Vanuatu

Republic of Vanuatu conventional short form: Vanuatu former: New Hebrides

republicIndependence 30 July 1980 (from France and UK)

Vanuatu as the 2001 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 108 fields, one of 36 editions from 1990 to 2025.

field in that editiontext changed from the edition beforenot in that editionthe open editionEach field below ends in its editions, 1990 to 2025. Point at a year above to follow it down.

CapitalPort-Vila

Position16 00 S, 167 00 E

Area12,200 sq km land: 12,200 sq km water: 0 sq km note: includes more than 80 islands

LocationOceania, group of islands in the South Pacific Ocean, about three-quarters of the way from Hawaii to Australia

Populationas each edition published it

192,910 people July 2001 est. · 165,006 in 1990

Population growth% a year

1.7% 2001 est. · 2.36% in 1993

Median ageyears

Not in this edition 21.9 yrs in 2003

Life expectancyyears at birth

60.95 years 2001 est. · 58.8 yrs in 1993

Fertility ratechildren per woman

3.19 children per woman 2001 est. · 5.5 in 1990

Infant mortalitydeaths per 1,000 live births

61.05 deaths per 1,000 live births 2001 est. · 36 in 1990

GDP per capitaeach edition's own dollars

$1,300 1999 est. · $900 in 1993

GDP real growth% a year

-2.5% 1999 est. · 6% in 1993

Introduction

1 field

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.

Geography

Oceania, group of islands in the South Pacific Ocean, about three-quarters of the way from Hawaii to Australia

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Coastline

2,528km

land boundaries: 0 kmMaritime 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

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 references

Oceania

Area

total: 12,200 sq km land: 12,200 sq km water: 0 sq km note: includes more than 80 islands

Climate

tropical; moderated by southeast trade winds

Terrain

mostly mountains of volcanic origin; narrow coastal plains

Elevation extremes

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

Natural resources

manganese, hardwood forests, fish

Land use

arable land: 2% permanent crops: 10% permanent pastures: 2% forests and woodland: 75% other: 11% (1993 est.)

Irrigated land

NA sq km

Natural hazards

tropical cyclones or typhoons (January to April); volcanism causes minor earthquakes

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, Desertification, Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 94 signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

People

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Population

192,910

(July 2001 est.)growth rate: 1.7% (2001 est.)

Per 1,000 population(2001 est.)

Birth

25.4Death

8.38Net migration

Religions

Presbyterian 36.7%Anglican 15%Roman Catholic 15%indigenous beliefs 7.6%Seventh-Day Adventist 6.2%Church of Christ 3.8%other 15.7%

Age structure

0-14 years: 36.35% (male 35,822; female 34,299) 15-64 years: 60.43% (male 59,764; female 56,808) 65 years and over: 3.22% (male 3,348; female 2,869) (2001 est.)

Sex ratio

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 1.17 male(s)/female total population: 1.05 male(s)/female (2001 est.)

Infant mortality rate

61.05 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.)

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 60.95 years male: 59.58 years female: 62.39 years (2001 est.)

Total fertility rate

3.19 children born/woman (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

NA%

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

HIV/AIDS - deaths

Nationality

noun: Ni-Vanuatu (singular and plural) adjective: Ni-Vanuatu

Ethnic groups

indigenous Melanesian 94%, French 4%, Vietnamese, Chinese, Pacific Islanders

Languages

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

Literacy

definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 53% male: 57% female: 48% (1979 est.)

Government

Republic; President Father John BANI (since 25 March 1999) head of government: Prime Minister Edward NATAPEI (since 16 April 2001)

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Parliament, 52 seatsone dot, one seat

VP 18UMP 12NUP 11other and independent 11

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 UK)

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 Father John BANI (since 25 March 1999) head of government: Prime Minister Edward NATAPEI (since 16 April 2001);
Deputy Prime Minister Serge VOHOR (since 16 April 2001) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the prime minister, responsible to Parliament elections: president elected for a four-year term by an electoral college consisting of Parliament and the presidents of the regional councils for a five-year term;
election for president last held 25 March 1999 (next to be held NA 2003);
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 16 April 2001 (next to be held NA 2002) election results: Father John BANI elected president;
percent of electoral college vote - NA%;
Edward NATAPEI elected prime minister by Parliament with a total of 27 out of 52 votes note: the government of Prime Minister Barak SOPE was ousted in a no confidence vote on 14 April 2001 and Edward NATAPEI was elected the new prime minister by Parliament

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

Melanesian Progressive Party or MPP [Barak SOPE];
National United Party or NUP [Willie TITONGOA];
Union of Moderate Parties or UMP [Serge VOHOR];
Vanuaaku Party (Our Land Party) or VP [Edward NATAPEI];
Vanuatu Republican Party [Maxime Carlot KORMAN]

Political pressure groups and leaders

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, UNMIBH, UNTAET, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WMO, WTrO (observer)

Diplomatic representation in the US

Vanuatu does not have an embassy in the US, it does, however, have a Permanent Mission to the UN

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.

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Real growth rate

-2.5%

(1999 est.)industrial production growth: 1% (1997 est.)

Inflation, consumer prices

2.5%

(1999 est.)

Debt - external

$48million

(1997 est.)

Electricity

Electricity production

35 million (1999)Electricity consumption

32.6 million (1999)

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 about 50,000 visitors in 1997, 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.

The most recent natural disaster, a severe earthquake in November 1999 followed by a tsunami, caused extensive damage to the northern island of Pentecote and left thousands homeless. GDP growth has risen less than 3% on average in the 1990s. In response to foreign concerns, the government is moving to tighten regulation of its offshore financial center.

GDP

purchasing power parity - $245 million (1999 est.)

GDP - per capita

purchasing power parity - $1,300 (1999 est.)

GDP - composition by sector

agriculture: 20% industry: 9% services: 71% (1999 est.)

Population below poverty line

NA%

Labor force

Labor force - by occupation

agriculture 65%, services 32%, industry 3% (1995 est.)

Unemployment rate

NA%

Budget

revenues: $94.4 million expenditures: $99.8 million, including capital expenditures of $30.4 million (1996 est.)

Industries

food and fish freezing, wood processing, meat canning

Electricity - production by source

fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (1999)

Agriculture - products

copra, coconuts, cocoa, coffee, taro, yams, coconuts, fruits, vegetables; fish, beef

Exports

$25.3 million (f.o.b., 1999)

Exports - commodities

copra, kava, beef, cocoa, timber, coffee

Exports - partners

Japan 32%, Germany 14%, Spain 8%, New Caledonia 7%, Australia 2% (1997 est.)

Imports

$77.2 million (f.o.b., 1999)

Imports - commodities

machinery and equipment, foodstuffs, fuels

Imports - partners

Japan 52%, Australia 20%, New Caledonia, Singapore, New Zealand, France, Fiji (1997 est.)

Economic aid - recipient

$45.8 million (1995)

Currency

vatu (VUV)

Currency code

VUV

Exchange rates

vatu per US dollar - 143.95 (December 2000), 137.82 (2000), 129.08 (1999), 127.52 (1998), 115.87 (1997), 111.72 (1996)

Fiscal year

calendar year

Communications

10 fields

Mobile cellular

154

(1996)

Internet users

(2000)

Fixed lines

4,000

(1996) · country code .vu

Telephone system

general assessment: NA domestic: NA international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations

AM 2, FM 2, shortwave 1 (1998)

Radios

62,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations

1 (1997)

Televisions

2,000 (1997)

Internet users

3,000 (2000)

Transportation

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Railways

0 km

Highways

total: 1,070 km paved: 256 km unpaved: 814 km (1996)

Waterways

none

Ports and harbors

Forari, Port-Vila, Santo (Espiritu Santo)

Merchant marine

total: 54 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 1,067,384 GRT/1,330,543 DWT ships by type: bulk 23, cargo 7, chemical tanker 3, combination bulk 2, container 1, liquefied gas 3, petroleum tanker 2, refrigerated cargo 7, vehicle carrier 6 note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of convenience: Australia 2, Canada 1, China 1, France 1, Greece 1, Hong Kong 1, Japan 22, Netherlands 1, Norway 1, Switzerland 1, US 4 (2000 est.)