Vanuatu
Republic of Vanuatu
republicIndependence 30 July 1980 (from France and UK)
Vanuatu as the 1997 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 91 fields, one of 36 editions from 1990 to 2025.
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Geography
Oceania, group of islands in the South Pacific Ocean, about | three-quarters of the way from Hawaii to Australia
17 fieldsLand useshare of 14,760 sq km
Location
Oceania, group of islands in the South Pacific Ocean, about three-quarters of the way from Hawaii to Australia
Environment - current issues
a majority of the population does not have access to a potable and reliable supply of water; deforestation
Environment - international agreements
- party to:
- Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered Species, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution
- signed, but not ratified:
- Desertification, Law of the Sea
People
15 fieldsPer 1,000 population(1997 est.)
Male · female
Age structure
- 0-14 years:
- 40% (male 36,655; female 35,359)
- 15-64 years:
- 57% (male 53,506; female 50,508)
- 65 years and over:
- 3% (male 2,904; female 2,426) (July 1997 est.)
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 : 1.2 male(s)/female
- total population:
- 1.05 male(s)/female (1997 est.)
Government
Republic; President Jean Marie LEYE (since 2 March 1994); Prime Minister Rialuth Serge VOHOR (since 30 September 1996)
18 fieldsParliament, 49 seatsone dot, one seat
Country name
- conventional long form:
- Republic of Vanuatu
- conventional short form:
- Vanuatu
- former:
- New Hebrides
Executive branch
- chief of state:
- President Jean Marie LEYE (since 2 March 1994)
- head of government:
- Prime Minister Rialuth Serge VOHOR (since 30 September 1996); Deputy Prime Minister Donald KALPOKAS (since 25 October 1996)
- cabinet :
- Council of Ministers appointed by the prime minister, responsible to Parliament
- elections:
- president elected by an electoral college consisting of Parliament and the presidents of the regional councils for a five-year term;
- election for president last held 2 March 1994 (next to be held NA 1999);
- 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 30 September 1996 (next to be held NA November 1999);
- note - the general legislative elections in November 1995 did not give a majority to any of the political parties;
- since the election, there have been three changes of government - all of which have been coalitions formed by Parliamentary vote;
- Rialuth Serge VOHOR was prime minister from November 1995 until he resigned 7 February 1996 when faced with a no-confidence vote in Parliament;
- Maxime Carlot KORMAN was then elected prime minister and served until he was ousted in a no-confidence motion on 30 September 1996;
- VOHOR was then elected prime minister for a second time
- election results:
- Jean Marie LEYE elected president;
- percent of electoral college vote - NA;
- Serge VOHOR elected prime minister by a Parliamentary vote of 28 to 22
Legislative branch
unicameral Parliament (50 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)
- elections :
- last held 30 November 1995 (next to be held NA November 1999)
- election results:
- percent of vote by party - NA;
- seats by party - UMP 17, VP 14, NUP 9, MPP 5, TU 2, Na-Griamel Movement 1, Friend Melanesian Party 1, independent 1;
- note - political party associations are fluid;
- there have been three changes of government since the November 1995 elections
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
Political parties and leaders
- Union of Moderate Parties (UMP), Serge VOHOR;
- National United Party (NUP), Walter LINI;
- Vanuatu Party (VP), Donald KALPOKAS;
- Melanesian Progressive Party (MPP), Barak SOPE;
- Tan Union (TU), Vincent BOULEKONE;
- Na-Griamel Movement, Frankie STEVENS;
- Friend Melanesian Party, Albert RAUUTIA
International organization participation
ACCT, ACP, AsDB, C, ESCAP, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFC, IFRCS, IMF, IMO, Intelsat (nonsignatory user), IOC, ITU, NAM, Sparteca, SPC, SPF, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WMO, WTrO (applicant)
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
The economy is based primarily on subsistence or | small-scale agriculture which provides a living for 65% of the | population.
22 fieldsEconomy - overview
The economy is based primarily on subsistence or small-scale agriculture which provides a living for 65% 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. 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.
Agriculture - products
copra, coconuts, cocoa, coffee, taro, yams, coconuts, fruits, vegetables; fish, beef
Exports
- total value:
- $28 million (f.o.b., 1995)
- commodities:
- copra, beef, cocoa, timber, coffee
- partners :
- EU 32%, Japan 29%, Australia 11%, New Caledonia 7% (1993)
Imports
- total value:
- $93 million (f.o.b., 1995 est.)
- commodities:
- machines and vehicles, food and beverages, basic manufactures, raw materials and fuels, chemicals
- partners:
- Australia 41%, France 15%, NZ 11%, Japan 9%, Fiji 6% (1992)
Economic aid
recipient: ODA, $9.6 million from Australia (FY96/97 est.); $3.1 million from NZ (FY95/96)
Exchange rates
vatu (VT) per US$1 - 112.36 (January 1997), 111.72 (1996), 112.11 (1995), 116.41 (1994), 121.58 (1993), 113.39 (1992)
Communications
6 fieldsTransportation
7 fieldsMerchant marine
- total :
- 100 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 1,451,548 GRT/1,945,514 DWT
- ships by type:
- bulk 32, cargo 30, chemical tanker 2, combination bulk 1, container 2, liquefied gas tanker 5, oil tanker 7, refrigerated cargo 13, vehicle carrier 8
note : a flag of convenience registry; includes ships from 17 countries among which are Japan 31, India 10, Greece 7, Netherlands 7, US 7, Hong Kong 6, Canada 4, France 4, Australia 2, and Singapore 2 (1996 est.)
Military
No regular military forces; Vanuatu Police Force | (VPF; includes the paramilitary Vanuatu Mobile Force or VMF)
5 fieldsMilitary branches
no regular military forces; Vanuatu Police Force (VPF; includes the paramilitary Vanuatu Mobile Force or VMF)
Transnational Issues
1 fieldCite this entry
Central Intelligence Agency. “Vanuatu.” The World Factbook 1997. Archived by The Factbook, thefactbook.org/vanuatu/1997.