CIA World Fact Book, 2004/Vanuatu


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!| Background:
 * The British and French, who settled the New Hebrides in the 19th century, agreed in 1906 to an Anglo-French Condominium, which administered the islands until independence in 1980.
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!| Location: !| Geographic coordinates: !| Map references: !| Area: land: 12,200 sq km note: includes more than 80 islands, about 65 of which are inhabited water: 0 sq km !| Area - comparative: !| Land boundaries: !| Coastline: !| Maritime claims: exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin contiguous zone: 24 nm territorial sea: 12 nm !| Climate: !| Terrain: !| Elevation extremes: highest point: Tabwemasana 1,877 m !| Natural resources: !| Land use: permanent crops: 7.38% other: 90.16% (2001) !| Irrigated land: !| Natural hazards: !| Environment - current issues: !| Environment - international agreements: signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements !| Geography - note:
 * Oceania, group of islands in the South Pacific Ocean, about three-quarters of the way from Hawaii to Australia
 * 16 00 S, 167 00 E
 * Oceania
 * total: 12,200 sq km
 * slightly larger than Connecticut
 * 0 km
 * 2,528 km
 * measured from claimed archipelagic baselines
 * 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
 * mostly mountainous islands of volcanic origin; narrow coastal plains
 * lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
 * manganese, hardwood forests, fish
 * arable land: 2.46%
 * NA sq km
 * tropical cyclones or typhoons (January to April); volcanism causes minor earthquakes; tsunamis
 * a majority of the population does not have access to a potable and reliable supply of water; deforestation
 * party to: Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 94
 * a Y-shaped chain of four main islands and 80 smaller islands; several of the islands have active volcanoes
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!| Population: !| Age structure: 15-64 years: 62.4% (male 64,669; female 61,829) 65 years and over: 3.5% (male 3,740; female 3,305) (2004 est.) !| Median age: male: 22.3 years female: 22.2 years (2004 est.) !| Population growth rate: !| Birth rate: !| Death rate: !| Net migration rate: !| Sex ratio: under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 1.13 male(s)/female total population: 1.05 male(s)/female (2004 est.) !| Infant mortality rate: female: 53.89 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.) male: 59.25 deaths/1,000 live births !| Life expectancy at birth: male: 60.64 years female: 63.63 years (2004 est.) !| Total fertility rate: !| HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: !| HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: !| HIV/AIDS - deaths: !| Nationality: adjective: Ni-Vanuatu !| Ethnic groups: !| Religions: !| Languages: !| Literacy: total population: 53% male: 57% female: 48% (1979 est.)
 * 202,609 (July 2004 est.)
 * 0-14 years: 34.1% (male 35,281; female 33,785)
 * total: 22.3 years
 * 1.57% (2004 est.)
 * 23.67 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)
 * 8.02 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)
 * 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)
 * at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
 * total: 56.63 deaths/1,000 live births
 * total population: 62.1 years
 * 2.87 children born/woman (2004 est.)
 * NA
 * NA
 * NA
 * noun: Ni-Vanuatu (singular and plural)
 * indigenous Melanesian 98%, French, Vietnamese, Chinese, other Pacific Islanders
 * Presbyterian 36.7%, Anglican 15%, Roman Catholic 15%, indigenous beliefs 7.6%, Seventh-Day Adventist 6.2%, Church of Christ 3.8%, other 15.7% (including Jon Frum Cargo cult)
 * three official languages: English, French, pidgin (known as Bislama or Bichelama), plus more than 100 local languages
 * definition: age 15 and over can read and write
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!| Country name: conventional short form: Vanuatu former: New Hebrides !| Government type: !| Capital: !| Administrative divisions: !| Independence: !| National holiday: !| Constitution: !| Legal system: !| Suffrage: !| Executive branch: elections: president elected for a five-year term by an electoral college consisting of Parliament and the presidents of the regional councils; election for president last held 16 August 2004 (next to be held in 2009); 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 29 July 2004 (next to be held following general elections in 2008) election results: Kalkot Matas KELEKELE elected president, with 49 votes out of 56, after several ballots on 16 August 2004 cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the prime minister, responsible to Parliament head of government: Prime Minister Ham LINI (since 11 December 2004); Deputy Prime Minister Sato KILMAN (since 11 December 2004); Prime Minister Serge VOHOR ousted in no-confidence vote on 11 December 2004 !| Legislative branch: elections: last held 6 July 2004 (next to be held 2008) election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - UMP 8, VP 8, NUP 10, VRP 4, MPP 3, VGP 3, other and independent 16; note - political party associations are fluid note: the National Council of Chiefs advises on matters of culture and language !| Judicial branch: !| Political parties and leaders: !| Political pressure groups and leaders: !| International organization participation: !| Diplomatic representation in the US: !| Diplomatic representation from the US: !| Flag description:
 * conventional long form: Republic of Vanuatu
 * parliamentary republic
 * Port-Vila (Efate)
 * 6 provinces; Malampa, Penama, Sanma, Shefa, Tafea, Torba
 * 30 July 1980 (from France and UK)
 * Independence Day, 30 July (1980)
 * 30 July 1980
 * unified system being created from former dual French and British systems
 * 18 years of age; universal
 * chief of state: President Kalkot Matas KELEKELE (since 16 August 2004)
 * unicameral Parliament (52 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)
 * 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)
 * Jon Frum Movement [Song KEASPAI]; Melanesian Progressive Party or MPP [Barak SOPE]; National United Party or NUP [NA]; Union of Moderate Parties or UMP [Serge VOHOR]; Vanua'aku Pati (Our Land Party) or VP [Edward NATAPEI]; Vanuatu Republican Party or VRP [Maxime Carlot KORMAN]; Greens (Vanuatu) [Moana CARCASSES]
 * NA
 * ACCT, ACP, AsDB, C, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, IOC, ITU, MIGA, NAM, PIF, Sparteca, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WMO, WTrO (observer)
 * Vanuatu does not have an embassy in the US; it does, however, have a Permanent Mission to the UN
 * the US does not have an embassy in Vanuatu; the ambassador to Papua New Guinea is accredited to Vanuatu
 * 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
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!| Economy - overview: !| GDP: !| GDP - real growth rate: !| GDP - per capita: !| GDP - composition by sector: industry: 12% services: 62% (2000 est.) !| Population below poverty line: !| Household income or consumption by percentage share: highest 10%: NA !| Inflation rate (consumer prices): !| Labor force: !| Labor force - by occupation: !| Unemployment rate: !| Budget: expenditures: $99.8 million, including capital expenditures of $30.4 million (1996 est.) !| Agriculture - products: !| Industries: !| Industrial production growth rate: !| Electricity - production: !| Electricity - consumption: !| Electricity - exports: !| Electricity - imports: !| Oil - production: !| Oil - consumption: !| Oil - exports: !| Oil - imports: !| Exports: !| Exports - commodities: !| Exports - partners: !| Imports: !| Imports - commodities: !| Imports - partners: !| Debt - external: !| Economic aid - recipient: !| Currency: !| Currency code: !| Exchange rates: !| Fiscal year:
 * This South Pacific island economy is based primarily on small-scale agriculture, which provides a living for 65% of the population. Fishing, offshore financial services, and tourism, with about 50,000 visitors in 1997, 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. A severe earthquake in November 1999 followed by a tsunami, caused extensive damage to the northern island of Pentecote and left thousands homeless. Another powerful earthquake in January 2002 caused extensive damage in the capital, Port-Vila, and surrounding areas, and also was followed by a tsunami. GDP growth rose less than 3% on average in the 1990s. In response to foreign concerns, the government has promised to tighten regulation of its offshore financial center. In mid-2002 the government stepped up efforts to boost tourism. Agriculture, especially livestock farming, is a second target for growth. Australia and New Zealand are the main suppliers of tourists and foreign aid. Growth expanded moderately in 2003.
 * purchasing power parity - $563 million (2002 est.)
 * -0.3% (2002 est.)
 * purchasing power parity - $2,900 (2002 est.)
 * agriculture: 26%
 * NA
 * lowest 10%: NA
 * 2% (2002 est.)
 * NA
 * agriculture 65%, industry 5%, services 30% (2000 est.)
 * NA
 * revenues: $94.4 million
 * copra, coconuts, cocoa, coffee, taro, yams, coconuts, fruits, vegetables; fish, beef
 * food and fish freezing, wood processing, meat canning
 * 1% (1997 est.)
 * 43.46 million kWh (2001)
 * 40.42 million kWh (2001)
 * 0 kWh (2001)
 * 0 kWh (2001)
 * 0 bbl/day (2001 est.)
 * 600 bbl/day (2001 est.)
 * NA (2001)
 * NA (2001)
 * $79 million f.o.b. (2002)
 * copra, beef, cocoa, timber, kava, coffee
 * India 32.8%, Thailand 25.5%, Indonesia 9.6%, Japan 7.6%, Australia 4%, Poland 4% (2003)
 * $138 million c.i.f. (2002)
 * machinery and equipment, foodstuffs, fuels
 * Australia 15.3%, Japan 10.6%, Singapore 7.4%, New Zealand 6%, Fiji 5.1% (2003)
 * $65.8 million (2001 est.)
 * $45.8 million (1995)
 * vatu (VUV)
 * VUV
 * vatu per US dollar - 122.189 (2003), 139.198 (2002), 145.312 (2001), 137.643 (2000), 129.075 (1999)
 * calendar year
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!| Telephones - main lines in use: !| Telephones - mobile cellular: !| Telephone system: domestic: NA international: country code - 678; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean) !| Radio broadcast stations: !| Radios: !| Television broadcast stations: !| Televisions: !| Internet country code: !| Internet hosts: !| Internet Service Providers (ISPs): !| Internet users:
 * 6,500 (2003)
 * 7,800 (2003)
 * general assessment: NA
 * AM 2, FM 2, shortwave 1 (2002)
 * 67,000 (1997)
 * 1 (2002)
 * 2,300 (1999)
 * .vu
 * 512 (2003)
 * 1 (2000)
 * 7,500 (2003)
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!| Highways: paved: 256 km unpaved: 814 km (1999 est.) !| Ports and harbors: !| Merchant marine: registered in other countries: 1 (2004 est.) foreign-owned: Australia 2, Canada 1, Estonia 1, Germany 1, Japan 25, Monaco 4, New Zealand 2, Panama 1, Poland 7, Switzerland 3, United Kingdom 5, United States 2 by type: bulk 28, cargo 2, combination bulk 3, container 2, liquefied gas 2, multi-functional large load carrier 1, refrigerated cargo 6, roll on/roll off 2, vehicle carrier 5 !| Airports: !| Airports - with paved runways: 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1524 to 2437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2004 est.) !| Airports - with unpaved runways: 914 to 1,523 m: 10 under 914 m: 17 (2004 est.)
 * total: 1,070 km
 * Forari, Port-Vila, Santo (Espiritu Santo)
 * total: 51 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 1,192,474 GRT/1,560,828 DWT
 * 30 (2003 est.)
 * total: 3
 * total: 27
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!| Military branches: !| Military expenditures - dollar figure: !| Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
 * no regular military forces; Vanuatu Police Force (VPF; including the paramilitary Mobile Force or VMF)
 * NA
 * NA
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