1996 Edition

Description

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

Location

16 00 S, 167 00 E -- Oceania, group of islands in the South Pacific Ocean, about three-quarters of the way from Hawaii to Australia Flag ----

Area

comparative area

slightly larger than Connecticut

land area

14,760 sq km

note

includes more than 80 islands

total area

14,760 sq km

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

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

natural hazards

tropical cyclones or typhoons (January to April); volcanism causes minor earthquakes

Geographic coordinates

16 00 S, 167 00 E

International disputes

claims Matthew and Hunter Islands east of New Caledonia

Irrigated land

NA sq km

Land boundaries

0 km

Land use

arable land

1%

forest and woodland

1%

meadows and pastures

2%

other

91%

permanent crops

5%

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

highest point

Mount Tabwemasana 1,877 m

lowest point

Pacific Ocean 0 m

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.)

Birth rate

30.57 births/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Death rate

8.84 deaths/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Ethnic divisions

indigenous Melanesian 94%, French 4%, Vietnamese, Chinese, Pacific Islanders

Infant mortality rate

64.6 deaths/1,000 live births (1996 est.)

Languages

English (official), French (official), pidgin (known as Bislama or Bichelama)

Life expectancy at birth

female

62.09 years (1996 est.)

male

58.27 years

total population

60.13 years

Literacy

age 15 and over can read and write (1979 est.)

female

48%

male

57%

total population

53%

Nationality

adjective

Ni-Vanuatu

noun

Ni-Vanuatu (singular and plural)

Net migration rate

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Population

177,504 (July 1996 est.)

Population growth rate

2.17% (1996 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%

Sex ratio

all ages

1.06 male(s)/female (1996 est.)

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

Total fertility rate

4.01 children born/woman (1996 est.)

Administrative divisions

6 provinces; Malampa, Penama, Sanma, Shefa, Tafea, Torba

Capital

Port-Vila

Constitution

30 July 1980

Data code

NH

Diplomatic representation in US

Vanuatu does not have an embassy in the US

Executive branch

cabinet

Council of Ministers was appointed by the prime minister, responsible to Parliament

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

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)

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

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

Legal system

unified system being created from former dual French and British systems

Legislative branch

unicameral

Name of country

conventional long form

Republic of Vanuatu

conventional short form

Vanuatu

former

New Hebrides

National holiday

Independence Day, 30 July (1980)

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

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

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Type of government

republic

US diplomatic representation

the US does not have an embassy in Vanuatu; the ambassador to Papua New Guinea is accredited to Vanuatu

Agriculture

coconuts, cocoa, coffee, taro, yams, coconuts, fruits, vegetables; fish

Budget

expenditures

$76.1 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1994 est.)

revenues

$74.8 million

Currency

1 vatu (VT) = 100 centimes

Economic aid

recipient

ODA, $NA

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.

Electricity

capacity

17,000 kW

consumption per capita

181 kWh (1993)

production

30 million kWh

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)

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)

External debt

$38.2 million (yearend 1993)

Fiscal year

calendar year

GDP

purchasing power parity - $210 million (1994 est.)

GDP composition by sector

agriculture

NA%

industry

NA%

services

NA%

GDP per capita

$1,220 (1994 est.)

GDP real growth rate

2% (1994 est.)

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)

Industrial production growth rate

3.4% (1993 est.)

Industries

food and fish freezing, wood processing, meat canning

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%

Branches

no regular military forces; Vanuatu Police Force (VPF; includes the paramilitary Vanuatu Mobile Force or VMF)

Defense expenditures

$NA, NA% of GDP

Manpower availability

males age 15-49

NA

males fit for military service

NA

Radio broadcast stations

AM 2, FM 0, shortwave 0

Radios

NA

Telephone system

domestic

NA

international

satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)

Telephones

3,000 (1987 est.)

Television broadcast stations

0 (1987 est.)

Televisions

2,000 (1992 est.) Defense

Airports

total

31

with paved runways 1 524 to 2 437 m

1

with paved runways 2 438 to 3 047 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.)

Highways

paved

238 km

total

1,021 km

unpaved

783 km (1987 est.)

Merchant marine

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.)

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

total

112 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 1,587,286 GRT/2,173,970 DWT

Ports

Forari, Port-Vila, Santo (Espiritu Santo)

Railways

0 km