1990 Edition
CIA World Factbook 1990 (Project Gutenberg)
Geography
Climate
tropical; moderated by southeast trade winds
Coastline
2,528 km
Comparative area
slightly larger than Connecticut
Contiguous zone
24 nm;
Continental shelf
edge of continental margin or 200 nm;
Environment
subject to tropical cyclones or typhoons (January to April); volcanism causes minor earthquakes
Extended economic zone
200 nm;
Land boundary
none
Land use
1% arable land; 5% permanent crops; 2% meadows and pastures; 1% forest and woodland; 91% other
Maritime claims
(measured from claimed archipelagic baselines);
Natural resources
manganese, hardwood forests, fish
Note
located 5,750 km southwest of Honolulu in the South Pacific Ocean about three-quarters of the way between Hawaii and Australia
Terrain
mostly mountains of volcanic origin; narrow coastal plains
Territorial sea
12 nm
Total area
14,760 km2; land area: 14,760 km2; includes more than 80 islands
People and Society
Birth rate
37 births/1,000 population (1990)
Death rate
5 deaths/1,000 population (1990)
Ethnic divisions
94% indigenous Melanesian, 4% French, remainder Vietnamese, Chinese, and various Pacific Islanders
Infant mortality rate
36 deaths/1,000 live births (1990)
Labor force
NA
Language
English and French (official); pidgin (known as Bislama or Bichelama)
Life expectancy at birth
67 years male, 72 years female (1990)
Literacy
10-20% (est.)
Nationality
noun--Vanuatuan(s); adjective--Vanuatuan
Net migration rate
0 migrants/1,000 population (1990)
Organized labor
7 registered trade unions--largest include Oil and Gas Workers' Union, Vanuatu Airline Workers' Union
Population
165,006 (July 1990), growth rate 3.2% (1990)
Religion
most at least nominally Christian
Total fertility rate
5.5 children born/woman (1990)
Government
Administrative divisions
11 island councils; Ambrym, Aoba/Maewo, Banks/Torres, Efate, Epi, Malakula, Paama, Pentecote, Santo/Malo, Shepherd, Tafea
Capital
Port-Vila
Constitution
30 July 1980
Diplomatic representation
Vanuatu does not have a mission in Washington; US--the ambassador in Papua New Guinea is accredited to Vanuatu
Elections
Parliament--last held 30 November 1987 (next to be held NA); byelections were held NA December 1988 to fill vacancies resulting from the expulsion of opposition members for boycotting sessions; results--percent of vote by party NA; seats--(46 total) National Party 26, Union of Moderate Parties 19, independent 1
Executive branch
president, prime minister, Council of Ministers
Flag
two equal horizontal bands of red (top) and green (bottom) 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
Independence
30 July 1980 (from France and UK; formerly New Hebrides)
Judicial branch
Supreme Court
Leaders
Chief of State--President Frederick TIMAKATA (since 30 January 1989); Head of Government--Prime Minister Father Walter Hadye LINI (since 30 July 1980); Deputy Prime Minister (vacant)
Legal system
unified system being created from former dual French and British systems
Legislative branch
unicameral Parliament; note--the National Council of Chiefs advises on matters of custom and land
Long-form name
Republic of Vanuatu
Member of
ACP, ADB, Commonwealth, ESCAP, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IFC, IMF, ITU, NAM, SPF, UN, WHO, WMO
National holiday
Independence Day, 30 July (1980)
Political parties and leaders
National Party (Vanua'aku Pati), Walter Lini; Union of Moderate Parties, Maxine Carlot; Melanesian Progressive Party, Barak Sope
Suffrage
universal at age 18
Type
republic
Economy
Agriculture
export crops--copra, cocoa, coffee, and fish; subsistence crops--copra, taro, yams, coconuts, fruits, and vegetables
Aid
Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-87), $541 million
Budget
revenues $80.1 million; expenditures $86.6 million, including capital expenditures of $27.1 million (1988 est.)
Currency
vatu (plural--vatu); 1 vatu (VT) = 100 centimes
Electricity
10,000 kW capacity; 20 million kWh produced, 125 kWh per capita (1989)
Exchange rates
vatu (VT) per US$1--107.17 (January 1990), 116.04 (1989), 104.43 (1988), 109.85 (1987), 106.08 (1986), 106.03 (1985)
Exports
$16 million (f.o.b., 1988 est.); commodities--copra 37%, cocoa 11%, meat 9%, fish 8%, timber 4%; partners--Netherlands 34%, France 27%, Japan 17%, Belgium 4%, New Caledonia 3%, Singapore 2% (1987)
External debt
$57 million (1988)
Fiscal year
calendar year
GDP
$120 million, per capita $820; real growth rate 0.7% (1987 est.)
Imports
$58 million (f.o.b., 1988 est.); commodities--machines and vehicles 25%, food and beverages 23%, basic manufactures 18%, raw materials and fuels 11%, chemicals 6%; partners--Australia 36%, Japan 13%, NZ 10%, France 8%, Fiji 5% (1987)
Industrial production
growth rate NA%
Industries
food and fish freezing, forestry processing, meat canning
Inflation rate (consumer prices)
8.0% (1988 est.)
Overview
The economy is based primarily on subsistence farming that provides a living for about 80% of the population. Fishing and tourism are the 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.
Unemployment rate
NA%
Communications
Airports
33 total, 28 usable; 2 with permanent-surface runways; none with runways over 2,439 m; 2 with runways 1,220-2,439 m
Civil air
no major transport aircraft
Highways
1,027 km total; at least 240 km sealed or all-weather roads
Merchant marine
65 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 885,668 GRT/1,473,443 DWT; includes 26 cargo, 4 refrigerated cargo, 5 container, 2 roll-on/roll-off cargo, 1 vehicle carrier, 3 petroleum, oils, and lubricants (POL) tanker, 2 liquefied gas, 21 bulk, 1 combination bulk; note--a flag of convenience registry
Ports
Port-Vila, Luganville, Palikoulo, Santu
Railroads
none
Telecommunications
stations--2 AM, no FM, no TV; 3,000 telephones; 1 Pacific Ocean INTELSAT earth station
Military and Security
Branches
a paramilitary force is responsible for internal and external security; no military forces
Defense expenditures
NA
Military manpower
NA