1999 Edition
CIA World Factbook 1999 (Internet Archive)
Geography
Area
total: 14,760 sq km land: 14,760 sq km water: 0 sq km note: includes more than 80 islands
Area--comparative
slightly larger than Connecticut
Climate
tropical; moderated by southeast trade winds
Coastline
2,528 km
Elevation extremes
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: Tabwemasana 1,877 m
Environment--current issues
a majority of the population does not have access to a potable and reliable supply of water; deforestation
Environment--international agreements
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered Species, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution signed, but not ratified: Desertification, Law of the Sea
Geographic coordinates
16 00 S, 167 00 E
Irrigated land
NA sq km
Land boundaries
0 km
Land use
arable land: 2% permanent crops: 10% permanent pastures: 2% forests and woodland: 75% other: 11% (1993 est.)
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 hazards
tropical cyclones or typhoons (January to April); volcanism causes minor earthquakes
Natural resources
manganese, hardwood forests, fish
Terrain
mostly mountains of volcanic origin; narrow coastal plains
People and Society
Age structure
0-14 years: 39% (male 37,040; female 35,760) 15-64 years: 58% (male 56,649; female 53,799) 65 years and over: 3% (male 3,125; female 2,663) (1999 est.)
Birth rate
28.49 births/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Death rate
8.26 deaths/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Ethnic groups
indigenous Melanesian 94%, French 4%, Vietnamese, Chinese, Pacific Islanders
Infant mortality rate
59.58 deaths/1,000 live births (1999 est.)
Languages
English (official), French (official), pidgin (known as Bislama or Bichelama)
Life expectancy at birth
total population: 61.44 years male: 59.41 years female: 63.57 years (1999 est.)
Literacy
definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 53% male: 57% female: 48% (1979 est.)
Nationality
noun: Ni-Vanuatu (singular and plural) adjective: Ni-Vanuatu
Net migration rate
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Population
189,036 (July 1999 est.)
Population growth rate
2.02% (1999 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
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 1.17 male(s)/female total population: 1.05 male(s)/female (1999 est.)
Total fertility rate
3.61 children born/woman (1999 est.)
Government
Administrative divisions
6 provinces; Malampa, Penama, Sanma, Shefa, Tafea, Torba
Capital
Port-Vila
Constitution
30 July 1980
Country name
conventional long form: Republic of Vanuatu conventional short form: Vanuatu former: New Hebrides
Data code
NH
Executive branch
chief of state: President Jean Marie LEYE (since 2 March 1994) head of government: Prime Minister Donald KALPOKAS (since 30 March 1998); Deputy Prime Minister Willie JIMMY (since 19 October 1998) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the prime minister, responsible to Parliament elections: president elected by an electoral college consisting of Parliament and the presidents of the regional councils for a five-year term; election for president last held 2 March 1994 (next to be held NA 1999); following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or majority coalition is usually elected prime minister by Parliament from among its members; election for prime minister last held 6 March 1998 (next to be held NA 2002) election results: Jean Marie LEYE elected president; percent of electoral college vote--NA; Donald KALPOKAS elected prime minister by Parliament with a total of 35 votes; other candidate, Rialuth Serge VOHOR, received 17 votes note: the general legislative elections in November 1995 did not give a majority to any of the political parties; since the election, there have been four changes of government--all of which have been coalitions formed by Parliamentary vote; Rialuth Serge VOHOR was prime minister from November 1995 until he resigned 7 February 1996 when faced with a no-confidence vote in Parliament; Maxime Carlot KORMAN was then elected prime minister and served until he was ousted in a no-confidence motion on 30 September 1996; VOHOR was then elected prime minister for a second time; as a result of legislative elections in March 1998, KALPOKAS was elected prime minister and formed a coalition government with Father LINI's National United Party (NUP)
Flag 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
Government type
republic
Independence
30 July 1980 (from France and UK)
International organization participation
ACCT, ACP, AsDB, C, ESCAP, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFC, IFRCS, IMF, IMO, Intelsat (nonsignatory user), IOC, ITU, NAM, Sparteca, SPC, SPF, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WMO, WTrO (applicant) Diplomatic representation in the US: Vanuatu does not have an embassy in the US, it does, however, have a Permanent Mission to the UN Diplomatic representation from the US: the US does not have an embassy in Vanuatu; the ambassador to Papua New Guinea is accredited to Vanuatu
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 or UMP
Legal system
unified system being created from former dual French and British systems
Legislative branch
unicameral Parliament (52 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms) elections: last held 6 March 1998 (next to be held NA 2002) election results: percent of vote by party--NA; seats by party--VP 18, UMP 12, NUP 11, other and independent 11; note--political party associations are fluid; there have been four changes of government since the November 1995 elections note: the National Council of Chiefs advises on matters of custom and land
National holiday
Independence Day, 30 July (1980)
Suffrage
18 years of age; universal
Economy
Agriculture--products
copra, coconuts, cocoa, coffee, taro, yams, coconuts, fruits, vegetables; fish, beef
Budget
revenues: $94.4 million expenditures: $99.8 million, including capital expenditures of $30.4 million (1996 est.)
Currency
1 vatu (VT) = 100 centimes
Debt--external
$63 million (1996 est.)
Economic aid--recipient
$45.8 million (1995)
Economy--overview
The economy is based primarily on subsistence or small-scale agriculture which provides a living for 65% of the population. Fishing, offshore financial services, and tourism, with about 50,000 visitors in 1997, are 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. Economic development is hindered by dependence on relatively few commodity exports, vulnerability to natural disasters, and long distances from main markets and between constituent islands.
Electricity--consumption
30 million kWh (1996)
Electricity--exports
0 kWh (1996)
Electricity--imports
0 kWh (1996)
Electricity--production
30 million kWh (1996)
Electricity--production by source
fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (1996)
Exchange rates
vatu (VT) per US$1--129.66 (January 1999), 127.52 (1998), 115.87 (1997), 111.72 (1996), 112.11 (1995), 116.41 (1994)
Exports
$30 million (f.o.b., 1996)
Exports--commodities
copra, beef, cocoa, timber, coffee
Exports--partners
Japan 28%, Spain 21%, Germany 14%, UK 7%, Cote d'Ivoire 7%, Australia, New Caledonia (1996 est.)
Fiscal year
calendar year
GDP
purchasing power parity--$240 million (1997 est.)
GDP--composition by sector
agriculture: 23% industry: 13% services: 64% (1996)
GDP--per capita
purchasing power parity?$1,300 (1997 est.)
GDP--real growth rate
NA%
Household income or consumption by percentage share
lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%
Imports
$97 million (f.o.b., 1996)
Imports--commodities
machines and vehicles, food and beverages, basic manufactures, raw materials and fuels, chemicals
Imports--partners
Japan 47%, Australia 23%, Singapore 8%, New Zealand 6%, France 3%, Fiji (1996 est.)
Industrial production growth rate
6.4% (1996 est.)
Industries
food and fish freezing, wood processing, meat canning
Inflation rate (consumer prices)
2.2% (1997 est.)
Labor force
NA
Labor force--by occupation
agriculture 65%, services 32%, industry 3% (1995 est.)
Population below poverty line
NA%
Unemployment rate
NA%
Communications
Radio broadcast stations
AM 2, FM 0, shortwave 0
Radios
49,000 (1994 est.)
Telephone system
domestic: NA international: satellite earth station--1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)
Telephones
4,000 (1994 est.)
Television broadcast stations
1 (1997)
Televisions
2,000 (1994 est.)
Transportation
Airports
32 (1998 est.) Airports--with paved runways: total: 3 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (1998 est.) Airports--with unpaved runways: total: 29 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 11 under 914 m: 17 (1998 est.)
Highways
total: 1,070 km paved: 256 km unpaved: 814 km (1996 est.) Ports and harbors: Forari, Port-Vila, Santo (Espiritu Santo)
Merchant marine
total: 82 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 1,327,078 GRT/1,764,558 DWT ships by type: bulk 31, cargo 24, chemical tanker 3, combination bulk 1, liquefied gas tanker 4, oil tanker 2, refrigerated cargo 11, vehicle carrier 6 note: a flag of convenience registry; includes ships from 15 countries among which are ships of Japan 28, India 10, US 10, Greece 3, Hong Kong 3, Australia 2, Canada 1, China 1, and France 1 (1998 est.)
Railways
0 km
Military and Security
Military branches
no regular military forces; Vanuatu Police Force (VPF; includes the paramilitary Vanuatu Mobile Force or VMF)
Military expenditures--dollar figure
$NA
Military expenditures--percent of GDP
NA%
Transnational Issues
Disputes--international
claims Matthew and Hunter Islands east of New Caledonia