ARCHIVE // VU // 1995
Vanuatu
1995 Edition — sovereign
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Communications
Broadcast media
(Radio)
[time series]
broadcast stations: AM 2, FM 0, shortwave 0 radios: NA
Telecommunication systems
(Telephone system)
[time series]
3,000 telephones local: NA intercity: NA international: 1 INTELSAT (Pacific Ocean) earth station
Broadcast media
(Television)
[time series]
broadcast stations: 0 televisions: NA
Defense Forces
Military and security forces
(Branches)
[time series]
no regular military forces; Vanuatu Police Force (VPF; includes the paramilitary Vanuatu Mobile Force or VMF)
Military expenditures
(Defense expenditures)
[time series]
$NA, NA% of GDP VENEZUELA
Economy
Agricultural products
(Agriculture)
[time series]
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]
recipient: Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-89), $606 million
Electricity
[time series]
capacity: 17,000 kW production: 30 million kWh consumption per capita: 181 kWh (1993)
Exchange rates
[time series]
vatu (VT) per US$1 - 112.42 (December 1994), 116.41 (1994), 121.58 (1993), 113.39 (1992), 111.68 (1991), 116.57 (1990)
Exports
[time series]
$14.9 million (f.o.b., 1991) commodities: copra, beef, cocoa, timber, coffee partners: Netherlands, Japan, France, New Caledonia, Belgium
Debt - external
(External debt)
[time series]
$40 million (yearend 1992)
Fiscal year
[time series]
calendar year
Imports
[time series]
$74 million (f.o.b., 1991) commodities: machines and vehicles, food and beverages, basic manufactures, raw materials and fuels, chemicals partners: Australia 36%, Japan 13%, NZ 10%, France 8%, Fiji 8%
Industrial production growth rate
(Industrial production)
[time series]
growth rate 8.1% (1990); accounts for about 10% of GDP
Industries
[time series]
food and fish freezing, wood processing, meat canning
Inflation rate (consumer prices)
[time series]
2.3% (1992 est.)
Real GDP (purchasing power parity)
(National product)
[time series]
GDP - purchasing power parity - $200 million (1993 est.)
Real GDP per capita
(National product per capita)
[time series]
$1,200 (1993 est.)
Real GDP growth rate
(National product real growth rate)
[time series]
NA%
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, 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.
Unemployment rate
[time series]
NA%
Geography
Area
[time series]
total area: 14,760 sq km land area: 14,760 sq km 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]
current issues: a majority of the population does not have access to a potable and reliable supply of water natural hazards: tropical cyclones or typhoons (January to April); volcanism causes minor earthquakes international agreements: party to - Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered Species, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution; signed, but not ratified - Law of the Sea
Disputes - international
(International disputes)
[time series]
none
Irrigated land
[time series]
NA sq km
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, group of islands in the South Pacific Ocean, about three-quarters of the way from Hawaii to Australia
Map references
[time series]
Oceania
Maritime claims
[time series]
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
[time series]
manganese, hardwood forests, fish
Terrain
[time series]
mostly mountains of volcanic origin; narrow coastal plains
Government
Administrative divisions
[time series]
6 provinces; Malampa, Penama, Sanma, Shefa, Tafea, Torba
Capital
[time series]
Port-Vila
Constitution
[time series]
30 July 1980
Digraph
[time series]
NH
Diplomatic representation in the US
(Diplomatic representation in US)
[time series]
Vanuatu does not have a mission in the US
Executive branch
[time series]
chief of state: President Jean Marie LEYE (since 2 March 1994) head of government: Prime Minister Maxime CARLOT Korman (since 16 December 1991); Deputy Prime Minister Sethy REGENVANU (since 17 December 1991) cabinet: Council of Ministers; appointed by the prime minister, responsible to parliament
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
Legal system
[time series]
unified system being created from former dual French and British systems
Legislative branch
[time series]
unicameral
International organization participation
(Member of)
[time series]
ACCT, ACP, AsDB, C, ESCAP, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFC, IFRCS (associate), IMF, IMO, INTELSAT (nonsignatory user), IOC, ITU, NAM, SPARTECA, SPC, SPF, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, 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)
Legislative branch
(Parliament)
[time series]
elections last held 2 December 1991 (next to be held NA November 1995); note - after election, a coalition was formed by the Union of Moderate Parties and the National United Party to form a new government on 16 December 1991, but political party associations are fluid; results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (46 total) UMP 19, NUP 10, VP 10, MPP 4, TUP 1, Nagriamel 1, Friend 1 note: the National Council of Chiefs advises on matters of custom and land
Political parties
(Political parties and leaders)
[time series]
Vanuatu Party (VP), Donald KALPOKAS; Union of Moderate Parties (UMP), Maxime CARLOT Korman; 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; People's Democratic Party (PDP), Sethy REGENVANU note: the VP, MPP, TUP, and Nagriamel Party have formed a coalition called the United Front (UF) heading into the November 1995 elections
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
Age structure
[time series]
0-14 years: 41% (female 34,819; male 36,128) 15-64 years: 56% (female 47,320; male 50,456) 65 years and over: 3% (female 2,217; male 2,708) (July 1995 est.)
Birth rate
[time series]
31.26 births/1,000 population (1995 est.)
Death rate
[time series]
9.06 deaths/1,000 population (1995 est.)
Ethnic groups
(Ethnic divisions)
[time series]
indigenous Melanesian 94%, French 4%, Vietnamese, Chinese, Pacific Islanders
Infant mortality rate
[time series]
66.3 deaths/1,000 live births (1995 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: 59.71 years male: 57.9 years female: 61.61 years (1995 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 (1995 est.)
Population
[time series]
173,648 (July 1995 est.)
Population growth rate
[time series]
2.22% (1995 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]
4.14 children born/woman (1995 est.)
Transportation
Airports
[time series]
total: 31 with paved runways 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 with paved runways 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 with paved runways under 914 m: 17 with unpaved runways 1,524 to 2,438 m: 1 with unpaved runways 914 to 1,523 m: 11
Roadways
(Highways)
[time series]
total: 1,027 km paved: 240 km unpaved: 787 km
Merchant marine
[time series]
total: 116 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 1,874,698 GRT/2,758,783 DWT ships by type: bulk 52, cargo 18, chemical tanker 3, combination bulk 1, container 4, liquefied gas tanker 5, livestock carrier 1, oil tanker 5, refrigerated cargo 17, vehicle carrier 10 note: a flag of convenience registry; includes 21 countries among which are ships of the US 117, Japan 39, Netherlands 12, China 11, UAE 6, Greece 6, Canada 6, Hong Kong 4, Russia 2, Australia 2
Ports
[time series]
Forari, Port-Vila, Santo (Espiritu Santo)
Railways
(Railroads)
[time series]
0 km