Statistical information Vanuatu 1993

Vanuatu in the World
top of pageBackground: 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.
top of pageLocation:
Oceania, 5,750 km southwest of Honolulu in the South Pacific
Ocean, about three-quarters of the way between Hawaii and Australia
Geographic coordinatesMap reference:
Oceania, Standard Time Zones of the WorldAreaTotal: 14,760 km²
Land: 14,760 km²
Land boundaries: 0 km
Coastline: 2,528 km
Maritime claims: measured from claimed archipelagic baselines
Contiguous zone: 24 nm
Continental shelf: 200 nm or the edge of continental margin
Exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
Territorial sea: 12 nm
Climate: tropical; moderated by southeast trade winds
Terrain: mostly mountains of volcanic origin; narrow coastal plains
ElevationNatural resources: manganese, hardwood forests, fish
Land useArable land: 1%
Permanent crops: 5%
Meadows and pastures: 2%
Forest and woodland: 1%
Irrigated land: NA km²
Major riversMajor watersheds area km²Total water withdrawalTotal renewable water resourcesNatural hazardsGeographytop of pagePopulation: 165,876 (July 1993 est.)
Growth rate: 2.36% (1993 est.)
NationalityNoun: Ni-Vanuatu (singular and plural)
Adjective: Ni-Vanuatu
Ethnic groups:
indigenous Melanesian 94%, French 4%, Vietnamese,
Chinese, Pacific Islanders
Languages: English (official), French (official), pidgin (known as Bislama or Bichelama)
Religions: Presbyterian 36.7%, Anglican 15%, Catholic 15%, indigenous beliefs 7.6%, Seventh-Day Adventist 6.2%, Church of Christ 3.8%, other 15.7%
Demographic profileAge structureDependency ratiosMedian agePopulation growth rate: 2.36% (1993 est.)
Birth rate: 33.16 births/1000 population (1993 est.)
Death rate: 9.57 deaths/1000 population (1993 est.)
Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1000 population (1993 est.)
Population distributionUrbanizationMajor urban areasEnvironmentCurrent issues: subject to tropical cyclones or typhoons (January to April; volcanism causes minor earthquakes
Air pollutantsSex ratioMothers mean age at first birthMaternal mortality ratioInfant mortality rate: 69.9 deaths/1000 live births (1993 est.)
Life expectancy at birthTotal population: 58.8 years
Male: 57.11 years
Female: 60.58 years (1993 est.)
Total fertility rate: 4.47 children born/woman (1993 est.)
Contraceptive prevalence rateDrinking water sourceCurrent health expenditurePhysicians densityHospital bed densitySanitation facility accessHiv/AidsMajor infectious diseasesObesity adult prevalence rateAlcohol consumptionTobacco useChildren under the age of 5 years underweightEducation expendituresLiteracy: age 15 and over can read and write (1979)
Total population: 53%
Male: 57%
Female: 48%
School life expectancy primary to tertiary educationYouth unemploymenttop of pageCountry nameConventional short form: Vanuatu
Former: New Hebrides
Government type: republic
Capital: Port-Vila
Administrative divisions:
11 island councils; Ambrym, Aoba/Maewo,
Banks/Torres, Efate, Epi, Malakula, Paama, Pentecote, Santo/Malo, Shepherd,
Tafea
Dependent areasIndependence: 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
International law organization participationCitizenshipSuffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch: president, prime minister, deputy prime minister, Council of Ministers (cabinet)
Legislative branch: unicameral Parliament; note - the National Council of Chiefs advises on matters of custom and land
Judicial branch: Supreme Court
Political parties and leadersInternational organization participation:
ACCT, ACP, AsDB, C, ESCAP, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IFC,
IMF, IMO, IOC, ITU, NAM, SPARTECA, SPC, SPF, UN, UNCTAD, UNIDO, UPU, WHO, WMO
Diplomatic representationIn the us: Vanuatu does not have a mission in
From the us: 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
National symbolsNational anthemNational heritagetop of pageEconomy overview: The economy is based primarily on subsistence farming which provides a living for about 80% of the population. Fishing and tourism are the 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.
Real gdp purchasing power parityReal gdp growth rate: 6% (1990)
Real gdp per capita: $900 (1988 est.)
Gross national savingGdp composition by sector of origin
Gdp composition by end useGdp composition by sector of originAgriculture products: accounts for 40% of GDP; export crops - coconuts, cocoa, coffee, fish; subsistence crops - taro, yams, coconuts, fruits, vegetables
Industries: food and fish freezing, wood processing, meat canning
Industrial production growth rate: growth rate NA%; accounts for about 10% of GDP
Labor force: NA
By occupation: NA
Unemployment rate: NA%
Youth unemploymentPopulation below poverty lineGini indexHousehold income or consumption by percentage shareDistribution of family income gini indexBudget: revenues $90 million; expenditures $103 million, including capital expenditures of $45 million (1989 est.)
Taxes and other revenuesPublic debtRevenueFiscal year: calendar year
Inflation rate consumer pricesCentral bank discount rateCommercial bank prime lending rateStock of narrow moneyStock of broad moneyStock of domestic creditMarket value of publicly traded sharesCurrent account balanceExports: $15.6 million (f.o.b., 1990 est.)
Commodoties: copra 59%, cocoa 11%, meat 9%, fish 8%, timber 4%
Partners: Netherlands, Japan, France, New Caledonia, Belgium
Imports: $60.4 million (f.o.b., 1990 est.)
Commodoties: machines and vehicles 25%, food and beverages 23%, basic manufactures 18%, raw materials and fuels 11%, chemicals 6%
Partners: Australia 36%, Japan 13%, NZ 10%, France 8%, Fiji 8%
Reserves of foreign exchange and goldDebt externalStock of direct foreign investment at homeStock of direct foreign investment abroadExchange ratestop of pageElectricityProduction: 17,000 kW capacity; 30 million kWh produced, 180 kWh per capita (1990)
CoalPetroleumCrude oilRefined petroleumNatural gasCarbon dioxide emissionsEnergy consumption per capitatop of pageTelephonesTelephone systemBroadcast mediaInternetBroadband fixed subscriptionstop of pageMilitary expendituresPercent of gdp: exchange rate conversion - $NA, NA% of GDP
Military and security forcesMilitary service age and obligationSpace programTerrorist groupstop of pageNational air transport systemCivil aircraft registration country code prefixAirports: 31
Usable: 31
With permanentsurface runways: 2
With runways over 3659 m: 0
With runways 2440-3659 m: 1
With runways 1220-2439 m: 2
HeliportsPipelinesRailwaysRoadwaysWaterwaysMerchant marine:
125 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 2,121,819
GRT/3,193,942 DWT; includes 23 cargo, 16 refrigerated cargo, 6 container, 11 vehicle carrier, 1 livestock carrier, 6 oil tanker, 2 chemical tanker, 3 liquefied gas, 54 bulk, 1 combination bulk, 1 passenger, 1 short-sea passenger; note - a flag of convenience registry
Ports and terminalsVanuatu - Transnational issues 1993
top of pageDisputes international: none
Refugees and internally displaced personsIllicit drugs