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Communications

Airports [time series]

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

Roadways (Highways) [time series]

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

Merchant marine [time series]

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 [time series]

Port-Vila, Luganville, Palikoulo, Santu

Railways (Railroads) [time series]

none

Telecommunication systems (Telecommunications) [time series]

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

Defense Forces

Military and security forces (Branches) [time series]

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

Military expenditures (Defense expenditures) [time series]

exchange rate conversion - $NA, NA% of GDP

Manpower availability [time series]

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

Economy

Agricultural products (Agriculture) [time series]

accounts for 40% of GDP; export crops - coconuts, cocoa, coffee, fish; subsistence crops - taro, yams, coconuts, fruits, vegetables

Budget [time series]

revenues $90 million; expenditures $103 million, including capital expenditures of $45 million (1989 est.)

Exchange rates (Currency) [time series]

1 vatu (VT) = 100 centimes

Economic aid [time series]

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

Electricity [time series]

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

Exchange rates [time series]

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 [time series]

$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

Debt - external (External debt) [time series]

$30 million (1990 est.)

Fiscal year [time series]

calendar year

Imports [time series]

$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 (Industrial production) [time series]

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

Industries [time series]

food and fish freezing, wood processing, meat canning

Inflation rate (consumer prices) [time series]

5% (1990)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) (National product) [time series]

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

Real GDP per capita (National product per capita) [time series]

$900 (1988 est.)

Real GDP growth rate (National product real growth rate) [time series]

6% (1990)

Economic overview (Overview) [time series]

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 [time series]

NA%

Geography

Area [time series]

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

Climate [time series]

tropical; moderated by southeast trade winds

Coastline [time series]

2,528 km

Environment - current issues (Environment) [time series]

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

Disputes - international (International disputes) [time series]

none

Irrigated land [time series]

NA km2

Land boundaries [time series]

0 km

Land use [time series]

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

Location [time series]

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

Map references [time series]

Oceania, Standard Time Zones of the World

Maritime claims [time series]

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 [time series]

manganese, hardwood forests, fish

Terrain [time series]

mostly mountains of volcanic origin; narrow coastal plains

Government

Administrative divisions [time series]

11 island councils; Ambrym, Aoba/Maewo, Banks/Torres, Efate, Epi, Malakula, Paama, Pentecote, Santo/Malo, Shepherd, Tafea

Capital [time series]

Port-Vila

Constitution [time series]

30 July 1980

Digraph [time series]

Diplomatic representation in the US (Diplomatic representation in US) [time series]

Vanuatu does not have a mission in Washington

Executive branch (Elections) [time series]

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 [time series]

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

Flag [time series]

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 [time series]

30 July 1980 (from France and UK)

Judicial branch [time series]

Supreme Court

Executive branch (Leaders) [time series]

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 [time series]

unified system being created from former dual French and British systems

Legislative branch [time series]

unicameral Parliament; note - the National Council of Chiefs advises on matters of custom and land

International organization participation (Member of) [time series]

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

Country name (Names) [time series]

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

National holiday [time series]

Independence Day, 30 July (1980)

Political parties (Political parties and leaders) [time series]

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 [time series]

18 years of age; universal

Government type (Type) [time series]

republic

Diplomatic representation from the US (US diplomatic representation) [time series]

the ambassador to Papua New Guinea is accredited to Vanuatu

People

Birth rate [time series]

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

Death rate [time series]

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

Ethnic groups (Ethnic divisions) [time series]

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

Infant mortality rate [time series]

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

Labor force [time series]

NA by occupation: NA

Languages [time series]

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

Life expectancy at birth [time series]

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

Literacy [time series]

age 15 and over can read and write (1979) total population: 53% male: 57% female: 48%

Nationality [time series]

noun: Ni-Vanuatu (singular and plural) adjective: Ni-Vanuatu

Net migration rate [time series]

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1993 est.)

Population [time series]

165,876 (July 1993 est.)

Population growth rate [time series]

2.36% (1993 est.)

Religions [time series]

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 [time series]

4.47 children born/woman (1993 est.)