Map of Vanuatu | Geography | People | Government | Economy | Energy | Communication
Military | Transportation | Transnational Issues | Year: Guide1989199019911992199319941995199619971998199920002001200220032004200520062007200820092010201120122013201420152016201720182019202020212022202320242025 | More stats

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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.


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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 reference: Oceania

Area
Total: note: includes more than 80 islands, about 65 of which are inhabited
Land: 12,189 km²
Water: 0 km²
Rank: 163
Comparative: slightly larger than Connecticut

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 2,528 km

Maritime claims
Territorial sea: 12 nm
Exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
Contiguous zone: 24 nm
Continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin: measured from claimed archipelagic baselines

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: 0 m
Note: lowest point: Pacific Ocean

Natural resources: manganese, hardwood forests, fish

Land use
Agricultural land: 15.3% (2011 est.)
Forest: 36.1% (2011 est.)
Other: 48.6% (2011 est.)

Irrigated land: 0 km² (2012)

Major rivers

Major watersheds area km²

Total water withdrawal

Total renewable water resources

Natural hazards: tropical cyclones (January to April); volcanic eruption on Aoba (Ambae) island began on 27 November 2005, volcanism also causes minor earthquakes; tsunamisvolcanism: significant volcanic activity with multiple eruptions in recent years; Yasur (361 m), one of the world's most active volcanoes, has experienced continuous activity in recent centuries; other historically active volcanoes include Aoba, Ambrym, Epi, Gaua, Kuwae, Lopevi, Suretamatai, and Traitor's Head

Geography
Note: a Y-shaped chain of four main islands and 80 smaller islands; several of the islands have active volcanoes and there are several underwater volcanoes as well


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Population
Distribution: three-quarters of the population lives in rural areas; the urban populace lives primarily in two cities, Port-Vila and Lugenville; three largest islands - Espiritu Santo, Malakula, and Efate - accomodate over half of the populace: 288,037 (July 2018 est.)
Rank: 182
Growth rate: 1.81% (2018 est.)
Growth rate rank: 55
Below poverty line note: NA

Nationality
Noun: Ni-Vanuatu (singular and plural)
Adjective: Ni-Vanuatu

Ethnic groups: Melanesian 99.2%, non-Melanesian 0.8% (2016 est.)

Languages: local languages (more than 100) 63.2%, Bislama (official; creole) 33.7%, English (official) 2%, French (official) 0.6%, other 0.5% (2009 est.)

Religions: Protestant 70% (includes Presbyterian 27.9%, Anglican 15.1%, Seventh Day Adventist 12.5%, Assemblies of God 4.7%, Church of Christ 4.5%, Neil Thomas Ministry 3.1%, and Apostolic 2.2%), Roman Catholic 12.4%, customary beliefs 3.7% (including Jon Frum cargo cult), other 12.6%, none 1.1%, unspecified 0.2% (2009 est.)

Demographic profile

Age structure
0-14 years: 34.89% (male 51,313 /female 49,190)
15-24 years: 20.03% (male 28,631 /female 29,053)
25-54 years: 35.39% (male 49,803 /female 52,140)
55-64 years: 5.57% (male 7,973 /female 8,072)
65 years and over: 4.12% (male 5,968 /female 5,894) (2018 est.)

Dependency ratios
Total dependency ratio: 68.7 (2015 est.)
Youth dependency ratio: 61.6 (2015 est.)
Elderly dependency ratio: 7.1 (2015 est.)
Potential support ratio: 14.1 (2015 est.)

Median age
Total: 22.3 years
Male: 21.9 years
Female: 22.7 years (2018 est.)
Rank: 180

Population growth rate: 1.81% (2018 est.)
Rank: 55

Birth rate: 23.5 births/1000 population (2018 est.)
Rank: 57

Death rate: 4 deaths/1000 population (2018 est.)
Rank: 211

Net migration rate: -1.4 migrant(s)/1000 population (2017 est.)
Rank: 147

Population distribution: three-quarters of the population lives in rural areas; the urban populace lives primarily in two cities, Port-Vila and Lugenville; three largest islands - Espiritu Santo, Malakula, and Efate - accomodate over half of the populace

Urbanization
Urban population: 25.3% of total population
Note: (2015-20 est.)
Rate of urbanization: 2.55% annual rate of change

Major urban areas
Population: 53,000 PORT-VILA (capital) (2018)

Environment
Current issues: population growth; water pollution, most of the population does not have access to a reliable supply of potable water; inadequate sanitation; deforestation
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
International agreements signed but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Air pollutants

Sex ratio
At birth: 1.05 male(s)/female (2017 est.)
0-14 years: 1.04 male(s)/female (2017 est.)
15-24 years: 0.99 male(s)/female (2017 est.)
25-54 years: 0.96 male(s)/female (2017 est.)
55-64 years: 1 male(s)/female (2017 est.)
65 years and over: 1.04 male(s)/female (2017 est.)
Total population: 1 male(s)/female (2017 est.)

Mothers mean age at first birth

Maternal mortality ratio

Infant mortality rate
Total: 13.9 deaths/1000 live births (2018 est.)
Male: 14.8 deaths/1000 live births (2018 est.)
Female: 12.9 deaths/1000 live births (2018 est.)
Rank: 102

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 74 years (2018 est.)
Male: 72.4 years (2018 est.)
Female: 75.7 years (2018 est.)
Rank: 130

Total fertility rate: 2.97 children born/woman (2018 est.)
Rank: 55

Contraceptive prevalence rate: 49% (2013)

Drinking water source
Urban: 1.1% of population
Rural: 7.1% of population
Total: 5.5% of population (2015 est.)

Current health expenditure

Physicians density: 0.19 physicians/1000 population (2012)

Hospital bed density: 1.7 beds/1000 population (2008)

Sanitation facility access
Urban: 34.9% of population (2015 est.)
Rural: 44.6% of population (2015 est.)
Total: 42.1% of population (2015 est.)

Hiv/Aids
Adult prevalence rate note: NA
People living with hivaids note: NA
Deaths note: NA

Major infectious diseases

Obesity adult prevalence rate: 25.2% (2016)
Rank: 52

Alcohol consumption

Tobacco use

Children under the age of 5 years underweight: 10.7% (2013)
Rank: 60

Education expenditures: 5.5% of GDP (2015)
Rank: 52

Literacy
Definition: age 15 and over can read and write (2015 est.)
Total population: 85.2% (2015 est.)
Male: 86.6% (2015 est.)
Female: 83.8% (2015 est.)

School life expectancy primary to tertiary education

Youth unemployment


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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
Etymology: derived from the words vanua (home or land) and tu (stand) that occur in several of the Austonesian languages spoken on the islands and which provide a meaning of the land remains but which also convey a sense of independence or our land

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

Dependent areas

Independence: 30 July 1980 (from France and the UK)

National holiday: Independence Day, 30 July (1980)

Constitution
History: draft completed August 1979, finalized by constitution conference 19 September 1979, ratified by French and British Governments 23 October 1979, effective 30 July 1980 at independence
Amendments: proposed by the prime minister or by the Parliament membership; passage requires at least two-thirds majority vote by Parliament in special session with at least three-fourths of the membership; passage of amendments affecting the national and official languages, or the electoral and parliamentary system also requires approval in a referendum; amended several times, last in 2013

Legal system: mixed legal system of English common law, French law, and customary law

International law organization participation: has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction

Citizenship
Citizenship by birth: no
Citizenship by descent only: both parents must be citizens of Vanuatu; in the case of only one parent, it must be the father who is a citizen
Dual citizenship recognized: no
Residency requirement for naturalization: 10 years

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch
Chief of state: President Tallis Obed MOSES (since 6 July 2017)
Head of government: Prime Minister Charlot SALWAI (since 11 February 2016)
Cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the prime minister, responsible to parliament
Electionsappointments: president indirectly elected by an electoral college consisting of Parliament and presidents of the 6 provinces; Vanuatu president serves a 5-year term; election last held on 17 June 2017 (next to be held in 2022); following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or majority coalition usually elected prime minister by parliament from among its members; election for prime minister last held on 11 February 2016 (next to be held following general elections in 2020)
Election results: Baldwin LONSDALE (independent) died suddenly on 17 June 2017; Parliament elected Tallis Obed MOSES on 6 July 2017 with a 39 to 17 vote in the fourth round; Charlot SALWAI elected prime minister on 11 February 2016 with 46 votes

Legislative branch
Description: unicameral Parliament (52 seats; members directly elected in multi-seat constituencies by simple majority vote to serve 4-year terms)
Elections: last held on 22 January 2016 (next to be held in 2020)
Election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - VP 8, PPP 6, UMP 5, GJP 4, NUP 4, IG 3, GC 3, NAG 3, RMC 3, MPP 2, NIPDP 2, PSP 1, VLDP 1, VNP 1, VPDP 1, VRP 1, and independent 4; note - political party associations are fluid: note: the National Council of Chiefs advises on matters of culture and language

Judicial branch
Highest courts: Court of Appeal (consists of 2 or more judges of the Supreme Court designated by the chief justice); Supreme Court (consists of the chief justice and 6 puisne judges - 3 local and 3 expatriate)
Judge selection and term of office: Supreme Court chief justice appointed by the president after consultation with the prime minister and the leader of the opposition; other judges appointed by the president on the advice of the Judicial Service Commission, a 4-member advisory body; judges serve until the age of retirement
Subordinate courts: Magistrates Courts; Island Courts

Political parties and leaders: Greens Confederation or GC [Moana CARCASSES Kalosil]Iauko Group or IG [Tony NARI]Land and Justice Party (Graon mo Jastis Pati) or GJP [Ralph REGENVANU]Melanesian Progressive Party or MPP [Barak SOPE]Nagriamel movement or NAG [Frankie STEVENS]Natatok Indigenous People's Democratic Party or (NATATOK) or NIPDP [Alfred Roland CARLOT]National United Party or NUP [Ham LINI]People's Progressive Party or PPP [Sato KILMAN]People's Service Party or PSP [Don KEN]Reunification of Movement for Change or RMC [Charlot SALWAI]Union of Moderate Parties or UMP [Serge VOHOR]Vanua'aku Pati (Our Land Party) or VP [Edward NATAPEI]Vanuatu Democratic Party [Maxime Carlot KORMAN]Vanuatu Liberal Democratic Party or VLDP [Tapangararua WILLIE]Vanuatu National Party or VNP [Issac HAMARILIU]Vanuatu National Development Party or VNDP [Robert Bohn SIKOL]Vanuatu Republican Party or VRP [Marcellino PIPITE]

International organization participation: ACP, ADB, AOSIS, C, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, IOC, IOM, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, NAM, OAS (observer), OIF, OPCW, PIF, Sparteca, SPC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation
In the us: none; the Vanuatu Permanent Mission to the UN serves as the Embassy; it is headed by Odo TEVI (since 2014); address: 800 Second Avenue, Suite 400B, New York, NY 10,017; telephone: [1](212)661-4,303; FAX: [1](212)422-2,437
From the us: the US does not have an embassy in Vanuatu; the US Ambassador to Papua New Guinea is accredited to Vanuatu

Flag description:

National symbols: boar's tusk with crossed fern fronds; national colors: red, black, green, yellow

National anthem
Name: Yumi, Yumi, Yumi (We, We, We)
Lyricsmusic: Francois Vincent AYSSAV: note: adopted 1980; the anthem is written in Bislama, a Creole language that mixes Pidgin English and French

National heritage


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Economy overview: This South Pacific island economy is based primarily on small-scale agriculture, which provides a living for about two thirds of the population. Fishing, offshore financial services, and tourism, with more than 330,000 visitors in 2017, are other mainstays of the economy. Tourism has struggled after Efate, the most populous and most popular island for tourists, was damaged by Tropical Cyclone Pam in 2015. Ongoing infrastructure difficulties at Port Vila’s Bauerfield Airport have caused air travel disruptions, further hampering tourism numbers. Australia and New Zealand are the main source of tourists and foreign aid. A small light industry sector caters to the local market. Tax revenues come mainly from import duties. Mineral deposits are negligible; the country has no known petroleum deposits.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.Since 2002, the government has 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.

Real gdp purchasing power parity:
Rank: 207

Real gdp growth rate:
Rank: 73

Real gdp per capita:
Rank: 196

Gross national saving

Gdp composition by end use
Household consumption: 59.9% (2017 est.)
Government consumption: 17.4% (2017 est.)
Investment in fixed capital: 28.7% (2017 est.)
Investment in inventories: 0% (2017 est.)
Exports of goods and services: 42.5% (2017 est.)
Imports of goods and services: -48.5% (2017 est.)

Gdp composition by sector of origin
Agriculture: 27.3% (2017 est.)
Industry: 11.8% (2017 est.)
Services: 60.8% (2017 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: 4.5% (2017 est.)
Rank: 68

Labor force: 115,900 (2007 est.)
Rank: 182
By occupation agriculture: 65%
By occupation industry: 5%
By occupation services: 30% (2000 est.)

Unemployment rate: 1.7% (1999 est.)
Rank: 16

Youth unemployment

Population below poverty line
Note: NA

Gini index

Household income or consumption by percentage share

Distribution of family income gini index

Budget
Revenues: 236.7 million (2017 est.)
Expenditures: 244.1 million (2017 est.)
Surplus or deficit: -0.9% (of GDP) (2017 est.)
Surplus or deficit rank: 73

Taxes and other revenues: 27.2% (of GDP) (2017 est.)
Rank: 102

Public debt:
Rank: 107

Revenue

Fiscal year: calendar year

Inflation rate consumer prices:
Rank: 134

Central bank discount rate:
Rank: 6

Commercial bank prime lending rate:
Rank: 173

Stock of narrow money:
Rank: 173

Stock of broad money:
Rank: 177

Stock of domestic credit:
Rank: 178

Market value of publicly traded shares: NA

Current account balance:
Rank: 70

Exports:
Rank: 204
Partners: Philippines 23.9%, Australia 16.5%, US 10.4%, Japan 8.8%, Venezuela 8%, France 4.8%, Fiji 4.5%, Hong Kong 4.4% (2017)
Commodities: copra, beef (veal), cocoa, timber, kava, coffee, coconut oil, shell, cowhides, coconut meal, fish

Imports:
Rank: 206
Commodities: machinery and equipment, foodstuffs, fuels
Partners: Russia 35.2%, Australia 19.8%, NZ 9.8%, China 6.3%, Fiji 5.5% (2017)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
Rank: 160

Debt external:
Rank: 188

Stock of direct foreign investment at home:
Rank: 127

Stock of direct foreign investment abroad:
Rank: 116

Exchange rates:


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Electricity
Access population without electricity: 202,614 (2012)
Access electrification total population: 27% (2012)
Access electrification urban areas: 55% (2012)
Access electrification rural areas: 18% (2012)
Production: 63 million kWh (2016 est.)
Production rank: 204
Consumption: 58.59 million kWh (2016 est.)
Consumption rank: 204
Exports: 0 kWh (2016 est.)
Exports rank: 214
Imports: 0 kWh (2016 est.)
Imports rank: 215
Installed generating capacity: 37,000 kW (2016 est.)
Installed generating capacity rank: 199
Generation sources fossil fuels: 71% of total installed capacity (2016 est.)
Generation sources fossil fuels rank: 107
Generation sources nuclear: 0% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)
Generation sources nuclear rank: 207
Generation sources hydroelectricity: 0% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)
Generation sources hydroelectricity rank: 211
Generation sources other renewable sources: 29% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)
Generation sources other renewable sources rank: 21

Coal

Petroleum
Petroleum total petroleum production: 0 bbl/day (2017 est.)
Petroleum total petroleum production rank: 212
Crude oil exports: 0 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Crude oil exports rank: 213
Crude oil imports: 0 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Crude oil imports rank: 211
Crude oil proven reserves: 0 bbl (1 January 2018 est.)
Crude oil proven reserves rank: 210

Crude oil

Refined petroleum
Products production: 0 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Products production rank: 213
Products consumption: 1100 bbl/day (2016 est.)
Products consumption rank: 205
Products exports: 0 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Products exports rank: 215
Products imports: 1073 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Products imports rank: 201

Natural gas
Production: 0 m³ (2017 est.)
Production rank: 212
Consumption: 0 m³ (2017 est.)
Consumption rank: 211
Exports: 0 m³ (2017 est.)
Exports rank: 208
Imports: 0 m³ (2017 est.)
Imports rank: 208
Proven reserves: 0 m³ (1 January 2014 est.)
Proven reserves rank: 205

Carbon dioxide emissions
From consumption of energy: 164,800 Mt (2017 est.)
From consumption of energy rank: 203

Energy consumption per capita


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Telephones
Fixed lines total subscriptions: 3,499 (2017 est.)
Fixed lines subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 1 (2017 est.)
Fixed lines rank: 207
Mobile cellular total subscriptions: 228,016 (2017 est.)
Mobile cellular subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 81 (2017 est.)
Mobile cellular rank: 180

Telephone system
General assessment: telecom services have progressed significantly in recent years; mobile phones are now the primary means of communication and more than 90% of the population is covered by a mobile network (2016)
Domestic: 2016 saw the launch of LTE services by Digicel and the introduction of rural satellite broadband services by Kacific; mobile phone use in some rural areas is constrained by electricity shortages (2016)
International: country code - 678; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean) (2016)

Broadcast media: 1 state-owned TV station; multi-channel pay TV is available; state-owned Radio Vanuatu operates 2 radio stations; 2 privately owned radio broadcasters; programming from multiple international broadcasters is available (2008)

Internet
Country code: .vu
Users total: 66,613 (July 2016 est.)
Users percent of population: 24% (July 2016 est.)
Users rank: 183

Broadband fixed subscriptions
Total: 5,841 (2017 est.)
Subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 2 (2017 est.)
Rank: 175


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Military expenditures

Military and security forces

Military service age and obligation

Space program

Terrorist groups


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National air transport system
Number of registered air carriers: 1 (2015)
Inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers: 6 (2015)
Annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers: 287,526 (2015)
Annual freight traffic on registered air carriers: 1,510,732
Note: mt-km (2015)

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix: YJ (2016)

Airports: 31 (2013)
Rank: 114
With paved runways total: 3 (2013)
With paved runways 2438 to 3047 m: 1 (2013)
With paved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 1 (2013)
With paved runways 914 to 1523 m: 1 (2013)
With unpaved runways total: 28 (2013)
With unpaved runways 914 to 1523 m: 7 (2013)
With unpaved runways under 914 m: 21 (2013)

Heliports

Pipelines

Railways

Roadways
Total: 1070 km (2000)
Paved: 256 km (2000)
Unpaved: 814 km (2000)
Rank: 185

Waterways

Merchant marine
Total: 421 (2017)
By type: bulk carrier 22, container ship 1, general cargo 27, other 371 (2017)
Rank: 44

Ports and terminals
Major seaport: Forari Bay, Luganville (Santo, Espiritu Santo), Port-Vila


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Disputes international: Matthew and Hunter Islands east of New Caledonia claimed by Vanuatu and France

Refugees and internally displaced persons

Illicit drugs