1995 Edition
CIA World Factbook 1995 (Project Gutenberg)
Geography
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
Climate
tropical; moderated by southeast trade winds
Coastline
2,528 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 - Law of the Sea
International disputes
none
Irrigated land
NA sq km
Land boundaries
0 km
Land use
arable land: 1% permanent crops: 5% meadows and pastures: 2% forest and woodland: 1% other: 91%
Location
Oceania, group of islands in the South Pacific Ocean, about three-quarters of the way from Hawaii to Australia
Map references
Oceania
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
Natural resources
manganese, hardwood forests, fish
Terrain
mostly mountains of volcanic origin; narrow coastal plains
People and Society
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.)
Birth rate
31.26 births/1,000 population (1995 est.)
Death rate
9.06 deaths/1,000 population (1995 est.)
Ethnic divisions
indigenous Melanesian 94%, French 4%, Vietnamese, Chinese, Pacific Islanders
Infant mortality rate
66.3 deaths/1,000 live births (1995 est.)
Labor force
NA by occupation: NA
Languages
English (official), French (official), pidgin (known as Bislama or Bichelama)
Life expectancy at birth
total population: 59.71 years male: 57.9 years female: 61.61 years (1995 est.)
Literacy
age 15 and over can read and write (1979) total population: 53% male: 57% female: 48%
Nationality
noun: Ni-Vanuatu (singular and plural) adjective: Ni-Vanuatu
Net migration rate
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1995 est.)
Population
173,648 (July 1995 est.)
Population growth rate
2.22% (1995 est.)
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%
Total fertility rate
4.14 children born/woman (1995 est.)
Government
Administrative divisions
6 provinces; Malampa, Penama, Sanma, Shefa, Tafea, Torba
Capital
Port-Vila
Constitution
30 July 1980
Digraph
NH
Diplomatic representation in US
Vanuatu does not have a mission in the US
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
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
Independence
30 July 1980 (from France and UK)
Judicial branch
Supreme Court
Legal system
unified system being created from former dual French and British systems
Legislative branch
unicameral
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
Names
conventional long form: Republic of Vanuatu conventional short form: Vanuatu former: New Hebrides
National holiday
Independence Day, 30 July (1980)
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
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
Suffrage
18 years of age; universal
Type
republic
US diplomatic representation
the ambassador to Papua New Guinea is accredited to Vanuatu
Economy
Agriculture
export crops - coconuts, cocoa, coffee, fish; subsistence crops - taro, yams, coconuts, fruits, vegetables
Budget
revenues: $90 million expenditures: $103 million, including capital expenditures of $45 million (1989 est.)
Currency
1 vatu (VT) = 100 centimes
Economic aid
recipient: Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-89), $606 million
Electricity
capacity: 17,000 kW production: 30 million kWh consumption per capita: 181 kWh (1993)
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)
Exports
$14.9 million (f.o.b., 1991) commodities: copra, beef, cocoa, timber, coffee partners: Netherlands, Japan, France, New Caledonia, Belgium
External debt
$40 million (yearend 1992)
Fiscal year
calendar year
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%
Industrial production
growth rate 8.1% (1990); accounts for about 10% of GDP
Industries
food and fish freezing, wood processing, meat canning
Inflation rate (consumer prices)
2.3% (1992 est.)
National product
GDP - purchasing power parity - $200 million (1993 est.)
National product per capita
$1,200 (1993 est.)
National product real growth rate
NA%
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.
Unemployment rate
NA%
Communications
Radio
broadcast stations: AM 2, FM 0, shortwave 0 radios: NA
Telephone system
3,000 telephones local: NA intercity: NA international: 1 INTELSAT (Pacific Ocean) earth station
Television
broadcast stations: 0 televisions: NA
Transportation
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
Highways
total: 1,027 km paved: 240 km unpaved: 787 km
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
Ports
Forari, Port-Vila, Santo (Espiritu Santo)
Railroads
0 km
Military and Security
Branches
no regular military forces; Vanuatu Police Force (VPF; includes the paramilitary Vanuatu Mobile Force or VMF)
Defense expenditures
$NA, NA% of GDP ________________________________________________________________________ VENEZUELA