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 Match 253   DB Rec# - 7,705  Dataset-WOFACT

Title         :Vanuatu 
Text          : 
                                     Vanuatu 
 
                                    Geography 
 
Location: 
    Oceania, group of islands in the South Pacific Ocean, about three-quarters 
    of the way from Hawaii to Australia 
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: 
    none 
Climate: 
    tropical; moderated by southeast trade winds 
Terrain: 
    mostly mountains of volcanic origin; narrow coastal plains 
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 
 
                                    Geography 
  international agreements: 
    party to - Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered Species, Marine Dumping,
 
    Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution; signed, but not ratified - Law of 
    the Sea 
 
                                     People 
 
Population: 
    173,648 (July 1995 est.) 
Age structure: 
  0-14 years: 
    41% (female 34,819; male 36,128) 
  15-64 years: 
    56% (female 47,320; male 50,456) 
  65 years and over: 
    3% (female 2,217; male 2,708) (July 1995 est.) 
Population growth rate: 


    2.22% (1995 est.) 
Birth rate: 
    31.26 births/1,000 population (1995 est.) 
Death rate: 
    9.06 deaths/1,000 population (1995 est.) 
Net migration rate: 
    0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1995 est.) 
Infant mortality rate: 
    66.3 deaths/1,000 live births (1995 est.) 
Life expectancy at birth: 
  total population: 
    59.71 years 
  male: 
    57.9 years 
  female: 
    61.61 years (1995 est.) 
Total fertility rate: 
    4.14 children born/woman (1995 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) 
  total population: 
    53% 
  male: 
    57% 
  female: 
    48% 
Labor force: 
    NA 
  by occupation: 
    NA 
 
                                   Government 
 
Names: 
  conventional long form: 
    Republic of Vanuatu 
  conventional short form: 
    Vanuatu 
  former: 
    New Hebrides 
Digraph: 
    NH 
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 Jean Marie LEYE (since 2 March 1994) 
  head of government: 
    Prime Minister Maxime CARLOT Korman (since 16 December 1991); Deputy Prime 
    Minister Sethy REGENVANU (since 17 December 1991) 
  cabinet: 
    Council of Ministers; appointed by the prime minister, responsible to 
    parliament 
Legislative branch: 
    unicameral 
  Parliament: 
    elections last held 2 December 1991 (next to be held NA November 1995); note
 
    - after election, a coalition was formed by the Union of Moderate Parties 
    and the National United Party to form a new government on 16 December 1991, 
    but political party associations are fluid; results - percent of vote by 
    party NA; seats - (46 total) UMP 19, NUP 10, VP 10, MPP 4, TUP 1, Nagriamel 
    1, Friend 1 
  note: 
    the National Council of Chiefs advises on matters of custom and land 
Judicial branch: 
    Supreme Court 
Political parties and leaders: 
    Vanuatu Party (VP), Donald KALPOKAS; Union of Moderate Parties (UMP), Maxime
 
    CARLOT Korman; Melanesian Progressive Party (MPP), Barak SOPE; National 
    United Party (NUP), Walter LINI; Tan Union Party (TUP), Vincent BOULEKONE; 
    Nagriamel Party, Jimmy STEVENS; Friend Melanesian Party, leader NA; People's
 
    Democratic Party (PDP), Sethy REGENVANU 
  note: 
    the VP, MPP, TUP, and Nagriamel Party have formed a coalition called the 
    United Front (UF) heading into the November 1995 elections 
 
                                   Government 
Member of: 
    ACCT, ACP, AsDB, C, ESCAP, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFC, IFRCS 
    (associate), IMF, IMO, INTELSAT (nonsignatory user), IOC, ITU, NAM, 
    SPARTECA, SPC, SPF, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WHO, WMO 
Diplomatic representation in US: 
    Vanuatu does not have a mission in the US 
US diplomatic representation: 
    the ambassador to Papua New Guinea is accredited to Vanuatu 
Flag: 
    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 
 
Overview: 
    The economy is based primarily on subsistence farming which provides a 
    living for about 80% 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. 
National product: 
    GDP - purchasing power parity - $200 million (1993 est.) 
National product real growth rate: 
    NA% 
National product per capita: 
    $1,200 (1993 est.) 
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 
    2.3% (1992 est.) 
Unemployment rate: 
    NA% 
Budget: 
  revenues: 
    $90 million 
  expenditures: 
    $103 million, including capital expenditures of $45 million (1989 est.) 
Exports: 
    $14.9 million (f.o.b., 1991) 
  commodities: 
    copra, beef, cocoa, timber, coffee 
  partners: 
    Netherlands, Japan, France, New Caledonia, Belgium 
Imports: 
    $74 million (f.o.b., 1991) 
  commodities: 
    machines and vehicles, food and beverages, basic manufactures, raw materials
 
    and fuels, chemicals 
  partners: 
    Australia 36%, Japan 13%, NZ 10%, France 8%, Fiji 8% 
External debt: 
    $40 million (yearend 1992) 
Industrial production: 
    growth rate 8.1% (1990); accounts for about 10% of GDP 
Electricity: 
  capacity: 
    17,000 kW 
  production: 
    30 million kWh 
  consumption per capita: 
    181 kWh (1993) 
Industries: 
    food and fish freezing, wood processing, meat canning 
Agriculture: 
    export crops - coconuts, cocoa, coffee, fish; subsistence crops - taro, 
    yams, coconuts, fruits, vegetables 
Economic aid: 
  recipient: 


    Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-89), 
    $606 million 
Currency: 
    1 vatu (VT) = 100 centimes 
 
                                     Economy 
Exchange rates: 
    vatu (VT) per US$1 - 112.42 (December 1994), 116.41 (1994), 121.58 (1993), 
    113.39 (1992), 111.68 (1991), 116.57 (1990) 
Fiscal year: 
    calendar year 
 
                                 Transportation 
 
Railroads: 
    0 km 
Highways: 
  total: 
    1,027 km 
  paved: 
    240 km 
  unpaved: 
    787 km 
Ports: 
    Forari, Port-Vila, Santo (Espiritu Santo) 
Merchant marine: 
  total: 
    116 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 1,874,698 GRT/2,758,783 DWT 
  ships by type: 
    bulk 52, cargo 18, chemical tanker 3, combination bulk 1, container 4, 
    liquefied gas tanker 5, livestock carrier 1, oil tanker 5, refrigerated 
    cargo 17, vehicle carrier 10 
  note: 
    a flag of convenience registry; includes 21 countries among which are ships 
    of the US 117, Japan 39, Netherlands 12, China 11, UAE 6, Greece 6, Canada 
    6, Hong Kong 4, Russia 2, Australia 2 
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 2,438 m: 
    1 
  with unpaved runways 914 to 1,523 m: 
    11 
 
                                 Communications 
 
Telephone system: 
    3,000 telephones 
  local: 
    NA 
  intercity: 
    NA 
  international: 
    1 INTELSAT (Pacific Ocean) earth station 


Radio: 
  broadcast stations: 
    AM 2, FM 0, shortwave 0 
  radios: 
    NA 
Television: 
  broadcast stations: 
    0 
  televisions: 
    NA 
 
                                 Defense Forces 
 
Branches: 
    no regular military forces; Vanuatu Police Force (VPF; includes the 
    paramilitary Vanuatu Mobile Force or VMF) 
Defense expenditures: 
    $NA, NA% of GDP 

This publication is also available online from the CIA (http://www.odci.gov/cia) as 1995 World Factbook (http://www.odci.gov/cia/publications/95fact/index.html).

The printed version of this item can be found under the title:
The World Factbook 1995,
SuDoc No: PREX 3.15:995

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Updated: March 12, 1996