4%, other 0.3%, unspecified 0.7% (1999 Census)
Literacy:
Definition Field Listing
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 74%
male: NA
female: NA
   Government    Vanuatu Top of Page
Country name:
Definition Field Listing
conventional long form: Republic of Vanuatu
conventional short form: Vanuatu
local long form: Ripablik blong Vanuatu
local short form: Vanuatu
former: New Hebrides
Government type:
Definition Field Listing
parliamentary republic
Capital:
Definition Field Listing
name: Port-Vila (on Efate)
geographic coordinates: 17 44 S, 168 19 E
time difference: UTC+11 (16 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
Administrative divisions:
Definition Field Listing
6 provinces; Malampa, Penama, Sanma, Shefa, Tafea, Torba
Independence:
Definition Field Listing
30 July 1980 (from France and UK)
National holiday:
Definition Field Listing
Independence Day, 30 July (1980)
Constitution:
Definition Field Listing
30 July 1980
Legal system:
Definition Field Listing
unified system being created from former dual French and British systems
Suffrage:
Definition Field Listing
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
Definition Field Listing
chief of state: President Kalkot Matas KELEKELE (since 16 August 2004)
head of government: Prime Minister Ham LINI (since 11 December 2004); Deputy Prime Minister Sato KILMAN (since 11 December 2004)
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the prime minister, responsible to Parliament
elections: president elected for a five-year term by an electoral college consisting of Parliament and the presidents of the regional councils; election for president last held 16 August 2004 (next to be held in 2009); following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or majority coalition is usually elected prime minister by Parliament from among its members; election for prime minister last held 29 July 2004 (next to be held following general elections in 2008)
election results: Kalkot Matas KELEKELE elected president, with 49 votes out of 56, after several ballots on 16 August 2004
Legislative branch:
Definition Field Listing
unicameral Parliament (52 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 6 July 2004 (next to be held 2008)
election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - NUP 10, UMP 8, VP 8, VRP 4, MPP 3, VGP 3, other and independent 16; note - political party associations are fluid
note: the National Council of Chiefs advises on matters of culture and language
Judicial branch:
Definition Field Listing
Supreme Court (chief justice is appointed by the president after consultation with the prime minister and the leader of the opposition, three other justices are appointed by the president on the advice of the Judicial Service Commission)
Political parties and leaders:
Definition Field Listing
Jon Frum Movement [Song KEASPAI]; Melanesian Progressive Party or MPP [Barak SOPE]; National United Party or NUP [Hem LINI]; Union of Moderate Parties or UMP [Serge VOHOR]; Vanua'aku Pati (Our Land Party) or VP [Edward NATAPEI]; Vanuatu Greens Party or VGP [Moana CARCASSES]; Vanuatu Republican Party or VRP [Maxime Carlot KORMAN]
Political pressure groups and leaders:
Definition Field Listing
NA
International organization participation:
Definition Field Listing
ACCT, ACP, AsDB, C, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, IOC, ITU, MIGA, NAM, OIF, OPCW, PIF, Sparteca, SPC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WMO, WTO (observer)
Diplomatic representation in the US:
Definition Field Listing
Vanuatu does not have an embassy in the US; it does, however, have a Permanent Mission to the UN
Diplomatic representation from the US:
Definition Field Listing
the US does not have an embassy in Vanuatu; the ambassador to Papua New Guinea is accredited to Vanuatu
Flag description:
Definition Field Listing
two equal horizontal bands of red (top) and green with a black isosceles triangle (based on the hoist side) all separated by a black-edged yellow stripe in the shape of a horizontal Y (the two points of the Y face the hoist side and enclose the triangle); centered in the triangle is a boar's tusk encircling two crossed namele leaves, all in yellow
   Economy    Vanuatu Top of Page
Economy - overview:
Definition Field Listing
This South Pacific island economy is based primarily on small-scale agriculture, which provides a living for 65% of the population. Fishing, offshore financial services, and tourism, with about 50,000 visitors in 2004, are other mainstays of the economy. Mineral deposits are negligible; the country has no known petroleum deposits. A small light industry sector caters to the local market. Tax revenues come mainly from import duties. Economic development is hindered by dependence on relatively few commodity exports, vulnerability to natural disasters, and long distances from main markets and between constituent islands. GDP growth rose less than 3% on average in the 1990s. In response to foreign concerns, the government has promised to tighten regulation of its offshore financial center. In mid-2002 the government stepped up efforts to boost tourism. Agriculture, especially livestock farming, is a second target for growth. Australia and New Zealand are the main suppliers of tourists and foreign aid.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
$580 million (2003 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate):
Definition Field Listing
NA
GDP - real growth rate:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
1.1% (2003 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
$2,900 (2003 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:
Definition Field Listing
agriculture: 26%
industry: 12%
services: 62% (2000 est.)
Labor force:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
NA
Labor force - by occupation:
Definition Field Listing
agriculture: 65%
industry: 5%
services: 30% (2000 est.)
Unemployment rate:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
NA%
Population below poverty line:
Definition Field Listing
NA%
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
Definition Field Listing
lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA%
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
3.1% (2003 est.)
Budget:
Definition Field Listing
revenues: $52.6 million
expenditures: $54.3 million; including capital expenditures of $700,000 (2003)
Agriculture - products:
Definition Field Listing
copra, coconuts, cocoa, coffee, taro, yams, fruits, vegetables; beef; fish
Industries:
Definition Field Listing
food and fish freezing, wood processing, meat canning
Industrial production growth rate:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
1% (1997 est.)
Electricity - production:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
41 million kWh (2003)
Electricity - consumption:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
38.13 million kWh (2003)
Electricity - exports:
Definition Field Listing
0 kWh (2003)
Electricity - imports:
Definition Field Listing
0 kWh (2003)
Oil - production:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
0 bbl/day (2003 est.)
Oil - consumption:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
620 bbl/day (2003 est.)
Oil - exports:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
NA bbl/day
Oil - imports:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
NA bbl/day
Natural gas - production:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
0 cu m (2003 est.)
Natural gas - consumption:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
0 cu m (2003 est.)
Exports:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
$205 million f.o.b. (2004 est.)
Exports - commodities:
Definition Field Listing
copra, beef, cocoa, timber, kava, coffee
Exports - partners:
Definition Field Listing
Thailand 47.1%, Malaysia 18.6%, Poland 8%, Japan 7% (2005)
Imports:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
$233 million c.i.f. (2004 est.)
Imports - commodities:
Definition Field Listing
machinery and equipment, foodstuffs, fuels
Imports - partners:
Definition Field Listing
Australia 18.6%, Japan 16.8%, Singapore 14.8%, Poland 8.6%, NZ 6.6%, Fiji 6.3% (2005)
Debt - external:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
$83.7 million (2002)
Economic aid - recipient:
Definition Field Listing
$27.5 million (2002)
Currency (code):
Definition Field Listing
vatu (VUV)
Exchange rates:
Definition Field Listing
vatu per US dollar - NA (2005), 111.79 (2004), 122.19 (2003), 139.2 (2002), 145.31 (2001)
Fiscal year:
Definition Field Listing
calendar year
   Communications    Vanuatu Top of Page
Telephones - main lines in use:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
6,800 (2004)
Telephones - mobile cellular:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
10,500 (2004)
Telephone system:
Definition Field Listing
general assessment: NA
domestic: NA
international: country code - 678; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)
Radio broadcast stations:
Definition Field Listing
AM 2, FM 4, shortwave 1 (2004)
Television broadcast stations:
Definition Field Listing
1 (2004)
Internet country code:
Definition Field Listing
.vu
Internet hosts:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
487 (2005)
Internet users:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
7,500 (2004)
   Transportation    Vanuatu Top of Page
Airports:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
31 (2006)
Airports - with paved runways:
Definition Field Listing
total: 3
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2006)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
Definition Field Listing
total: 28
914 to 1,523 m: 10
under 914 m: 18 (2006)
Roadways:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
total: 1,070 km
paved: 256 km
unpaved: 814 km (1999)
Merchant marine:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
total: 52 ships (1000 GRT or over) 1,214,417 GRT/1,649,713 DWT
by type: bulk carrier 28, cargo 10, container 1, liquefied gas 2, refrigerated cargo 4, roll on/roll off 2, vehicle carrier 5
foreign-owned: 52 (Australia 2, Canada 5, Denmark 6, Estonia 1, Greece 1, Japan 26, NZ 2, Poland 5, Russia 1, Switzerland 2, US 1) (2005)
Ports and terminals:
Definition Field Listing
Forari, Port-Vila, Santo (Espiritu Santo)
   Military    Vanuatu Top of Page
Military branches:
Definition Field Listing
no regular military forces; security forces comprise the Vanuatu Police Force (VPF) and paramilitary Vanuatu Mobile Force (VMF), which includes Vanuatu's naval force, known as the Police Maritime Wing (PMW); border security in Vanuatu is the joint responsibility of the Customs and Inland Revenue Service, VPF, VMF, and PMW (2003)
Manpower available for military service:
Definition Field Listing
males age 18-49: 50,221 (2005 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
Definition Field Listing
males age 18-49: 33,837 (2005 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
NA
Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
NA
   Transnational Issues    Vanuatu Top of Page
Disputes - international:
Definition Field Listing
Matthew and Hunter Islands east of New Caledonia claimed by Vanuatu and France

This page was last updated on 19 September, 2006


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