ARCHIVE // VU // 1996

Vanuatu

1996 Edition — sovereign

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Communications
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
Manpower availability [time series]
males age 15-49: NA males fit for military service: NA
Broadcast media (Radio broadcast stations) [time series]
AM 2, FM 0, shortwave 0
Radios [time series]
NA
Telecommunication systems (Telephone system) [time series]
domestic: NA international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)
Telephones - fixed lines (Telephones) [time series]
3,000 (1987 est.)
Broadcast media (Television broadcast stations) [time series]
0 (1987 est.)
Televisions [time series]
2,000 (1992 est.) Defense
Economy
Agricultural products (Agriculture) [time series]
coconuts, cocoa, coffee, taro, yams, coconuts, fruits, vegetables; fish
Budget [time series]
revenues: $74.8 million expenditures: $76.1 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1994 est.)
Exchange rates (Currency) [time series]
1 vatu (VT) = 100 centimes
Economic aid [time series]
recipient: ODA, $NA
Economic overview [time series]
The economy is based primarily on subsistence farming which provides a living for the bulk 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.
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 - 114.40 (January 1996), 112.11 (1995), 116.41 (1994), 121.58 (1993), 113.39 (1992), 111.68 (1991)
Exports [time series]
$24.6 million (f.o.b., 1994 est.) commodities: copra, beef, cocoa, timber, coffee partners: EU 32%, Japan 29%, Australia 11%, New Caledonia 7% (1993)
Debt - external (External debt) [time series]
$38.2 million (yearend 1993)
Fiscal year [time series]
calendar year
Real GDP (purchasing power parity) (GDP) [time series]
purchasing power parity - $210 million (1994 est.)
GDP - composition, by sector of origin (GDP composition by sector) [time series]
agriculture: NA% industry: NA% services: NA%
Real GDP per capita (GDP per capita) [time series]
$1,220 (1994 est.)
Real GDP growth rate (GDP real growth rate) [time series]
2% (1994 est.)
Imports [time series]
$78.6 million (f.o.b., 1994 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 [time series]
3.4% (1993 est.)
Industries [time series]
food and fish freezing, wood processing, meat canning
Inflation rate (consumer prices) [time series]
7% (1995 est.)
Labor force [time series]
66,597 (1989 est.) by occupation: agriculture 65%, services 32%, industry 3% (1995 est.)
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 - Desertification, Law of the Sea
Geographic coordinates [time series]
16 00 S, 167 00 E
Disputes - international (International disputes) [time series]
claims Matthew and Hunter Islands east of New Caledonia
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 lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: Mount Tabwemasana 1,877 m
Government
Administrative divisions [time series]
6 provinces; Malampa, Penama, Sanma, Shefa, Tafea, Torba
Capital [time series]
Port-Vila
Constitution [time series]
30 July 1980
Data code [time series]
NH
Diplomatic representation in the US (Diplomatic representation in US) [time series]
Vanuatu does not have an embassy in the US
Executive branch [time series]
chief of state: President Jean Marie LEYE (since 2 March 1994) was elected for a five-year term by an electoral college consisting of Parliament and the presidents of the regional councils head of government: Prime Minister Maxime Carlot KORMAN (since 23 February 1996) was elected by Parliament from among its members; Deputy Prime Minister Donald KALPOKAS (since 23 February 1996) was appointed by the prime minister from among members of Parliament; note - Prime Minister VOHOR resigned 7 February 1996 when faced with a no-confidence vote in Parliament; Parliament then convened an extraordinary session and voted 30 to 20 to elect Maxime Carlot KORMAN as the new prime minister cabinet: Council of Ministers was 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)
International organization participation [time series]
ACCT, ACP, AsDB, C, ESCAP, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFC, IFRCS, IMF, IMO, Intelsat (nonsignatory user), IOC, ITU, NAM, Sparteca, SPC, SPF, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WMO
Judicial branch [time series]
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 [time series]
unified system being created from former dual French and British systems
Legislative branch [time series]
unicameral
Country name (Name of country) [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 30 November 1995 (next to be held NA November 1999); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (50 total) UMP 17, VP 14, NUP 9, MPP 5, TU 2, Na-Griamel Movement 1, Friend Melanesian Party 1, independent 1; note - after the election, a coalition was formed by the Union of Moderate Parties and the National United Party to form a new government on 14 December 1995, but political party associations are fluid note: the National Council of Chiefs advises on matters of custom and land
Political parties (Political parties and leaders) [time series]
Union of Moderate Parties (UMP), Serge VOHOR; National United Party (NUP), Walter LINI; Unity Front (UF) includes the Vanuatu Party (VP), Donald KALPOKAS, Melanesian Progressive Party (MPP), Barak SOPE, Tan Union (TU), Vincent BOULEKONE, and the Na-Griamel Movement, Frankie STEVENS; Friend Melanesian Party, leader NA; People's Democratic Party (PDP), Sethy REGENVANU; Independence Front (IF), Patrick CROWBY
Suffrage [time series]
18 years of age; universal
Government type (Type of government) [time series]
republic
Diplomatic representation from the US (US diplomatic representation) [time series]
the US does not have an embassy in Vanuatu; the ambassador to Papua New Guinea is accredited to Vanuatu
People
Age structure [time series]
0-14 years: 40% (male 36,409; female 35,105) 15-64 years: 57% (male 51,969; female 48,901) 65 years and over: 3% (male 2,802; female 2,318) (July 1996 est.)
Birth rate [time series]
30.57 births/1,000 population (1996 est.)
Death rate [time series]
8.84 deaths/1,000 population (1996 est.)
Ethnic groups (Ethnic divisions) [time series]
indigenous Melanesian 94%, French 4%, Vietnamese, Chinese, Pacific Islanders
Infant mortality rate [time series]
64.6 deaths/1,000 live births (1996 est.)
Languages [time series]
English (official), French (official), pidgin (known as Bislama or Bichelama)
Life expectancy at birth [time series]
total population: 60.13 years male: 58.27 years female: 62.09 years (1996 est.)
Literacy [time series]
age 15 and over can read and write (1979 est.) 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 (1996 est.)
Population [time series]
177,504 (July 1996 est.)
Population growth rate [time series]
2.17% (1996 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%
Sex ratio [time series]
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: 1.21 male(s)/female all ages: 1.06 male(s)/female (1996 est.)
Total fertility rate [time series]
4.01 children born/woman (1996 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 2 437 m: 1 with unpaved runways 914 to 1 523 m: 11 (1995 est.)
Roadways (Highways) [time series]
total: 1,021 km paved: 238 km unpaved: 783 km (1987 est.)
Merchant marine [time series]
total: 112 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 1,587,286 GRT/2,173,970 DWT ships by type: bulk 38, cargo 29, chemical tanker 3, combination bulk 1, container 3, liquefied gas tanker 5, livestock carrier 1, oil tanker 6, refrigerated cargo 16, vehicle carrier 10 note: a flag of convenience registry; includes ships from 20 countries among which are Japan 37, US 19, Netherlands 10, Greece 6, Hong Kong 6, China 4, Canada 4, UAE 3, Russia 2, and Australia 2 (1995 est.)
Ports [time series]
Forari, Port-Vila, Santo (Espiritu Santo)
Railways [time series]
0 km