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Background:
|
 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. |
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Location:
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Oceania, group of
islands in the South Pacific Ocean, about three-quarters of
the way from Hawaii to Australia |
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Geographic coordinates:
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16 00 S, 167 00 E |
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Map references:
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Oceania |
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Area:
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total:
12,200 sq km
land: 12,200 sq km
note: includes more than 80 islands, about 65 of which
are inhabited
water: 0 sq km |
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Area - comparative:
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slightly larger
than Connecticut |
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Land boundaries:
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0 km |
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Coastline:
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2,528 km |
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Climate:
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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 |
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Terrain:
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mostly
mountainous islands of volcanic origin; narrow coastal plains |
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Elevation extremes:
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lowest point:
Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: Tabwemasana 1,877 m |
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Natural resources:
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manganese,
hardwood forests, fish |
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Land use:
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arable land:
2.46%
permanent crops: 7.38%
other: 90.16% (1998 est.) |
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Irrigated land:
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NA sq km |
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Natural hazards:
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tropical cyclones
or typhoons (January to April); volcanism causes minor
earthquakes; tsunamis |
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Environment - current issues:
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a majority of the
population does not have access to a potable and reliable
supply of water; deforestation |
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Environment - international agreements:
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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 |
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Geography - note:
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a Y-shaped chain
of four main islands and 80 smaller islands; several of the
islands have active volcanoes |
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Population:
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202,609 (July
2004 est.) |
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Age structure:
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0-14 years:
34.1% (male 35,281; female 33,785)
15-64 years: 62.4% (male 64,669; female 61,829)
65 years and over: 3.5% (male 3,740; female 3,305)
(2004 est.) |
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Median age:
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total:
22.3 years
male: 22.3 years
female: 22.2 years (2004 est.) |
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Population growth rate:
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1.57% (2004 est.) |
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Birth rate:
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23.67
births/1,000 population (2004 est.) |
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Death rate:
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8.02 deaths/1,000
population (2004 est.) |
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Net migration rate:
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0 migrant(s)/1,000
population (2004 est.) |
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Sex ratio:
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at birth:
1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 1.13 male(s)/female
total population: 1.05 male(s)/female (2004 est.) |
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Infant mortality rate:
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total:
56.63 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 53.89 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
male: 59.25 deaths/1,000 live births |
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Life expectancy at birth:
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total
population: 62.1 years
male: 60.64 years
female: 63.63 years (2004 est.) |
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HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
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NA% |
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Nationality:
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noun:
Ni-Vanuatu (singular and plural)
adjective: Ni-Vanuatu |
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Ethnic groups:
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indigenous
Melanesian 98%, French, Vietnamese, Chinese, other Pacific
Islanders |
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Religions:
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Presbyterian
36.7%, Anglican 15%, Roman Catholic 15%, indigenous beliefs
7.6%, Seventh-Day Adventist 6.2%, Church of Christ 3.8%, other
15.7% (including Jon Frum Cargo cult) |
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Languages:
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three official
languages: English, French, pidgin (known as Bislama or
Bichelama), plus more than 100 local languages |
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Literacy:
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definition:
age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 53%
male: 57%
female: 48% (1979 est.) |
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Country name:
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conventional
long form: Republic of Vanuatu
conventional short form: Vanuatu
former: New Hebrides |
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Government type:
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parliamentary
republic |
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Capital:
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Port-Vila
(Efate) |
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Administrative divisions:
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6
provinces; Malampa, Penama, Sanma, Shefa, Tafea, Torba |
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Independence:
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30
July 1980 (from France and UK) |
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National holiday:
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Independence
Day, 30 July (1980) |
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Constitution:
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30
July 1980 |
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Legal system:
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unified
system being created from former dual French and British
systems |
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Executive branch:
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chief
of state: President Father John BANI (since 25 March 1999)
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 25
March 1999 (next to be held NA April 2004); 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 2 August 2002 (next to be held NA May 2006)
election results: Father John BANI elected president on
second ballot (24 March 1999) after the first ballot (17 March
1999) did not have any candidate with the required two-thirds
majority; percent of electoral college vote - NA%
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the prime
minister, responsible to Parliament
head of government: Prime Minister Edward Nipake
NATAPEI (since 13 April 2001, reelected NA June 2002); Deputy
Prime Minister Ham LINI (since NA November 2003) |
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Legislative branch:
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unicameral
Parliament (52 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve
four-year terms)
elections: last held 2 May 2002 (next to be held NA May
2006)
election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats
by party - UMP 15, VP 14, NUP 8, VRP 3, MPP 3, VGP 3, other
and independent 6; note - political party associations are
fluid
note: the National Council of Chiefs advises on matters
of culture and language |
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Judicial branch:
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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) |
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Political parties and leaders:
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Jon
Frum Movement [Song KEASPAI]; Melanesian Progressive Party or
MPP [Barak SOPE]; National United Party or NUP [NA]; Union of
Moderate Parties or UMP [Serge VOHOR]; Vanuaaku Party (Our
Land Party) or VP [Edward NATAPEI]; Vanuatu Republican Party
or VRP [Maxime Carlot KORMAN]; Greens (Vanuatu) [NA] |
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Political pressure groups and leaders:
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NA |
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Diplomatic representation in the US:
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Vanuatu
does not have an embassy in the US; it does, however, have a
Permanent Mission to the UN |
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Diplomatic representation from the US:
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the
US does not have an embassy in Vanuatu; the ambassador to
Papua New Guinea is accredited to Vanuatu |
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Economy - overview:
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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 1997, 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. A severe earthquake in November 1999
followed by a tsunami, caused extensive damage to the northern
island of Pentecote and left thousands homeless. Another
powerful earthquake in January 2002 caused extensive damage in
the capital, Port-Vila, and surrounding areas, and also was
followed by a tsunami. 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. Growth expanded
moderately in 2003. |
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GDP:
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purchasing power
parity - $563 million (2002 est.) |
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GDP - real growth rate:
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-0.3% (2002 est.) |
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GDP - per capita:
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purchasing power
parity - $2,900 (2002 est.) |
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GDP - composition by sector:
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agriculture:
26%
industry: 12%
services: 62% (2000 est.) |
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Population below poverty line:
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NA% (1999 est.) |
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Inflation rate (consumer prices):
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2% (2002 est.) |
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Labor force:
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NA |
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Labor force - by occupation:
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agriculture 65%,
services 30%, industry 5% (2000 est.) |
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Unemployment rate:
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NA% (2003 est.) |
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Budget:
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revenues:
$94.4 million
expenditures: $99.8 million, including capital
expenditures of $30.4 million (1996 est.) |
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Industries:
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food and fish
freezing, wood processing, meat canning |
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Industrial production growth rate:
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1% (1997 est.) |
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Electricity - production:
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43.46 million kWh
(2001) |
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Electricity - production by source:
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fossil fuel:
100%
hydro: 0%
other: 0% (2001)
nuclear: 0% |
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Electricity - consumption:
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40.42 million kWh
(2001) |
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Oil - production:
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0 bbl/day (2001
est.) |
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Oil - consumption:
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600 bbl/day (2001
est.) |
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Agriculture - products:
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copra, coconuts,
cocoa, coffee, taro, yams, coconuts, fruits, vegetables; fish,
beef |
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Exports:
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$79 million
f.o.b. (2002) |
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Exports - commodities:
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copra, beef,
cocoa, timber, kava, coffee |
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Exports - partners:
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India 32.9%,
Thailand 22.8%, South Korea 10.1%, Indonesia 6.3%, Japan 5.1%
(2002) |
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Imports:
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$138 million
c.i.f. (2002) |
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Imports - commodities:
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machinery and
equipment, foodstuffs, fuels |
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Imports - partners:
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Australia 21%,
Japan 18.8%, New Zealand 9.4%, Singapore 8%, Fiji 6.5%, India
5.1% (2002) |
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Debt - external:
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$65.8 million
(2001 est.) |
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Economic aid - recipient:
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$45.8 million
(1995) |
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Currency:
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vatu (VUV) |
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Currency code:
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VUV |
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Exchange rates:
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vatu per US
dollar - 122.19 (2003), 139.2 (2002), 145.31 (2001), 137.64
(2000), 129.08 (1999) |
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Fiscal year:
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calendar year |
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Telephones - main lines in use:
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6,600 (2002) |
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Telephones - mobile cellular:
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4,900 (2002) |
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Telephone system:
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general
assessment: NA
domestic: NA
international: country code - 678; satellite earth
station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean) |
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Radio broadcast stations:
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AM 2, FM 2,
shortwave 1 (2002) |
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Television broadcast stations:
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1 (2002) |
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Internet country code:
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.vu |
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Internet hosts:
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551 (2002) |
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Internet users:
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7,000 (2002) |
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Railways:
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0 km |
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Highways:
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total:
1,070 km
paved: 256 km
unpaved: 814 km (1999 est.) |
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Waterways:
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none |
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Ports and harbors:
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Forari,
Port-Vila, Santo (Espiritu Santo) |
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Merchant marine:
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total: 51
ships (1,000 GRT or over) 1,192,474 GRT/1,560,828 DWT
by type: bulk 28, cargo 2, combination bulk 3,
container 2, liquefied gas 2, multi-functional large load
carrier 1, refrigerated cargo 6, roll on/roll off 2, vehicle
carrier 5
registered in other countries: 1 (2003 est.)
foreign-owned: Australia 2, Canada 1, Estonia 1,
Germany 1, Japan 25, Monaco 4, New Zealand 2, Panama 1, Poland
7, Switzerland 3, United Kingdom 5, United States 2 |
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Airports:
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30 (2003 est.) |
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Airports - with paved runways:
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total: 3
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
1524 to 2437 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2003 est.) |
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Airports - with unpaved runways:
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total: 27
914 to 1,523 m: 10
under 914 m: 17 (2003 est.) |
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Military branches:
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no regular
military forces; Vanuatu Police Force (VPF; including the
paramilitary Mobile Force or VMF) |
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Military expenditures - dollar figure:
|
NA |
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Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
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NA |
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Disputes - international:
|
Matthew and
Hunter Islands east of New Caledonia claimed by Vanuatu and
France |
This page was last updated on 11 May, 2004
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