Vanuatu

I

Introduction

Vanuatu, formerly the New Hebrides, independent republic in the south-western Pacific Ocean, consisting of a group of about 80 islands. The four main islands are Espíritu Santo (the largest), Malekula, Efate, and Tanna. Other principal islands are Epi, Pentecost, Aoba, Maewo, Erromanga, and Ambrym. The total area is 12,190 sq km (4,707 sq mi). Sixty-seven of the islands are inhabited. The capital and largest city of Vanuatu is Port-Vila (population, 34,000 (2003 estimate)), a port on Efate.

II

Land and Resources

Some of the islands of Vanuatu are coral formations, but most are of volcanic origin; three volcanoes are active. The highest peak, Tabwemasana (1,877 m/6,158 ft), is on Espíritu Santo. Most of the islands are thickly forested; only 1 per cent of the land is arable. The climate is wet and tropical, with an average annual temperature of 25° C (77° F). Annual rainfall decreases from 3,810 mm (150 in) in the northern part of the group to 2,286 mm (90 in) in the south. Although some logging has taken place in Vanuatu, forests still cover 74 per cent (1995) of the islands. The coral reefs are used for fishing and tourism but suffer from natural disasters and silt run-off. Much of the island group’s population lacks a regular, reliable supply of drinking water. In 1990 the United States imposed an embargo on tuna from Vanuatu because of fishing methods that are harmful to dolphins. The country has, however, signed and ratified the Convention on Biological Diversity, among others.

III

Population

Vanuatu has a population of 215,053 (2008 estimate). It has a population density of about 18 people per sq km (46 per sq mi). Average life expectancy is approximately 63.6 years. The total population is largely Melanesian, with minorities of Europeans, Chinese, and Vietnamese. Nearly two thirds of the population lives on the four main islands. The official languages are Bislama, French, and English. Bislama is an English-based creole spoken by the majority of the population and used as a lingua franca across the more than 100 indigenous Austronesian languages of Vanuatu. The majority of the people are Christian, a third of whom are Presbyterian. Higher education is provided by the University of the South Pacific.

IV

Economy and Government

Vanuatu’s gross national product is US$287 million (World Bank estimate, 2004), giving an average income of US$1,690 per head. The monetary unit of Vanuatu is the vatu (97.50 vatu equalled US$1; early 2008). The central bank is the Reserve Bank of Vanuatu. The budgetary revenue (1994 estimate) was US$74.8 million, compared with an expenditure of about US$76.1 million. The outstanding external debt was, at the end of 1994, US$41.5 million.

The economy of Vanuatu was until recently dominated by subsistence agriculture and it is still the main source of employment; food crops include yams, taro, and bananas. Copra is the principal export (30,000 tonnes were produced in 1995). Other export crops include cocoa and timber. Fishing and the raising of cattle for export are also important. In 2006 there were 152,000 cattle, 62,000 pigs, and 12,000 goats.

Tourism is expanding rapidly, and international airports are located at Port-Vila and on Espíritu Santo island. Favourable tax laws have made Vanuatu an offshore banking haven in recent years. Tourism and offshore finance together now account for more than two thirds of gross domestic product. The islands are linked by air and sea. There are 1,070 km (665 mi) of roads, but no railways. There is a single government-owned weekly newspaper (Vanuatu Weekly) and an independent weekly (Nasara). The Vanuatu Broadcasting and Television Corporation runs TV Blong Vanuatu, the television station, and Radio Vanuatu, which broadcasts in English and French. External telecommunications depend on a satellite Earth station at Vila.

Vanuatu is a republic, governed under a constitution that came into effect in 1980. The chief of state is a president, who is elected to a five-year term. Executive power is vested in a council of ministers, which consists of a prime minister, who is elected by parliament, and other ministers appointed by the prime minister. Legislative power is vested in the parliament, the 52 members of which are popularly elected to four-year terms. The three major political parties are the Union of Moderate Parties (UMP; Union des Partis Modérés), the Party of Our Land (VP; Vanua’aku Pati), and the Vanuatu National United Party (NUP).