Vanuatu

total: 2,785 (2020 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 1 (2020 est.)

1 state-owned TV station; multi-channel pay TV is available; state-owned Radio Vanuatu operates 2 radio stations; 2 privately owned radio broadcasters (Capital FM 107 and Laef FM); programming from multiple international broadcasters is available (2023)

.vu

total: 211,200 (2021 est.) percent of population: 66% (2021 est.)

general assessment: for many years, 2G Global System for Mobile Communications was the primary mobile technology for Vanuatu s 300,000 people; recent infrastructure projects have improved access technologies, with a transition to 3G and 4G; Vanuatu has also benefited from the ICN1 submarine cable and the launch of the Kacific-1 satellite, both of which have considerably improved access to telecom services in recent years; Vanuatu s telecom sector is liberalized, with the two prominent mobile operators; while fixed broadband penetration remains low, the incumbent operator is slowly exchanging copper fixed-lines for fiber; a number of ongoing submarine cable developments will also assist in increasing data rates and reduce internet pricing in coming years (2023) domestic: fixed-line teledensity is 1 per 100 and mobile-cellular 78 per 100 (2021) international: country code - 678; landing points for the ICN1 ICN2 submarine cables providing connectivity to the Solomon Islands and Fiji; cables helped end-users with Internet bandwidth; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean) (2020)

total subscriptions: 3,000 (2022 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 1 (2022 est.)

total subscriptions: 256,000 (2022 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 78 (2022 est.)

coconuts, root vegetables, bananas, vegetables, fruits, pork, groundnuts, milk, beef, tropical fruits (2022) note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage

revenues: $415.063 million (2021 est.) expenditures: $325.587 million (2021 est.) note: central government revenues and expenses (excluding grants/extrabudgetary units/social security funds) converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated

-$127.432 million (2022 est.) -$75.451 million (2021 est.) -$57.858 million (2020 est.) note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars

$295.759 million (2022 est.) note: present value of external debt in current US dollars

lower-middle income Pacific island economy; extremely reliant on subsistence agriculture and tourism; environmentally fragile; struggling post-pandemic and Tropical Cyclone Harold rebound; sizeable inflation; road infrastructure aid from Australia

vatu (VUV) per US dollar - 119.113 (2023 est.) 115.354 (2022 est.) 109.453 (2021 est.) 115.38 (2020 est.) 114.733 (2019 est.)

$152.087 million (2022 est.) $82.08 million (2021 est.) $132.943 million (2020 est.) note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars

fish, perfume plants, copra, shellfish, cocoa beans (2022) note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars

Thailand 42%, Japan 27%, South Korea 7%, Philippines 6%, China 5% (2022) note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports

$1.126 billion (2023 est.) note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate

household consumption: 55.5% (2019 est.) government consumption: 20.6% (2019 est.) investment in fixed capital: 55.5% (2022 est.) investment in inventories: 0.6% (2022 est.) exports of goods and services: 15.3% (2022 est.) imports of goods and services: -55.5% (2022 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection

agriculture: 21.2% (2018 est.) industry: 10% (2018 est.) services: 59.8% (2018 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data

32.3 (2019 est.) note: index (0-100) of income distribution; higher values represent greater inequality

lowest 10%: 3% (2019 est.) highest 10%: 24.7% (2019 est.) note: % share of income accruing to lowest and highest 10% of population

$579.347 million (2022 est.) $520.391 million (2021 est.) $438.373 million (2020 est.) note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars

refined petroleum, ships, plastic products, poultry, broadcasting equipment (2022) note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars

China 24%, Australia 15%, Malaysia 12%, NZ 9%, Fiji 8% (2022) note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports

4.92% (2018 est.) note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency

food and fish freezing, wood processing, meat canning

6.68% (2022 est.) 2.34% (2021 est.) 5.33% (2020 est.) note: annual % change based on consumer prices

142,000 (2023 est.) note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work

15.9% (2020 est.) note: % of population with income below national poverty line

87.07% of GDP (2021 est.)

$999.536 million (2023 est.) $977.896 million (2022 est.) $959.511 million (2021 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars

2.21% (2023 est.) 1.92% (2022 est.) -1.55% (2021 est.) note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency

$3,000 (2023 est.) $3,000 (2022 est.) $3,000 (2021 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars

15.68% of GDP (2023 est.) 19.35% of GDP (2022 est.) 21.03% of GDP (2021 est.) note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities

$643.768 million (2023 est.) $638.537 million (2022 est.) $664.751 million (2021 est.) note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars

15.88% (of GDP) (2021 est.) note: central government tax revenue as a % of GDP

5.1% (2023 est.) 5.17% (2022 est.) 4.73% (2021 est.) note: % of labor force seeking employment

total: 10.7% (2023 est.) male: 8.9% (2023 est.) female: 13% (2023 est.) note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment

248,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2022 est.) from petroleum and other liquids: 248,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2022 est.)

installed generating capacity: 38,000 kW (2022 est.) consumption: 68.092 million kWh (2022 est.) transmission/distribution losses: 5.198 million kWh (2022 est.)

electrification - total population: 70% (2022 est.) electrification - urban areas: 97% electrification - rural areas: 60.7%

fossil fuels: 81.8% of total installed capacity (2022 est.) solar: 11.5% of total installed capacity (2022 est.) wind: 6.5% of total installed capacity (2022 est.) biomass and waste: 0.1% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)

10.775 million Btu/person (2022 est.)

refined petroleum consumption: 2,000 bbl/day (2022 est.)

particulate matter emissions: 8.42 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.) carbon dioxide emissions: 0.15 megatons (2016 est.) methane emissions: 0.5 megatons (2020 est.)

tropical; moderated by southeast trade winds from May to October; moderate rainfall from November to April; may be affected by cyclones from December to April

population growth; water pollution, most of the population does not have access to a reliable supply of potable water; inadequate sanitation; deforestation

party to: Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping-London Convention, Marine Dumping-London Protocol, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

agricultural land: 15.3% (2018 est.) arable land: 1.6% (2018 est.) permanent crops: 10.3% (2018 est.) permanent pasture: 3.4% (2018 est.) forest: 36.1% (2018 est.) other: 48.6% (2018 est.)

0% of GDP (2018 est.)

0.54% of GDP (2018 est.)

10 billion cubic meters (2020 est.)

urban population: 26% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 2.55% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

municipal solid waste generated annually: 70,225 tons (2012 est.) municipal solid waste recycled annually: 25,983 tons (2013 est.) percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 37% (2013 est.)

total : 12,189 sq km land: 12,189 sq km water: 0 sq km note: includes more than 80 islands, about 65 of which are inhabited

slightly larger than Connecticut

tropical; moderated by southeast trade winds from May to October; moderate rainfall from November to April; may be affected by cyclones from December to April

2,528 km

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

16 00 S, 167 00 E

a Y-shaped chain of four main islands and 80 smaller islands; several of the islands have active volcanoes and there are several underwater volcanoes as well

0 sq km (2022)

total: 0 km

agricultural land: 15.3% (2018 est.) arable land: 1.6% (2018 est.) permanent crops: 10.3% (2018 est.) permanent pasture: 3.4% (2018 est.) forest: 36.1% (2018 est.) other: 48.6% (2018 est.)

Oceania, group of islands in the South Pacific Ocean, about three-quarters of the way from Hawaii to Australia

Oceania

territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin measured from claimed archipelagic baselines

tropical cyclones (January to April); volcanic eruption on Aoba (Ambae) island began on 27 November 2005, volcanism also causes minor earthquakes; tsunamis volcanism: significant volcanic activity with multiple eruptions in recent years; Yasur (361 m), one of the world's most active volcanoes, has experienced continuous activity in recent centuries; other historically active volcanoes include Aoba, Ambrym, Epi, Gaua, Kuwae, Lopevi, Suretamatai, and Traitor's Head

manganese, hardwood forests, fish

three-quarters of the population lives in rural areas; the urban populace lives primarily in two cities, Port-Vila and Lugenville; three largest islands - Espiritu Santo, Malakula, and Efate - accomodate over half of the populace

mostly mountainous islands of volcanic origin; narrow coastal plains

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

name: Port-Vila (on Efate) geographic coordinates: 17 44 S, 168 19 E time difference: UTC+11 (16 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time) etymology: there are two possibilities for the origin of the name: early European settlers were Portuguese and "vila" means "village or town" in Portuguese, hence "Port-Vila" would mean "Port Town"; alternatively, the site of the capital is referred to as "Efil" or "Ifira" in native languages, "Vila" is a likely corruption of these names

citizenship by birth: no citizenship by descent only: both parents must be citizens of Vanuatu; in the case of only one parent, it must be the father who is a citizen dual citizenship recognized: no residency requirement for naturalization: 10 years

history: draft completed August 1979, finalized by constitution conference 19 September 1979, ratified by French and British Governments 23 October 1979, effective 30 July 1980 at independence amendments: proposed by the prime minister or by the Parliament membership; passage requires at least two-thirds majority vote by Parliament in special session with at least three fourths of the membership; passage of amendments affecting the national and official languages, or the electoral and parliamentary system also requires approval in a referendum; amended several times, last in 2013

conventional long form: Republic of Vanuatu conventional short form: Vanuatu local long form: Ripablik blong Vanuatu local short form: Vanuatu former: New Hebrides etymology: derived from the words "vanua" (home or land) and "tu" (stand) that occur in several of the Austonesian languages spoken on the islands and which provide a meaning of "the land remains" but which also convey a sense of "independence" or "our land"

chief of mission: Ambassador Ann Marie YASTISHOCK (since 16 April 2024); note - also accredited to the Papua New Guinea and the Solomon Islands, based in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea embassy: Port Vila

chief of mission: Ambassador Odo TEVI (since 8 September 2017) note - also Permanent Representative to the UN chancery: 800 Second Avenue, Suite 400B, New York, NY 10017 telephone: [1] (212) 661-4303 FAX: [1] (212) 422-3427 email address and website: vanunmis@aol.com https://www.un.int/vanuatu/ note - the Vanuatu Permanent Mission to the UN serves as the embassy

chief of state: President Nikenike VUROBARAVU (since 23 July 2022) head of government: Prime Minister Charlot SALWAI (since 6 October 2023) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the prime minister, responsible to Parliament elections/appointments: president indirectly elected by an electoral college consisting of Parliament and presidents of the 6 provinces; Vanuatu president serves a 5-year term; election last held on 23 July 2022 (next to be held in 2027); following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or majority coalition usually elected prime minister by Parliament from among its members; election for prime minister last held on 20 April 2020 (next to be held following general elections in 2024) election results: 2022: Nikenike VUROBARAVU elected president in eighth round; electoral college vote - Nikenike VUROBARAVU (VP) 48 votes, Solas MOLISA (VP) 4 votes; note - Charlot SALWAI (RMC) elected prime minister on 6 October 2023, 29 votes for, 0 against; Prime Minister Sato KILMAN lost no-confidence vote on 6 October 2023, requiring a new election note: the National Council of Chiefs (Malvatu Mauri) is a formal advisory body of chiefs recognized by the country's constitution; it advises the government on matters of culture and language

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 fern fronds, all in yellow; red represents the blood of boars and men, as well as unity, green the richness of the islands, and black the ni-Vanuatu people; the yellow Y-shape - which reflects the pattern of the islands in the Pacific Ocean - symbolizes the light of the Gospel spreading through the islands; the boar's tusk is a symbol of prosperity frequently worn as a pendant on the islands; the fern fronds represent peace note: one of several flags where a prominent component of the design reflects the shape of the country; other such flags are those of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brazil, and Eritrea

parliamentary republic

30 July 1980 (from France and the UK)

has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction

ACP, ADB, AOSIS, C, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, IOC, IOM, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, NAM, OAS (observer), OIF, OPCW, PIF, Sparteca, SPC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

highest court(s): Court of Appeal (consists of 2 or more judges of the Supreme Court designated by the chief justice); Supreme Court (consists of the chief justice and 6 puisne judges - 3 local and 3 expatriate) judge selection and term of office: Supreme Court chief justice appointed by the president after consultation with the prime minister and the leader of the opposition; other judges appointed by the president on the advice of the Judicial Service Commission, a 4-member advisory body; judges serve until the age of retirement subordinate courts: Magistrates Courts; Island Courts

mixed legal system of English common law, French law, and customary law

description: unicameral Parliament (52 seats; members directly elected in 8 single-seat and 9 multi-seat constituencies by single non-transferable vote to serve 4-year terms (candidates in multi-seat constituencies can be elected with only 4% of the vote) elections: last held on 13 October 2022 (next to be held in 2026) election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - UMP 7, VP 7, LPV 5, RMC 5, GJP 4, NUP 4, RDP 4, IG 3, PPP 2, NCM 2, VNDP 2, LM 1, NAG 1, PUDP 1, UCM 1, VLM 1, VPDP 1, independent 1; composition - men 50, women 1, percentage women 2%; note - political party associations are fluid

name: "Yumi, Yumi, Yumi" (We, We, We) lyrics/music: Francois Vincent AYSSAV note: adopted 1980; the anthem is written in Bislama, a Creole language that mixes Pidgin English and French

total World Heritage Sites: 1 (cultural) selected World Heritage Site locales: Chief Roi Mata s Domain

Independence Day, 30 July (1980)

boar's tusk with crossed fern fronds; national colors: red, black, green, yellow

Iauko Group (Eagle Party) or IG Laverwo Movement or LM Land and Justice Party (Graon mo Jastis Pati or GJP) Leaders Party of Vanuatu or LVP Nagriamel Movement or NAG National United Party or NUP Nagwasoanda Custom Movement or NCM People's Progressive Party or PPP People Unity Development Party or PUDP Rural Development Party or RDP Reunification of Movement for Change or RMC Union of Moderate Parties or UMP Unity for Change Movement or UCM Vanua'aku Pati (Our Land Party) or VP Vanuatu Liberal Movement or VLM Vanuatu National Development Party or VNDP Vanuatu Progressive Development Party or VPDP

18 years of age; universal

Austronesian speakers from the Solomon Islands first settled Vanuatu around 2000 B.C. By around 1000, localized chieftain systems began to develop on the islands. Around 1600, Melanesian Chief ROI MATA united some of the islands of modern-day Vanuatu under his rule. In 1606, a Portuguese explorer was the first European to see Vanuatu's Banks Islands and Espiritu Santo, setting up a short-lived settlement on the latter. The next European explorers arrived in the 1760s, and the islands -- then known as the New Hebrides -- were frequented by whalers in the 1800s. European interest in harvesting the islands sandalwood trees caused conflict with the inhabitants. In the 1860s, European planters in Australia, Fiji, New Caledonia, and Samoa needed labor and kidnapped almost half the adult males on the islands to work as indentured servants. With growing and overlapping interests in the islands, France and the UK agreed that the New Hebrides would be neutral in 1878 and established a joint naval commission in 1887. In 1906, the two countries created the UK-France condominium to jointly administer the islands, with separate laws, police forces, currencies, and education and health systems. The condominium arrangement was dysfunctional, and the UK used France s initial defeat in World War II to assert greater control over the islands. During the war, the US stationed up to 50,000 soldiers in Vanuatu. In 1945, they withdrew and sold their equipment, leading to the rise of political and religious movements known as "cargo cults," such as the John Frum movement. The UK-France condominium was reestablished after World War II. The UK was interested in moving the condominium toward independence in the 1960s, but France was hesitant. Political parties agitating for independence began to form, largely divided along linguistic lines. France eventually relented, and elections were held in 1974, with independence granted to the newly named Vanuatu in 1980 under English-speaking Prime Minister Walter LINI. The Nagriamel Movement, with support from French-speaking landowners, then declared the island of Espiritu Santo independent from Vanuatu, but the short-lived state was dissolved 12 weeks later. Linguistic divisions have lessened over time, but highly fractious political parties have led to weak coalition governments that require support from both Anglophone and Francophone parties. Since 2008, prime ministers have been ousted more than a dozen times through no-confidence motions or temporary procedural issues.

the separate British and French police forces were unified in 1980 as the New Hebrides Constabulary, which was commanded by Ni-Vanuatu officers while retaining some British and French officers as advisors; the Constabulary was subsequently renamed the Vanuatu Police Force later in 1980 the Vanuatu Mobile Force has received training and other support from Australia, China, France, New Zealand, and the US Vanuatu has a "shiprider" agreement with the US, which allows local maritime law enforcement officers to embark on US Coast Guard (USCG) and US Navy (USN) vessels, including to board and search vessels suspected of violating laws or regulations within Vanuatu's designated exclusive economic zone (EEZ) or on the high seas; "shiprider" agreements also enable USCG personnel and USN vessels with embarked USCG law enforcement personnel to work with host nations to protect critical regional resources (2024)

no regular military forces; Ministry of Internal Affairs: Vanuatu Police Force (VPF) (2024) note: the VPF includes the Vanuatu Mobile Force (VMF) and Police Maritime Wing (VPMW); the paramilitary VMF also has external security responsibilities

0-14 years: 31.1% (male 50,584/female 48,475) 15-64 years: 63.8% (male 99,496/female 103,425) 65 years and over: 5% (2024 est.) (male 7,852/female 8,175)

total: 1.6 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) beer: 0.34 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) wine: 0.39 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) spirits: 0.87 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) other alcohols: 0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

20.8 births/1,000 population (2024 est.)

11.7% (2013)

49% (2013)

4% of GDP (2020)

69.2% (2023 est.)

4 deaths/1,000 population (2024 est.)

total dependency ratio: 76.5 youth dependency ratio: 69.9 elderly dependency ratio: 12.3 potential support ratio: 15.2 (2021 est.)

improved: urban: 100% of population rural: 89.7% of population total: 92.3% of population unimproved: urban: 0% of population rural: 10.3% of population total: 7.7% of population (2020 est.)

2.2% of GDP (2020 est.)

Ni-Vanuatu 99%, other 1% (European, Asian, other Melanesian, Polynesian, Micronesian, other) (2020 est.)

1.23 (2024 est.)

total: 13.7 deaths/1,000 live births (2024 est.) male: 15 deaths/1,000 live births female: 12.3 deaths/1,000 live births

indigenous languages (more than 100) 82.6%, Bislama (official; creole) 14.5%, English (official) 2.1%, French (official) 0.8% (2020 est.) note: data represent first language spoken for population aged 3 years and above

total population: 75.7 years (2024 est.) male: 74 years female: 77.4 years

definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 89.1% male: 89.8% female: 88.4% (2021)

53,000 PORT-VILA (capital) (2018)

94 deaths/100,000 live births (2020 est.)

total: 24.6 years (2024 est.) male: 24.1 years female: 25 years

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

-1.3 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2024 est.)

25.2% (2016)

0.17 physicians/1,000 population (2016)

total: 318,007 male: 157,932 female: 160,075 (2024 est.)

three-quarters of the population lives in rural areas; the urban populace lives primarily in two cities, Port-Vila and Lugenville; three largest islands - Espiritu Santo, Malakula, and Efate - accomodate over half of the populace

1.55% (2024 est.)

Protestant 39.9% (Presbyterian 27.2%, Seventh Day Adventist 14.8%, Anglican 12%, Churches of Christ 5%, Assemblies of God 4.9%, Neil Thomas Ministry/Inner Life Ministry 3.2%), Roman Catholic 12.1%, Apostolic 2.3%, Church of Jesus Christ 1.8%, customary beliefs (including Jon Frum cargo cult) 3.1%, other 12%, none 1.4%, unspecified 0.1% (2020 est.)

improved: urban: 91.1% of population rural: 60.4% of population total: 68.2% of population unimproved: urban: 8.9% of population rural: 39.6% of population total: 31.8% of population (2020 est.)

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female 0-14 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.96 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.96 male(s)/female total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2024 est.)

total: 17.8% (2020 est.) male: 33% (2020 est.) female: 2.6% (2020 est.)

2.53 children born/woman (2024 est.)

urban population: 26% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 2.55% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List the government did not demonstrate overall increasing efforts to eliminate trafficking compared with the previous reporting period, therefore Vanuatu remained on Tier 2 Watch List for the second consecutive year; for more details, go to: https://www.state.gov/reports/2024-trafficking-in-persons-report/vanuatu/

31 (2024)

YJ

total: 338 (2023) by type: bulk carrier 11, container ship 3, general cargo 101, other 223

number of registered air carriers: 1 (2020) inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers: 8 annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers: 374,603 (2018) annual freight traffic on registered air carriers: 1.66 million (2018) mt-km

total ports: 3 (2024) large: 0 medium: 0 small: 1 very small: 2 ports with oil terminals: 2 key ports: Forari Bay, Luganville, Port Vila

total: 2,958 km (2023)