Vanuatu

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

Televisions

2,000 (1992 est.)

Agriculture - products

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

Budget

revenues : $74.8 million expenditures: $76.1 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1994 est.)

Currency

1 vatu (VT) = 100 centimes

Debt - external

$38.2 million (yearend 1993)

Economic aid

recipient: ODA, $9.6 million from Australia (FY96/97 est.); $3.1 million from NZ (FY95/96)

Economy - overview

The economy is based primarily on subsistence or small-scale agriculture which provides a living for 65% 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. 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 - capacity

11,000 kW (1995)

Electricity - consumption per capita

NA kWh

Electricity - production

30 million kWh (1994)

Exchange rates

vatu (VT) per US$1 - 112.36 (January 1997), 111.72 (1996), 112.11 (1995), 116.41 (1994), 121.58 (1993), 113.39 (1992)

Exports

total value: $28 million (f.o.b., 1995) commodities: copra, beef, cocoa, timber, coffee partners : EU 32%, Japan 29%, Australia 11%, New Caledonia 7% (1993)

Fiscal year

calendar year

GDP

purchasing power parity - $219 million (1995 est.)

GDP - composition by sector

agriculture : 25% industry: 9% services: 66%

GDP - per capita

purchasing power parity - $1,230 (1995 est.)

GDP - real growth rate

2% (1995)

Imports

total value: $93 million (f.o.b., 1995 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 price index

4% (1995)

Labor force

total: 66,597 (1989 est.) by occupation: agriculture 65%, services 32%, industry 3% (1995 est.)

Unemployment rate

NA%

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: Mount 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, Marine Dumping, 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

Administrative divisions

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

Constitution

30 July 1980

Country name

conventional long form: Republic of Vanuatu conventional short form: Vanuatu former: New Hebrides

Data code

NH

Diplomatic representation from the US

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

Diplomatic representation in the US

Vanuatu does not have an embassy in the US

Executive branch

chief of state: President Jean Marie LEYE (since 2 March 1994) head of government: Prime Minister Rialuth Serge VOHOR (since 30 September 1996); Deputy Prime Minister Donald KALPOKAS (since 25 October 1996) 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 30 September 1996 (next to be held NA November 1999); 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 three 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 election results: Jean Marie LEYE elected president; percent of electoral college vote - NA; Serge VOHOR elected prime minister by a Parliamentary vote of 28 to 22

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)

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 Parliament (50 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms) elections : last held 30 November 1995 (next to be held NA November 1999) election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - UMP 17, VP 14, NUP 9, MPP 5, TU 2, Na-Griamel Movement 1, Friend Melanesian Party 1, independent 1; note - political party associations are fluid; there have been three changes of government since the November 1995 elections note : the National Council of Chiefs advises on matters of custom and land

National capital

Port-Vila

National holiday

Independence Day, 30 July (1980)

Political parties and leaders

Union of Moderate Parties (UMP), Serge VOHOR; National United Party (NUP), Walter LINI; Vanuatu Party (VP), Donald KALPOKAS; Melanesian Progressive Party (MPP), Barak SOPE; Tan Union (TU), Vincent BOULEKONE; Na-Griamel Movement, Frankie STEVENS; Friend Melanesian Party, Albert RAUUTIA

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

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%

Military manpower - availability

males age 15-49: NA

Military manpower - fit for military service

males: NA

Age structure

0-14 years: 40% (male 36,655; female 35,359) 15-64 years: 57% (male 53,506; female 50,508) 65 years and over: 3% (male 2,904; female 2,426) (July 1997 est.)

Birth rate

29.87 births/1,000 population (1997 est.)

Death rate

8.63 deaths/1,000 population (1997 est.)

Ethnic groups

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

Infant mortality rate

62.9 deaths/1,000 live births (1997 est.)

Languages

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

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 60.56 years male: 58.65 years female: 62.58 years (1997 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 (1997 est.)

Population

181,358 (July 1997 est.)

Population growth rate

2.12% (1997 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: 1.06 male(s)/female 65 years and over : 1.2 male(s)/female total population: 1.05 male(s)/female (1997 est.)

Total fertility rate

3.88 children born/woman (1997 est.)

Disputes - international

claims Matthew and Hunter Islands east of New Caledonia VENEZUELA

Airports

30 (1996 est.)

Airports - with paved runways

total: 19 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 under 914 m: 17 (1996 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways

total: 11 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m : 10 (1996 est.)

Highways

total : 1,050 km paved: 250 km unpaved: 800 km (1995 est.)

Merchant marine

total : 100 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 1,451,548 GRT/1,945,514 DWT ships by type: bulk 32, cargo 30, chemical tanker 2, combination bulk 1, container 2, liquefied gas tanker 5, oil tanker 7, refrigerated cargo 13, vehicle carrier 8 note : a flag of convenience registry; includes ships from 17 countries among which are Japan 31, India 10, Greece 7, Netherlands 7, US 7, Hong Kong 6, Canada 4, France 4, Australia 2, and Singapore 2 (1996 est.)

Ports and harbors

Forari, Port-Vila, Santo (Espiritu Santo)

Railways

0 km