Vanuatu
Republic of Vanuatu
parliamentary republicIndependence 30 July 1980 (from France and UK)
Vanuatu as the 2003 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 112 fields, one of 36 editions from 1990 to 2025.
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Introduction
1 fieldBackground
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
18 fieldsLand useshare of 12,200 sq km
Location
Oceania, group of islands in the South Pacific Ocean, about three-quarters of the way from Hawaii to Australia
Natural hazards
- tropical cyclones or typhoons (January to April);
- volcanism causes minor earthquakes;
- tsunamis
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:
- Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, 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
Geography - note
a Y-shaped chain of four main islands and 80 smaller islands; several of the islands have active volcanoes
People
19 fieldsPer 1,000 population(2003 est.)
Male · female
Age structure
- 0-14 years:
- 34.8% (male 35,499; female 33,992)
- 15-64 years:
- 61.8% (male 63,021; female 60,149)
- 65 years and over:
- 3.4% (male 3,605; female 3,148) (2003 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:
- 1.15 male(s)/female
- total population:
- 1.05 male(s)/female (2003 est.)
Languages
three official languages: English, French, pidgin (known as Bislama or Bichelama), plus more than 100 local languages
Government
Parliamentary republic; President Father John BANI (since 25 March 1999); Prime Minister Edward Nipake NATAPEI (since 13 April 2001)
18 fieldsParliament, 52 seats, elected 2 May 2002one dot, one seat
Country name
- conventional long form:
- Republic of Vanuatu
- conventional short form:
- Vanuatu
- former:
- New Hebrides
Executive branch
- chief of state:
- President Father John BANI (since 25 March 1999)
- 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 2004);
- 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 2 August 2002 (next to be held NA 2003)
- election results:
- Father John BANI elected president on second vote (24 March 1999) after the first (17 March 1999) did not have any candidate with the required two-thirds majority; percent of electoral college vote - NA%
- cabinet:
- Council of Ministers appointed by the prime minister, responsible to Parliament
- head of government:
- Prime Minister Edward Nipake NATAPEI (since 13 April 2001); Deputy Prime Minister Ham LINI (since NA)
Legislative branch
unicameral Parliament (52 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)
- elections:
- last held 2 May 2002 (next to be held NA 2006)
- election results:
- percent of vote by party - NA%;
- seats by party - UMP 15, VP 14, VRP 3, MPP 2, other and independent 18;
- note - 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)
Political parties and leaders
- Jon Frum Movement [Song KEASPAI];
- Melanesian Progressive Party or MPP [Barak SOPE];
- National United Party or NUP [Dinh Van THAN];
- Union of Moderate Parties or UMP [Serge VOHOR];
- Vanuaaku Party (Our Land Party) or VP [Edward NATAPEI];
- Vanuatu Republican Party or VRP [Maxime Carlot KORMAN]
International organization participation
ACCT, ACP, AsDB, C, ESCAP, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFC, IFRCS, IMF, IMO, IOC, ITU, NAM, Sparteca, SPC, SPF, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMIBH, 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.
36 fieldsGDP - composition by sector(2000 est.)
Trading partnersexports left, imports right
Electricity
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.
A severe earthquake in November 1999 followed by a tsunami, caused extensive damage to the northern island of Pentecote and left thousands homeless. Another powerful earthquake in January 2002 caused extensive damage in the capital, Port-Vila, and surrounding areas, and also was followed by a tsunami.
GDP growth rose less than 3% on average in the 1990s. In response to foreign concerns, the government has promised to tighten regulation of its offshore financial center. In mid-2002 the government stepped up efforts to boost tourism. Australia and New Zealand are the main suppliers of foreign aid.
Agriculture - products
copra, coconuts, cocoa, coffee, taro, yams, coconuts, fruits, vegetables; fish, beef
Exchange rates
vatu per US dollar - 139.2 (2002), 145.31 (2001), 137.64 (2000), 129.08 (1999), 127.52 (1998)
Communications
8 fieldsTelephone system
- general assessment:
- NA
- domestic:
- NA
- international:
- satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)
Transportation
8 fieldsAirports by runway lengthpaved left, unpaved right
Networkskm
Merchant marine
- total:
- 52 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 1,181,463 GRT/1,552,813 DWT
- ships by type:
- bulk 26, cargo 5, combination bulk 3, container 3, liquefied gas 2, multi-function large-load carrier 1, refrigerated cargo 7, vehicle carrier 5
note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of convenience: Australia 3, Canada 2, China 1, Japan 25, Monaco 4, Netherlands 1, NZ 5, Panama 1, Poland 1, Switzerland 2, UK 4, US 2, Vietnam 1 (2002 est.)
Military
No regular military forces; Vanuatu Police Force (VPF; including the paramilitary Mobile Force or VMF)
3 fieldsMilitary branches
no regular military forces; Vanuatu Police Force (VPF; including the paramilitary Mobile Force or VMF)
Transnational Issues
1 fieldDisputes - international
Matthew and Hunter Islands east of New Caledonia claimed by Vanuatu and France
Cite this entry
Central Intelligence Agency. “Vanuatu.” The World Factbook 2003. Archived by The Factbook, thefactbook.org/vanuatu/2003.