Vanuatu

Airports

total: 31 usable: 31 with permanent-surface runways: 2 with runways over 3,659 m: 0 with runways 2,440-3,659 m: 1 with runways 1,220-2,439 m: 2

Highways

1,027 km total; at least 240 km sealed or all-weather roads

Merchant marine

125 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 2,121,819 GRT/3,193,942 DWT; includes 23 cargo, 16 refrigerated cargo, 6 container, 11 vehicle carrier, 1 livestock carrier, 6 oil tanker, 2 chemical tanker, 3 liquefied gas, 54 bulk, 1 combination bulk, 1 passenger, 1 short-sea passenger; note - a flag of convenience registry

Ports

Port-Vila, Luganville, Palikoulo, Santu

Railroads

none

Telecommunications

broadcast stations - 2 AM, no FM, no TV; 3,000 telephones; 1 Pacific Ocean INTELSAT ground station

Branches

Vanuatu Police Force (VPF), paramilitary Vanuatu Mobile Force (VMF) note: no military forces

Defense expenditures

exchange rate conversion - $NA, NA% of GDP

Manpower availability

males age 15-49 NA; fit for military service NA

Agriculture

accounts for 40% of GDP; 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

Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-89), $606 million

Electricity

17,000 kW capacity; 30 million kWh produced, 180 kWh per capita (1990)

Exchange rates

vatu (VT) per US$1 - 120.77 (January 1993), 113.39 (1992), 111.68 (1991), 116.57 (1990), 116.04 (1989), 104.43 (1988)

Exports

$15.6 million (f.o.b., 1990 est.) commodities: copra 59%, cocoa 11%, meat 9%, fish 8%, timber 4% partners: Netherlands, Japan, France, New Caledonia, Belgium

External debt

$30 million (1990 est.)

Fiscal year

calendar year

Imports

$60.4 million (f.o.b., 1990 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 8%

Industrial production

growth rate NA%; accounts for about 10% of GDP

Industries

food and fish freezing, wood processing, meat canning

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

5% (1990)

National product

GDP - exchange rate conversion - $142 million (1988 est.)

National product per capita

$900 (1988 est.)

National product real growth rate

6% (1990)

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. 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%

Area

total area: 14,760 km2 land area: 14,760 km2 comparative area: slightly larger than Connecticut note: includes more than 80 islands

Climate

tropical; moderated by southeast trade winds

Coastline

2,528 km

Environment

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

International disputes

none

Irrigated land

NA km2

Land boundaries

0 km

Land use

arable land: 1% permanent crops: 5% meadows and pastures: 2% forest and woodland: 1% other: 91%

Location

Oceania, 5,750 km southwest of Honolulu in the South Pacific Ocean, about three-quarters of the way between Hawaii and Australia

Map references

Oceania, Standard Time Zones of the World

Maritime claims

measured from claimed archipelagic baselines contiguous zone: 24 nm continental shelf: 200 nm or the edge of 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

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

Digraph

NH

Diplomatic representation in US

Vanuatu does not have a mission in Washington

Elections

Parliament: last held 2 December 1991 (next to be held by November 1995); note - after election, a coalition was formed by the Union of Moderate Parties and the National United Party to form new government on 16 December 1991; seats - (46 total) UMP 19; NUP 10; VP 10; MPP 4; TUP 1; Nagriamel 1; Friend 1

Executive branch

president, prime minister, deputy prime minister, Council of Ministers (cabinet)

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

Leaders

Chief of State: President Frederick TIMAKATA (since 30 January 1989) Head of Government: Prime Minister Maxime CARLOT KORMAN (since 16 December 1991); Deputy Prime Minister Sethy REGENVANU (since 17 December 1991)

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

Member of

ACCT, ACP, AsDB, C, ESCAP, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IFC, IMF, IMO, IOC, ITU, NAM, SPARTECA, SPC, SPF, UN, UNCTAD, 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)

Political parties and leaders

Vanuatu Party (VP), Donald KALPOKAS; Union of Moderate Parties (UMP), Serge VOHOR; 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

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Type

republic

US diplomatic representation

the ambassador to Papua New Guinea is accredited to Vanuatu

Birth rate

33.16 births/1,000 population (1993 est.)

Death rate

9.57 deaths/1,000 population (1993 est.)

Ethnic divisions

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

Infant mortality rate

69.9 deaths/1,000 live births (1993 est.)

Labor force

NA by occupation: NA

Languages

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

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 58.8 years male: 57.11 years female: 60.58 years (1993 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 (1993 est.)

Population

165,876 (July 1993 est.)

Population growth rate

2.36% (1993 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

4.47 children born/woman (1993 est.)