Vanuatu
Republic of Vanuatu
republicIndependence 30 July 1980 (from France and UK)
Vanuatu as the 1998 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 89 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(1998 est.)
Male · female
Age structure
- 0-14 years:
- 39% (male 36,865; female 35,576)
- 15-64 years:
- 58% (male 55,066; female 52,142)
- 65 years and over:
- 3% (male 3,013; female 2,542) (July 1998 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:
- 1.19 male(s)/female (1998 est.)
Government
Republic; President Jean Marie LEYE (since 2 March 1994); Prime Minister Donald KALPOKAS (since 30 March 1998)
18 fieldsParliament, 52 seats, elected 6 March 1998one 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 Donald KALPOKAS (since 30 March 1998); Deputy Prime Minister Father Walter LINI (since 30 March 1998)
- 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 6 March 1998 (next to be held NA 2002)
- election results:
- Jean Marie LEYE elected president;
- percent of electoral college vote - NA;
- Donald KALPOKAS elected prime minister by Parliament with a total of 35 votes, other candidate, Rialuth Serge VOHOR, received 17 votes
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 four 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; as a result of legislative elections in March 1998, KALPOKAS was elected prime minister and formed a coalition government with Father LINI's National United Party (NUP)
Legislative branch
unicameral Parliament (52 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)
- elections:
- last held 6 March 1998 (next to be held NA 2002)
- election results:
- percent of vote by party-NA;
- seats by party-VP 18, UMP 12, NUP 11, other and independent 11;
- note-political party associations are fluid;
- there have been four 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 RAVUTIA;
- John Frum Movement, leader NA;
- Vanuatu Republican Party, Maxime Carlot KORMAN
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.
28 fieldsGDP-composition by sector(1996)
Economy-overview
The economy is based primarily on subsistence or small-scale agriculture which provides a living for 65% of the population. Fishing, offshore financial services, and tourism, with 46,000 visitors in 1996, are 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. 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:
- $30 million (f.o.b., 1996)
- commodities:
- copra, beef, cocoa, timber, coffee
- partners:
- Japan 28%, Spain 21%, Germany 14%, UK 7%, Cote d'Ivoire 7%, Australia, New Caledonia (1996 est.)
Imports
- total value:
- $97 million (f.o.b., 1996)
- commodities:
- machines and vehicles, food and beverages, basic manufactures, raw materials and fuels, chemicals
- partners:
- Japan 47%, Australia 23%, Singapore 8%, New Zealand 6%, France 3%, Fiji (1996 est.)
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$1-124.56 (January 1998), 115.87 (1997), 111.72 (1996), 112.11 (1995), 116.41 (1994), 121.58 (1993)
Transportation
7 fieldsMerchant marine, 88 ships by typeone square, one ship · ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 1,407,737 GRT/1,761,413 DWT
Networkskm
Military
No regular military forces; Vanuatu Police Force | (VPF; includes the paramilitary Vanuatu Mobile Force or VMF)
3 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 1998. Archived by The Factbook, thefactbook.org/vanuatu/1998.