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.

Area
Total: 14,760 km²
Land: 14,760 km²
Comparative: slightly larger than Connecticut
Comparative note: Includes more than 80 islands

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 2,528 km

Maritime claims: Measured from claimed archipelagic baselines
Contiguous zone: 24 nm
Continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the 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

Elevation
Extremes lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
Extremes highest point: Mount Tabwemasana 1,877 m

Natural resources:

Land use
Arable land: 1%
Permanent crops: 5%
Permanent pastures: 2%
Forests and woodland: 1%
Other: 91%

Irrigated land: NA

Population:
Growth rate:

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

Ethnic groups:

Languages: English (official), French (official), pidgin (known as Bislama or Bichelama)

Religions:

Population growth rate:

Birth rate:

Death rate:

Net migration rate:

Environment
Current issues: a majority of the population does not have access to a potable and reliable supply of water
Current issues Natural hazards: tropical cyclones or typhoons (January to April); volcanism causes minor earthquakes
International agreements: party to_Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered Species, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution; signed, but not ratified_Law of the Sea

Sex ratio
At birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
Under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 1.21 male(s)/female
All ages:

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 60.13 (1996 est.), 59.71 years (1995 est.)
Male: 58.27 (1996 est.), 57.9 years (1995 est.)
Female: 62.09 years (1996 est.), 61.61 years (1995 est.)

Total fertility rate:

Literacy
Definition: age 15 and over that can read and write (1979)
Total population: 53%
Male: 57%
Female: 48%

Country name
Conventional long form: Republic of Vanuatu
Conventional short form: Vanuatu
Former: New Hebrides

Government type: Republic

Capital: Port-Vila

Administrative divisions: 6 provinces; Malampa, Penama, Sanma, Shefa, Tafea, Torba

Independence: 30 July 1980 (from France and U.K.)

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 Jean Marie LEYE (since 2 March 1994) was elected for a five-year term by an electoral college consisting of Parliament and the presidents of the regional councils
Head of government: Prime Minister Maxime Carlot KORMAN (since 23 February 1996) was elected by Parliament from among its members; Deputy Prime Minister Donald KALPOKAS (since 23 February 1996) was appointed by the prime minister from among members of Parliament; note_Prime Minister VOHOR resigned 7 February 1996 when faced with a no-confidence vote in Parliament; Parliament then convened an extraordinary session and voted 30 to 20 to elect Maxime Carlot KORMAN as the new prime minister
Cabinet: Council of Ministers; appointed by the prime minister, responsible to parliament

Legislative branch: Unicameral Parliament:Elections last held 30 November 1995 (next to be held NA November 1999); results_percent of vote by party NA; seats_(50 total) UMP 17, VP 14, NUP 9, MPP 5, TU 2, Na-Griamel Movement 1, Friend Melanesian Party 1, independent 1; note_after the election, a coalition was formed by the Union of Moderate Parties and the National United Party to form a new government on 14 December 1995, but political party associations are fluid
Note: The National Council of Chiefs advises on matters of custom and land

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

International organization participation: ACCT, ACP, AsDB, C, ESCAP, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFC, IFRCS, IMF, IMO, Intelsat (nonsignatory user), IOC, ITU, NAM, Sparteca, SPC, SPF, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WMO

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: The economy is based primarily on subsistence farming which provides a living for the bulk of the population. Fishing and tourism are the other mainstays of the economy, with 43,000 visitors in 1992. 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 growth rate: 2% (1994 est.)

Real gdp per capita:

Agriculture products: Export crops_coconuts, cocoa, coffee, fish; subsistence crops_taro, yams, coconuts, fruits, vegetables

Industries:

Industrial production growth rate: Growth rate 3.4% (1993 est.), 8.1% (1990; accounts for about 10% of GDP

Labor force: 66,597 (1989 est.)
By occupation Agriculture: 65%
By occupation Services: 32%
By occupation Industry: 3% (1995 est.)

Unemployment rate: NA

Budget
Revenues: $74.8 million (1994 est.), $90 million (1989 est.)
Expenditures: $76.1 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1994 est.), $103 million, including capital expenditures of $45 million (1989 est.)

Fiscal year: Calendar year

Exports:
Commodities:
Partners:

Debt external:

Exchange rates: Vatu (VT) per US$1_114.40 (January 1996), 112.11 (1995), 116.41 (1994), 121.58 (1993), 113.39 (1992), 111.68 (1991), 116.57 (1990)

Electricity
Capacity: 17,000 kW
Production: 30 million kWh
Consumption per capita: 181 kWh (1993)

Telephone system: 3,000 telephones
Local: NA
Intercity: NA
International: 1 INTELSAT (Pacific Ocean) earth station

Airports: 31
2438 to 3047 m: 1
15-24 to 2437 m: 1
Under 914 m: 17
914 to 1523 m: 11

Merchant marine
Total: 112 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 1,587,286 GRT/2,173,970 DWT
Ships by type: bulk 38, cargo 29, chemical tanker 3, combination bulk 1, container 3, liquefied gas tanker 5, livestock carrier 1, oil tanker 6, refrigerated cargo 16, vehicle carrier 10
Note: A flag of convenience registry; includes 21 countries among which are ships of the U.S. 19, Japan 37, Netherlands 10, China 4, UAE 3, Greece 6, Canada 4, Hong Kong 6, Russia 2, Australia 2 (1995 est.)