Vanuatu — map and facts

About Vanuatu

Vanuatu is an archipelago nation in the southwestern Pacific Ocean, situated approximately 1,750 kilometres east of northern Australia and 500 kilometres northeast of New Caledonia. The capital is Port Vila, located on the island of Efate, and the population is approximately 330,000 people. Vanuatu gained independence on 30 July 1980, having been jointly administered as the New Hebrides by Britain and France in an unusual arrangement known as a condominium. The country is a parliamentary republic. Vanuatu is one of the most linguistically diverse nations per capita in the world, with over 100 distinct local languages in addition to the three official languages: Bislama, English, and French. The economy depends on agriculture, fishing, tourism, and offshore financial services. Vanuatu is frequently ranked as one of the world's happiest countries in international surveys. The country is highly vulnerable to natural disasters, including cyclones, earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, and tsunamis.

Geography and Landscape

Vanuatu consists of approximately 80 islands stretching over 1,300 kilometres from north to south, of which about 65 are inhabited. The islands are predominantly mountainous, of volcanic origin, and thickly forested. Several active volcanoes are among Vanuatu's most distinctive features, including Yasur on Tanna, one of the most accessible active volcanoes in the world, and the Ambrym caldera. Efate, the main island, has a relatively flat coastal fringe surrounding a hilly interior. Espiritu Santo is the largest island and features rugged limestone terrain and freshwater blue holes. The islands are fringed by coral reefs and the surrounding seas are part of the Coral Sea. The climate is tropical and varies from north to south, with the northern islands being hotter and wetter and the southern islands having a more temperate climate. Cyclones are a regular seasonal hazard, with several devastating storms in recent decades.

History

The islands of Vanuatu have been inhabited for approximately 3,000 years, first settled by Melanesian peoples. European contact began with the arrival of the Portuguese navigator Pedro Fernandes de Queirós in 1606, who believed he had found the great southern continent. The islands were charted by James Cook in 1774 and named the New Hebrides. During the nineteenth century, the islands attracted sandalwood traders, labour recruiters involved in the blackbirding trade, and Christian missionaries. The competing interests of Britain and France led to the establishment of the Anglo-French Condominium in 1906, a dual colonial administration that created a notoriously complex legal and administrative system. The independence movement gained momentum in the 1970s, leading to independence in 1980 following a brief rebellion on Espiritu Santo led by Jimmy Stevens, known as the Coconut War. Since independence, the country has experienced frequent changes of government.