The independent archipelago of Vanuata, located some 600 miles west of Fiji, consists of 13 large islands and 70 islets. Volcanic in origin, the islands are mountainous with coral beaches and reefs. The capital city is Port-Vila, the currency is the Vatu and the most used languages are Bislama, English and French.. Note that Vanuatu has over 100 indigenous languages.

Formally the New Hebrides, the islands became independent of Britain and France in 1980. Tourism is on the upswing, and along with offshore banking, contributes heavily to the local economy. Farming and fishing provide the balance of local subsistence. The climate is hot and humid and the area is subject to cyclones from November - May.

The total land area of Vanuatu exceeds 4,700 square miles, with most of the population of 178,000 living on the large islands of Efate, Erromango, Espiritu Santo and Malekula.

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