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Economy

Agricultural products (Agriculture-products) [time series]

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

Budget [time series]

revenues: $94.4 million expenditures: $99.8 million, including capital expenditures of $30.4 million (1996 est.)

Exchange rates (Currency) [time series]

1 vatu (VT) = 100 centimes

Debt - external (Debt-external) [time series]

$63 million (1996 est.)

Economic aid [time series]

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

Economic overview (Economy-overview) [time series]

The economy is based primarily on subsistence or small-scale agriculture which provides a living for 65% of the population. Fishing, offshore financial services, and tourism, with 46,000 visitors in 1996, are 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. 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 (Electricity-capacity) [time series]

11,000 kW (1995)

Electricity - consumption per capita (Electricity-consumption per capita) [time series]

173 kWh (1995)

Electricity - production (Electricity-production) [time series]

30 million kWh (1995)

Exchange rates [time series]

vatu (VT) per US$1-124.56 (January 1998), 115.87 (1997), 111.72 (1996), 112.11 (1995), 116.41 (1994), 121.58 (1993)

Exports [time series]

total value: $30 million (f.o.b., 1996) commodities: copra, beef, cocoa, timber, coffee partners: Japan 28%, Spain 21%, Germany 14%, UK 7%, Cote d'Ivoire 7%, Australia, New Caledonia (1996 est.)

Fiscal year [time series]

calendar year Communications

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

purchasing power parity-$231 million (1996 est.)

GDP - composition, by sector of origin (GDP-composition by sector) [time series]

agriculture: 23% industry: 13% services: 64% (1996)

Real GDP per capita (GDP-per capita) [time series]

purchasing power parity-$1,300 (1996 est.)

Real GDP growth rate (GDP-real growth rate) [time series]

3% (1996 est.)

Imports [time series]

total value: $97 million (f.o.b., 1996) commodities: machines and vehicles, food and beverages, basic manufactures, raw materials and fuels, chemicals partners: Japan 47%, Australia 23%, Singapore 8%, New Zealand 6%, France 3%, Fiji (1996 est.)

Industrial production growth rate [time series]

6.4% (1996 est.)

Industries [time series]

food and fish freezing, wood processing, meat canning

Inflation rate (consumer prices) (Inflation rate-consumer price index) [time series]

2.2% (1997 est.)

Labor force [time series]

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

Broadcast media (Radio broadcast stations) [time series]

AM 2, FM 0, shortwave 0

Radios [time series]

49,000 (1994 est.)

Telecommunication systems (Telephone system) [time series]

domestic: NA international: satellite earth station-1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)

Telephones - fixed lines (Telephones) [time series]

4,000 (1994 est.)

Broadcast media (Television broadcast stations) [time series]

Televisions [time series]

2,000 (1994 est.)

Unemployment rate [time series]

NA%

Geography

Area [time series]

total: 14,760 sq km land: 14,760 sq km water: 0 sq km note: includes more than 80 islands

Area - comparative (Area-comparative) [time series]

slightly larger than Connecticut

Climate [time series]

tropical; moderated by southeast trade winds

Coastline [time series]

2,528 km

Elevation (Elevation extremes) [time series]

lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: Mount Tabwemasana 1,877 m

Environment - current issues (Environment-current issues) [time series]

a majority of the population does not have access to a potable and reliable supply of water; deforestation

International environmental agreements (Environment-international agreements) [time series]

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

Irrigated land [time series]

NA sq km

Land boundaries [time series]

0 km

Land use [time series]

arable land: 2% permanent crops: 10% permanent pastures: 2% forests and woodland: 75% other: 11% (1993 est.)

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 hazards [time series]

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

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

Constitution [time series]

30 July 1980

Country name [time series]

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

Data code [time series]

Diplomatic representation from the US [time series]

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

Diplomatic representation in the 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) head of government: Prime Minister Donald KALPOKAS (since 30 March 1998); Deputy Prime Minister Father Walter LINI (since 30 March 1998) 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 6 March 1998 (next to be held NA 2002) election results: Jean Marie LEYE elected president; percent of electoral college vote - NA; Donald KALPOKAS elected prime minister by Parliament with a total of 35 votes, other candidate, Rialuth Serge VOHOR, received 17 votes 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 four 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; as a result of legislative elections in March 1998, KALPOKAS was elected prime minister and formed a coalition government with Father LINI's National United Party (NUP)

Flag (Flag description) [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

Government type [time series]

republic

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, 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 [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 Parliament (52 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms) elections: last held 6 March 1998 (next to be held NA 2002) election results: percent of vote by party-NA; seats by party-VP 18, UMP 12, NUP 11, other and independent 11; note-political party associations are fluid; there have been four changes of government since the November 1995 elections note: the National Council of Chiefs advises on matters of custom and land

Capital (National capital) [time series]

Port-Vila

National holiday [time series]

Independence Day, 30 July (1980)

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

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 RAVUTIA; John Frum Movement, leader NA; Vanuatu Republican Party, Maxime Carlot KORMAN

Suffrage [time series]

18 years of age; universal

Military

Military and security forces (Military branches) [time series]

no regular military forces; Vanuatu Police Force (VPF; includes the paramilitary Vanuatu Mobile Force or VMF)

Military expenditures - dollar figure (Military expenditures-dollar figure) [time series]

$NA

Military expenditures (Military expenditures-percent of GDP) [time series]

NA%

People

Age structure [time series]

0-14 years: 39% (male 36,865; female 35,576) 15-64 years: 58% (male 55,066; female 52,142) 65 years and over: 3% (male 3,013; female 2,542) (July 1998 est.)

Birth rate [time series]

29.18 births/1,000 population (1998 est.)

Death rate [time series]

8.44 deaths/1,000 population (1998 est.)

Ethnic groups [time series]

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

Infant mortality rate [time series]

61.27 deaths/1,000 live births (1998 est.)

Languages [time series]

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

Life expectancy at birth [time series]

total population: 61 years male: 59.02 years female: 63.07 years (1998 est.)

Literacy [time series]

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

Nationality [time series]

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

Net migration rate [time series]

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1998 est.)

Population [time series]

185,204 (July 1998 est.)

Population growth rate [time series]

2.07% (1998 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: 1.19 male(s)/female (1998 est.)

Total fertility rate [time series]

3.74 children born/woman (1998 est.)

Transnational Issues

Disputes - international (Disputes-international) [time series]

claims Matthew and Hunter Islands east of New Caledonia VENEZUELA

Transportation

Airports [time series]

31 (1997 est.)

Airports - with paved runways (Airports-with paved runways) [time series]

total: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (1997 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways (Airports-with unpaved runways) [time series]

total: 29 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 10 under 914 m: 18 (1997 est.)

Roadways (Highways) [time series]

total: 1,070 km paved: 256 km unpaved: 814 km (1996 est.)

Merchant marine [time series]

total: 88 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 1,407,737 GRT/1,761,413 DWT ships by type: bulk 31, cargo 24, chemical tanker 2, combination bulk 1, liquefied gas tanker 4, oil tanker 5, refrigerated cargo 13, vehicle carrier 8 note: a flag of convenience registry; includes ships from 15 countries among which are ships of Japan 30, India 10, US 8, Netherlands 6, Greece 4, Hong Kong 4, Australia 2, Canada 1, China 1, and Poland 1 (1997 est.)

Ports (Ports and harbors) [time series]

Forari, Port-Vila, Santo (Espiritu Santo)

Railways [time series]

0 km