Vanuatu

• 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

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

• tropical cyclones (January to April);
• volcanic activity;
• volcanism also causes minor earthquakes;
• tsunamis

volcanism:

• 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

noun:

Ni-Vanuatu (singular and plural)

adjective:

Ni-Vanuatu

total:

24.9 years (2025 est.)

male:

24.1 years

female:

25 years

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

at birth:

1.05 male(s)/female

0-14 years:

1.04 male(s)/female

15-64 years:

0.96 male(s)/female

65 years and over:

0.96 male(s)/female

total population:

0.99 male(s)/female (2024 est.)

total:

13.4 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.)

male:

15 deaths/1,000 live births

female:

12.3 deaths/1,000 live births

total population:

75.7 years (2024 est.)

male:

74 years

female:

77.4 years

total:

1.6 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

beer:

0.34 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

wine:

0.39 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

spirits:

0.87 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

other alcohols:

0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

total:

17.8% (2020 est.)

male:

33% (2020 est.)

female:

2.6% (2020 est.)

• water pollution;
• limited potable water;
• inadequate sanitation;
• deforestation

• 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

urban population:

26% of total population (2023)

rate of urbanization:

2.55% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

municipal solid waste generated annually:

70,200 tons (2024 est.)

percent of municipal solid waste recycled:

52.9% (2022 est.)

conventional long form:

Republic of Vanuatu

conventional short form:

Vanuatu

local long form:

Ripablik blong Vanuatu

local short form:

Vanuatu

former:

New Hebrides

etymology:

• the name means "Our land forever" in several of the Austronesian languages spoken on the islands;
• the former name, New Hebrides, was given by Captain James COOK in 1774 because he thought they looked similar to the Hebrides islands off the coast of Scotland

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)

etymology:

the local name of Vila is sometimes used alone for the the port town; its meaning is unknown

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

amendment process:

• 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

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

chief of state:

President Nikenike VUROBARAVU (since 23 July 2022)

head of government:

Prime Minister Jotham NAPAT (since 11 February 2025)

cabinet:

Council of Ministers appointed by the prime minister, responsible to Parliament

election/appointment process:

• president indirectly elected by an electoral college consisting of Parliament and presidents of the 6 provinces;
• national president serves a 5-year term;
• following legislative elections, the Parliament usually elects the leader of the majority party or majority coalition (who must also be a member of Parliament) as prime minister

most recent election date:

23 July 2022

election results:

2022: Nikenike VUROBARAVU elected president in eighth round; electoral college vote - Nikenike VUROBARAVU (VP) 48 votes, Solas MOLISA (VP) 4 votes

expected date of next election:

2027

note: the National Council of Chiefs (Malvatu Mauri) is a formal advisory body of chiefs recognized by the country's constitution; it advises the government on matters of culture and language

legislature name:

Parliament

legislative structure:

unicameral

number of seats:

52 (all directly elected)

electoral system:

proportional representation

scope of elections:

full renewal

term in office:

4 years

most recent election date:

1/16/2025

parties elected and seats per party:

• Leaders Party of Vanuatu (LPV) (9);
• Vanua'aku Pati (VP) (7);
• Iauko Group (IG) (6);
• Union of Moderate Parties (UMP) (6);
• Rural Development Party (RDP) (6);
• Graon mo Jastis Pati (Land and Justice Party, GJP) (5);
• Reunification Movement for Change (RMC) (5);
• Other (8)

percentage of women in chamber:

1.9%

expected date of next election:

January 2029

highest court(s):

• 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

• Iauko Group (Eagle Party) or IG
• Land and Justice Party (Graon mo Jastis Pati or GJP)
• Leaders Party of Vanuatu or LPV
• Rural Development Party or RDP
• Reunification of Movement for Change or RMC
• Union of Moderate Parties or UMP
• Vanua'aku Pati (Our Land Party) or VP

chief of mission:

Ambassador Odo TEVI (since 8 September 2017); note - also Permanent Representative to the UN

chancery:

800 Second Avenue, Suite 400B, New York, NY 10017

telephone:

[1] (212) 661-4303

FAX:

[1] (212) 422-3427

email address and website:

[email protected]; https://www.un.int/vanuatu/

note: the Vanuatu Permanent Mission to the UN serves as the embassy

chief of mission:

• Ambassador Ann Marie YASTISHOCK (since 16 April 2024);
• note - also accredited to the Papua New Guinea and the Solomon Islands, based in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea

embassy:

Port Vila

email address and website:

https://vt.usembassy.gov/

description:

• two equal horizontal bands of red (top) and green with a black isosceles triangle (based on the left side);
• a black-edged yellow stripe in the shape of a horizontal "Y" faces the left side and encloses the triangle;
• a boar's tusk in the triangle circles two crossed namele fern fronds, all in yellow

meaning:

• red stands for unity and the blood of men and boars, green for the richness of the islands, and black for the ni-Vanuatu people;
• the yellow "Y" reflects the islands' layout in the Pacific Ocean and symbolizes the light of the Gospel;
• the boar's tusk is a symbol of prosperity;
• the ferns represent peace

note: one of four national flags that reflect the shape of the country in the flag design; the others are Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brazil, and Eritrea

title:

"Yumi, Yumi, Yumi" (We, We, We)

lyrics/music:

Francois Vincent AYSSAV

history:

adopted 1980; the anthem is written in the native Bislama

total World Heritage Sites:

1 (cultural)

selected World Heritage Site locales:

Chief Roi Mata’s Domain

• lower-middle income Pacific island economy;
• extremely reliant on subsistence agriculture and tourism;
• environmentally fragile;
• struggling post-pandemic and Tropical Cyclone Harold rebound;
• sizeable inflation;
• road infrastructure aid from Australia

agriculture:

24.9% (2022 est.)

industry:

7.5% (2022 est.)

services:

60.4% (2022 est.)

note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data

total:

11.6% (2024 est.)

male:

9.6% (2024 est.)

female:

14% (2024 est.)

note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment

lowest 10%:

3% (2019 est.)

highest 10%:

24.7% (2019 est.)

note: % share of income accruing to lowest and highest 10% of population

• 1 state-owned TV station;
• multi-channel pay TV available;
• state-owned Radio Vanuatu has 2 radio stations;
• 2 privately owned radio broadcasters;
• multiple international broadcasts available (2023)

total ports:

3 (2024)

large:

0

medium:

0

small:

1

very small:

2

ports with oil terminals:

2

key ports:

Forari Bay, Luganville, Port Vila

tier rating:

• Tier 2 Watch List — Vanuatu does not fully meet the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking, but the government has devoted sufficient resources to a written plan that, if implemented, would constitute significant efforts to meet the minimum standards;
• therefore, Vanuatu was granted a waiver per the Trafficking Victims Protection Act from an otherwise required downgrade to Tier 3 and remained on Tier 2 Watch List for the third consecutive year;
• for more details, go to: https://www.state.gov/reports/2025-trafficking-in-persons-report/vanuatu/