Vanuatu

Republic of Vanuatu

parliamentary republicIndependence 30 July 1980 (from France and UK)

Vanuatu as the 2004 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 109 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 (Efate)

Position16 00 S, 167 00 E

Area12,200 sq km

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

Populationas each edition published it

202,609 people July 2004 est. · 165,006 in 1990

Population growth% a year

1.57% 2004 est. · 2.36% in 1993

Median ageyears

22.3 years 2004 est. · 21.9 yrs in 2003

Life expectancyyears at birth

62.1 years 2004 est. · 58.8 yrs in 1993

Fertility ratechildren per woman

2.87 children per woman 2004 est. · 5.5 in 1990

Infant mortalitydeaths per 1,000 live births

56.63 deaths per 1,000 live births 2004 est. · 36 in 1990

GDP per capitaeach edition's own dollars

$2,900 2002 est. · $900 in 1993

GDP real growth% a year

-0.3% 2002 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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Land useshare of 12,200 sq km

arable land 2.46%permanent crops 7.38%other 90.16% (2001)

Area

12,200sq km

land: 12,200 sq kmwater: 0 sq kmnote: includes more than 80 islands, about 65 of which are inhabitedslightly larger than Connecticut

Coastline

2,528km

land boundaries: 0 kmMaritime claims: measured from claimed archipelagic baselinesterritorial sea: 12 nmcontiguous zone: 24 nmexclusive economic zone: 200 nmcontinental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin

Highest point

1,877m

Tabwemasanalowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m

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

Climate

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

Terrain

mostly mountainous islands of volcanic origin; narrow coastal plains

Natural resources

manganese, hardwood forests, fish

Irrigated land

NA sq km

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 fields

Population

202,609

(July 2004 est.)growth rate: 1.57% (2004 est.)

Per 1,000 population(2004 est.)

Birth

23.67Death

8.02Net migration

Male · female

TotalMale · femaleLife expectancy years (2004 est.)62.1

60.64 · 63.63Infant mortality deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)56.63

59.25 · 53.89

TotalMale · femaleLiteracy (1979 est.)53%

57% · 48%Median age years (2004 est.)22.3

22.3 · 22.2

MaleFemaleLiteracy definition: age 15 and over can read and write

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% (including Jon Frum Cargo cult)

Age structure

0-14 years:: 34.1% (male 35,281; female 33,785)
15-64 years:: 62.4% (male 64,669; female 61,829)
65 years and over:: 3.5% (male 3,740; female 3,305) (2004 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:: 1.13 male(s)/female
total population:: 1.05 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Total fertility rate

2.87 children born/woman (2004 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

HIV/AIDS - deaths

Nationality

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

Ethnic groups

indigenous Melanesian 98%, French, Vietnamese, Chinese, other Pacific Islanders

Languages

three official languages: English, French, pidgin (known as Bislama or Bichelama), plus more than 100 local languages

Government

Parliamentary republic; President Kalkot Matas KELEKELE (since 16 August 2004); Prime Minister Ham LINI (since 11 December 2004)

18 fields

Parliament, 52 seats, elected 6 July 2004one dot, one seat

UMP 8VP 8NUP 10VRP 4MPP 3VGP 3other and independent 16

Country name

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

Government type

parliamentary republic

Capital

Port-Vila (Efate)

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 Kalkot Matas KELEKELE (since 16 August 2004)
head of government:: Prime Minister Ham LINI (since 11 December 2004);
Deputy Prime Minister Sato KILMAN (since 11 December 2004);
Prime Minister Serge VOHOR ousted in no-confidence vote on 11 December 2004
cabinet:: Council of Ministers appointed by the prime minister, responsible to Parliament
elections:: president elected for a five-year term by an electoral college consisting of Parliament and the presidents of the regional councils;
election for president last held 16 August 2004 (next to be held in 2009);
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 29 July 2004 (next to be held following general elections in 2008)
election results:: Kalkot Matas KELEKELE elected president, with 49 votes out of 56, after several ballots on 16 August 2004

Legislative branch

unicameral Parliament (52 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)

elections:: last held 6 July 2004 (next to be held 2008)
election results:: percent of vote by party - NA%;
seats by party - UMP 8, VP 8, NUP 10, VRP 4, MPP 3, VGP 3, other and independent 16;
note - political party associations are fluid

note: the National Council of Chiefs advises on matters of culture and language

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 [NA];
Union of Moderate Parties or UMP [Serge VOHOR];
Vanua'aku Pati (Our Land Party) or VP [Edward NATAPEI];
Vanuatu Republican Party or VRP [Maxime Carlot KORMAN];
Greens (Vanuatu) [Moana CARCASSES]

Political pressure groups and leaders

International organization participation

ACCT, ACP, AsDB, C, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, IOC, ITU, MIGA, NAM, PIF, Sparteca, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, 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

This South Pacific island economy is based primarily on small-scale agriculture, which provides a living for 65% of the population.

35 fields

Real growth rate

-0.3%

(2002 est.)industrial production growth: 1% (1997 est.)

Inflation, consumer prices

(2002 est.)

Debt - external

$65.8million

(2001 est.)

GDP - composition by sector(2000 est.)

agriculture 26%industry 12%services 62% (2000 est.)

Trading partnersexports left, imports right

32.8%

India

25.5%

Thailand

Australia

15.3%

7.6%

Japan

10.6%

9.6%

Indonesia

Singapore

7.4%

New Zealand

Fiji

5.1%

Poland

Exports $79 million f.o.b. (2002)Imports $138 million c.i.f. (2002)(2003)

Budget

Revenues

$94.4 millionExpenditures

$99.8 million (1996 est.)

expenditures including capital expenditures of $30.4 million

Electricity

Electricity production

43.46 million (2001)Electricity consumption

40.42 million (2001)

Economy - overview

This South Pacific island economy is based primarily on 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. Agriculture, especially livestock farming, is a second target for growth. Australia and New Zealand are the main suppliers of tourists and foreign aid. Growth expanded moderately in 2003.

GDP

purchasing power parity - $563 million (2002 est.)

GDP - per capita

purchasing power parity - $2,900 (2002 est.)

Population below poverty line

Labor force

Labor force - by occupation

agriculture 65%, industry 5%, services 30% (2000 est.)

Unemployment rate

Agriculture - products

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

Industries

food and fish freezing, wood processing, meat canning

Oil - production

0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption

600 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports

NA (2001)

Oil - imports

NA (2001)

Exports

$79 million f.o.b. (2002)

Exports - commodities

copra, beef, cocoa, timber, kava, coffee

Imports

$138 million c.i.f. (2002)

Imports - commodities

machinery and equipment, foodstuffs, fuels

Economic aid - recipient

$45.8 million (1995)

Currency

vatu (VUV)

Currency code

VUV

Exchange rates

vatu per US dollar - 122.189 (2003), 139.198 (2002), 145.312 (2001), 137.643 (2000), 129.075 (1999)

Fiscal year

calendar year

Communications

8 fields

Mobile cellular

7,800

(2003)

Internet users

512

(2003)

Fixed lines

6,500

(2003) · country code .vu

Telephone system

general assessment:: NA
domestic:: NA
international:: country code - 678; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations

AM 2, FM 2, shortwave 1 (2002)

Television broadcast stations

1 (2002)

Internet users

7,500 (2003)

Transportation

6 fields

Airports by runway lengthpaved left, unpaved right

2,438 to 3,047 m

1524 to 2437 m

914 to 1,523 m

under 914 m

Paved 3Unpaved 27

Highways

total:: 1,070 km
paved:: 256 km
unpaved:: 814 km (1999 est.)

Ports and harbors

Forari, Port-Vila, Santo (Espiritu Santo)

Merchant marine

total:: 51 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 1,192,474 GRT/1,560,828 DWT
by type:: bulk 28, cargo 2, combination bulk 3, container 2, liquefied gas 2, multi-functional large load carrier 1, refrigerated cargo 6, roll on/roll off 2, vehicle carrier 5
foreign-owned:: Australia 2, Canada 1, Estonia 1, Germany 1, Japan 25, Monaco 4, New Zealand 2, Panama 1, Poland 7, Switzerland 3, United Kingdom 5, United States 2
registered in other countries:: 1 (2004 est.)

Airports

30 (2003 est.)

Military

No regular military forces; Vanuatu Police Force (VPF; including the paramilitary Mobile Force or VMF)

3 fields

Transnational Issues

1 field

Disputes - international

Matthew and Hunter Islands east of New Caledonia claimed by Vanuatu and France

Central Intelligence Agency. “Vanuatu.” The World Factbook 2004. Archived by The Factbook, thefactbook.org/vanuatu/2004.

How to cite ← 2003 edition 2005 edition →