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VANUATU
OFFICIAL NAME
Republic of Vanuatu
CAPITAL CITY
Port-Vila
Geography
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 area:
14,760 sq km
land area:
14,760 sq km
comparative area:
slightly larger than Connecticut
note:
includes more than 80 islands
Land boundaries:
0 km
Coastline:
2,528 km
Maritime 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
International disputes:
claims Matthew and Hunter Islands east of New Caledonia
Climate:
tropical; moderated by southeast trade winds
Terrain:
mostly mountains of volcanic origin; narrow coastal plains
lowest point:
Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point:
Mount Tabwemasana 1,877 m
Natural resources:
manganese, hardwood forests, fish
Land use:
arable land:
1%
permanent crops:
5%
meadows and pastures:
2%
forest and woodland:
1%
other:
91%
Irrigated land:
NA sq km
Environment:
current issues:
a majority of the population does not have access to a potable and reliable supply of water
natural hazards:
tropical cyclones or typhoons (January to April); volcanism causes minor earthquakes
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
Population:
177,504 (July 1996 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years:
40% (male 36,409; female 35,105)
15-64 years:
57% (male 51,969; female 48,901)
65 years and over:
3% (male 2,802; female 2,318) (July 1996 est.)
Population growth rate:
2.17% (1996 est.)
Birth rate:
30.57 births/1,000 population (1996 est.)
Death rate:
8.84 deaths/1,000 population (1996 est.)
Net migration rate:
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1996 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:
1.21 male(s)/female
all ages:
1.06 male(s)/female (1996 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
64.6 deaths/1,000 live births (1996 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population:
60.13 years
male:
58.27 years
female:
62.09 years (1996 est.)
Total fertility rate:
4.01 children born/woman (1996 est.)
Nationality:
noun:
Ni-Vanuatu (singular and plural)
adjective:
Ni-Vanuatu
Ethnic divisions:
indigenous Melanesian 94%, French 4%, Vietnamese, Chinese, Pacific Islanders
Religions:
Presbyterian 36.7%, Anglican 15%, Catholic 15%, indigenous beliefs 7.6%, Seventh-Day Adventist 6.2%, Church of Christ 3.8%, other 15.7%
Languages:
English (official), French (official), pidgin (known as Bislama or Bichelama)
Literacy:
age 15 and over can read and write (1979 est.)
total population:
53%
male:
57%
female:
48%
Government
Name of country:
conventional long form:
Republic of Vanuatu
conventional short form:
Vanuatu
former:
New Hebrides
Data code:
NH
Type of government:
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 Jean Marie LEYE (since 2 March 1994) was elected for a five-year term by an electoral college consisting of Parliament and the presidents of the regional councils
head of government:
Prime Minister Maxime Carlot KORMAN (since 23 February 1996) was elected by Parliament from among its members; Deputy Prime Minister Donald KALPOKAS (since 23 February 1996) was appointed by the prime minister from among members of Parliament; note - Prime Minister VOHOR resigned 7 February 1996 when faced with a no-confidence vote in Parliament; Parliament then convened an extraordinary session and voted 30 to 20 to elect Maxime Carlot KORMAN as the new prime minister
cabinet:
Council of Ministers was appointed by the prime minister, responsible to Parliament
Legislative branch:
unicameral
Parliament:
elections last held 30 November 1995 (next to be held NA November 1999); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (50 total) UMP 17, VP 14, NUP 9, MPP 5, TU 2, Na-Griamel Movement 1, Friend Melanesian Party 1, independent 1; note - after the election, a coalition was formed by the Union of Moderate Parties and the National United Party to form a new government on 14 December 1995, but 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:
Union of Moderate Parties (UMP), Serge VOHOR; National United Party (NUP), Walter LINI; Unity Front (UF) includes the Vanuatu Party (VP), Donald KALPOKAS, Melanesian Progressive Party (MPP), Barak SOPE, Tan Union (TU), Vincent BOULEKONE, and the Na-Griamel Movement, Frankie STEVENS; Friend Melanesian Party, leader NA; People's Democratic Party (PDP), Sethy REGENVANU; Independence Front (IF), Patrick CROWBY
International organization participation:
ACCT, ACP, AsDB, C, ESCAP, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFC, IFRCS, IMF, IMO, Intelsat (nonsignatory user), IOC, ITU, NAM, Sparteca, SPC, SPF, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WMO
Diplomatic representation in US:
Vanuatu does not have an embassy in the US
US diplomatic representation:
the US does not have an embassy in Vanuatu; the ambassador to Papua New Guinea is accredited to Vanuatu
Economy
Economic overview:
The economy is based primarily on subsistence farming which provides a living for the bulk of the population. Fishing and tourism are the other mainstays of the economy, with 43,000 visitors in 1992. 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.
GDP:
purchasing power parity - $210 million (1994 est.)
GDP real growth rate:
2% (1994 est.)
GDP per capita:
$1,220 (1994 est.)
GDP composition by sector:
agriculture:
NA%
industry:
NA%
services:
NA%
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
7% (1995 est.)
Labor force:
66,597 (1989 est.)
by occupation:
agriculture 65%, services 32%, industry 3% (1995 est.)
Unemployment rate:
NA%
Budget:
revenues:
$74.8 million
expenditures:
$76.1 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1994 est.)
Industries:
food and fish freezing, wood processing, meat canning
Industrial production growth rate:
3.4% (1993 est.)
Electricity:
capacity:
17,000 kW
production:
30 million kWh
consumption per capita:
181 kWh (1993)
Agriculture:
coconuts, cocoa, coffee, taro, yams, coconuts, fruits, vegetables; fish
Exports:
$24.6 million (f.o.b., 1994 est.)
commodities:
copra, beef, cocoa, timber, coffee
partners:
EU 32%, Japan 29%, Australia 11%, New Caledonia 7% (1993)
Imports:
$78.6 million (f.o.b., 1994 est.)
commodities:
machines and vehicles, food and beverages, basic manufactures, raw materials and fuels, chemicals
partners:
Australia 41%, France 15%, NZ 11%, Japan 9%, Fiji 6% (1992)
External debt:
$38.2 million (yearend 1993)
Economic aid:
recipient:
ODA, $NA
Currency:
1 vatu (VT) = 100 centimes
Exchange rates:
vatu (VT) per US$1 - 114.40 (January 1996), 112.11 (1995), 116.41 (1994), 121.58 (1993), 113.39 (1992), 111.68 (1991)
Fiscal year:
calendar year
Transportation
Railways:
0 km
Highways:
total:
1,021 km
paved:
238 km
unpaved:
783 km (1987 est.)
Ports:
Forari, Port-Vila, Santo (Espiritu Santo)
Merchant marine:
total:
112 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 1,587,286 GRT/2,173,970 DWT
ships by type:
bulk 38, cargo 29, chemical tanker 3, combination bulk 1, container 3, liquefied gas tanker 5, livestock carrier 1, oil tanker 6, refrigerated cargo 16, vehicle carrier 10
note:
a flag of convenience registry; includes ships from 20 countries among which are Japan 37, US 19, Netherlands 10, Greece 6, Hong Kong 6, China 4, Canada 4, UAE 3, Russia 2, and Australia 2 (1995 est.)
Airports:
total:
31
with paved runways 2 438 to 3 047 m:
1
with paved runways 1 524 to 2 437 m:
1
with paved runways under 914 m:
17
with unpaved runways 1 524 to 2 437 m:
1
with unpaved runways 914 to 1 523 m:
11 (1995 est.)
Communications
Telephones:
3,000 (1987 est.)
Telephone system:
domestic:
NA
international:
satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)
Radio broadcast stations:
AM 2, FM 0, shortwave 0
Radios:
NA
Television broadcast stations:
0 (1987 est.)
Televisions:
2,000 (1992 est.)
Defense
Branches:
no regular military forces; Vanuatu Police Force (VPF; includes the paramilitary Vanuatu Mobile Force or VMF)
Manpower availability:
males age 15-49:
NA
males fit for military service:
NA
Defense expenditures:
$NA, NA% of GDP
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