|
Background: |
Multiple waves of colonizers,
each speaking a distinct language, migrated to the New Hebrides in the
millennia preceding 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. |
|
Location: |
Oceania, group of islands in
the South Pacific Ocean, about three-quarters of the way from Hawaii to
Australia |
|
Geographic coordinates: |
16 00 S, 167 00 E |
|
Map references: |
Oceania |
|
Area: |
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: |
slightly larger than
Connecticut |
|
Land boundaries: |
0 km |
|
Coastline: |
2,528 km |
|
Maritime claims: |
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: |
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: |
mostly mountainous islands of
volcanic origin; narrow coastal plains |
|
Elevation extremes: |
lowest point: Pacific
Ocean 0 m
highest point: Tabwemasana 1,877 m |
|
Natural resources: |
manganese, hardwood forests,
fish |
|
Land use: |
arable land: 1.64%
permanent crops: 6.97%
other: 91.39% (2005) |
|
Irrigated land: |
NA |
|
Natural hazards: |
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: |
most of the population does not
have access to a reliable supply of potable water; deforestation |
|
Environment - international agreements: |
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: |
a Y-shaped chain of four main
islands and 80 smaller islands; several of the islands have active
volcanoes |
|
Population: |
215,446 (July 2008 est.) |
|
Age structure: |
0-14 years: 31.3% (male
34,441/female 33,000)
15-64 years: 64.8% (male 71,159/female
68,435)
65 years and over: 3.9% (male 4,352/female 4,059) (2008
est.) |
|
Median age: |
total: 23.8 years
male: 23.8 years
female: 23.8 years (2008 est.)
|
|
Population growth rate: |
1.434% (2008 est.) |
|
Birth rate: |
21.95 births/1,000 population
(2008 est.) |
|
Death rate: |
7.61 deaths/1,000 population
(2008 est.) |
|
Net migration rate: |
NA |
|
Sex ratio: |
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: 1.07
male(s)/female
total population: 1.04 male(s)/female (2008
est.) |
|
Infant mortality rate: |
total: 50.77
deaths/1,000 live births
male: 53.32 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 48.09 deaths/1,000 live births (2008 est.) |
|
Life expectancy at birth: |
total population: 63.61
years
male: 62.04 years
female: 65.27 years (2008
est.) |
|
Total fertility rate: |
2.57 children born/woman (2008
est.) |
|
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: |
NA |
|
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: |
NA |
|
HIV/AIDS - deaths: |
NA |
|
Nationality: |
noun: Ni-Vanuatu
(singular and plural)
adjective: Ni-Vanuatu |
|
Ethnic groups: |
Ni-Vanuatu 98.5%, other 1.5%
(1999 Census) |
|
Religions: |
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: |
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: age 15 and
over can read and write
total population: 74%
male:
NA
female: NA (1999 census) |
|
Country name: |
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: |
parliamentary republic |
|
Capital: |
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: |
6 provinces; Malampa, Penama,
Sanma, Shefa, Tafea, Torba |
|
Independence: |
30 July 1980 (from France and
UK) |
|
National holiday: |
Independence Day, 30 July
(1980) |
|
Constitution: |
30 July 1980 |
|
Legal system: |
unified system being created
from former dual French and British systems |
|
Suffrage: |
18 years of age; universal
|
|
Executive branch: |
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: |
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: |
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: |
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: |
NA |
|
International organization participation: |
ACCT, ACP, ADB, C, FAO, G-77,
IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, IOC, ITU, ITUC, MIGA,
NAM, OIF, OPCW, PIF, Sparteca, SPC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WFTU,
WHO, WMO, WTO (observer) |
|
Diplomatic representation in the US: |
Vanuatu does not have an
embassy in the US; it does, however, have a Permanent Mission to the UN
|
|
Diplomatic representation from the US: |
the US does not have an embassy
in Vanuatu; the ambassador to Papua New Guinea is accredited to Vanuatu
|
|
Flag description: |
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 - overview: |
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 more than 60,000 visitors in 2005, 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. 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
through improved air connections, resort development, and cruise ship
facilities. 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): |
$739 million (2006 est.) |
|
GDP (official exchange rate): |
$421 million (2007 est.) |
|
GDP - real growth rate: |
6.8% (2005 est.) |
|
GDP - per capita (PPP): |
$2,900 (2003 est.) |
|
GDP - composition by sector: |
agriculture: 26%
industry: 12%
services: 62% (2000 est.) |
|
Labor force: |
76,410 (1999) |
|
Labor force - by occupation: |
agriculture: 65%
industry: 5%
services: 30% (2000 est.) |
|
Unemployment rate: |
1.7% (1999) |
|
Population below poverty line: |
NA% |
|
Household income or consumption by percentage
share: |
lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA% |
|
Inflation rate (consumer prices): |
-1.6% (2005 est.) |
|
Budget: |
revenues: $78.7 million
expenditures: $72.23 million (2005 est.) |
|
Agriculture - products: |
copra, coconuts, cocoa, coffee,
taro, yams, fruits, vegetables; beef; fish |
|
Industries: |
food and fish freezing, wood
processing, meat canning |
|
Industrial production growth rate: |
1% (1997 est.) |
|
Electricity - production: |
41 million kWh (2005) |
|
Electricity - production by source: |
fossil fuel: 100%
hydro: 0%
nuclear: 0%
other: 0% (2001)
|
|
Electricity - consumption: |
38.13 million kWh (2005) |
|
Electricity - exports: |
0 kWh (2005 est.) |
|
Electricity - imports: |
0 kWh (2005) |
|
Oil - production: |
0 bbl/day (2005 est.) |
|
Oil - consumption: |
640 bbl/day (2005 est.) |
|
Oil - exports: |
0 bbl/day (2004) |
|
Oil - imports: |
628.5 bbl/day (2004) |
|
Oil - proved reserves: |
0 bbl (1 January 2006 est.)
|
|
Natural gas - production: |
0 cu m (2005 est.) |
|
Natural gas - consumption: |
0 cu m (2005 est.) |
|
Natural gas - exports: |
0 cu m (2005 est.) |
|
Natural gas - imports: |
0 cu m (2005) |
|
Natural gas - proved reserves: |
0 cu m (1 January 2006 est.)
|
|
Current account balance: |
-$28.35 million (2003) |
|
Exports: |
$40 million f.o.b. (2006)
|
|
Exports - commodities: |
copra, beef, cocoa, timber,
kava, coffee |
|
Exports - partners: |
Thailand 59.6%, India 16.8%,
Japan 11.5% (2006) |
|
Imports: |
$156 million c.i.f. (2006)
|
|
Imports - commodities: |
machinery and equipment,
foodstuffs, fuels |
|
Imports - partners: |
Australia 20.6%, Japan 19.7%,
Singapore 12.1%, NZ 8.8%, Fiji 7.7%, China 7.4%, New Caledonia 4.3% (2006)
|
|
Economic aid - recipient: |
$39.48 million (2005) |
|
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: |
$40.54 million (2003) |
|
Debt - external: |
$81.2 million (2004) |
|
Market value of publicly traded shares: |
|
|
Currency (code): |
vatu (VUV) |
|
Currency code: |
VUV |
|
Exchange rates: |
vatu per US dollar - NA (2007),
111.93 (2006), NA (2005), 111.79 (2004), 122.19 (2003) |
|
Fiscal year: |
calendar year |
|
Telephones - main lines in use: |
7,000 (2005) |
|
Telephones - mobile cellular: |
12,700 (2005) |
|
Telephone system: |
general assessment: NA
domestic: NA
international: country code - 678;
satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean) |
|
Radio broadcast stations: |
AM 2, FM 4, shortwave 1 (2001)
|
|
Radios: |
67,000 (1997) |
|
Television broadcast stations: |
1 (2004) |
|
Televisions: |
2,300 (1999) |
|
Internet country code: |
.vu |
|
Internet hosts: |
1,010 (2007) |
|
Internet Service Providers (ISPs): |
1 (2000) |
|
Internet users: |
7,500 (2004) |
|
Airports: |
31 (2007) |
|
Airports - with paved runways: |
total: 3
2,438 to
3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 1
(2007) |
|
Airports - with unpaved runways: |
total: 28
914 to
1,523 m: 6
under 914 m: 22 (2007) |
|
Roadways: |
total: 1,070 km
paved: 256 km
unpaved: 814 km (1999) |
|
Merchant marine: |
total: 51 ships (1000
GRT or over) 1,346,001 GRT/1,901,055 DWT
by type: bulk carrier
30, cargo 8, container 1, liquefied gas 2, petroleum tanker 1,
refrigerated cargo 3, roll on/roll off 1, vehicle carrier 5
foreign-owned: 51 (Australia 2, Belgium 4, Vanuatu 5, Estonia 1,
Japan 28, Poland 7, Russia 1, Switzerland 2, US 1) (2007) |
|
Ports and terminals: |
Forari, Port-Vila, Santo
(Espiritu Santo) |
|
Military branches: |
no regular military forces;
Vanuatu Police Force (VPF), Vanuatu Mobile Force (VMF; includes Police
Maritime Wing (PMW)) (2008) |
|
Manpower available for military service: |
males age 16-49: 58,900
(2008 est.) |
|
Manpower fit for military service: |
males age 16-49: 40,577
(2008 est.) |
|
Military expenditures - percent of GDP: |
NA |
| Transnational Issues |
Vanuatu |
|
Disputes - international: |
Matthew and Hunter Islands east
of New Caledonia claimed by Vanuatu and France |
|
