Vanuatu – country information

Country name	Vanuatu
Official name	Republic of Vanuatu
Capital	Port Vila
Continent	Australia and Oceania
Area	12,189 km2
Population	264,652 (2013)
Foundation of a state	30/07/1980
The highest mountains	Tabwémanasana (at Espíritu Santo) 1879 m
State system	a pluralist republic with a unicameral parliament
The biggest cities	Port-Vila (Capital) 25,000
Official language	Bislamic, French, English
Ethnicity/National Composition	Vanuatu 98%, others 2%
Religious affiliation	Presbyterians 37%, Anglicans 15.2%, Roman Catholics 14.8%, Other Christians 15%, Animists 7.5%, No Religion and Other 10.5%
Currency	1 watt (Vt) = 100 centimes
gross domestic product (GDP)	US$4,843 (2012)
Average life expectancy of the population	62.85 years (2006)
Structure of GDP	agriculture and fishing 20%, industry 8%, construction 6%, services 66%

Country overview

The Republic of Vanuatu (formerly the New Hebrides) lies in the south-western part of the Pacific Ocean; it consists of 13 larger and dozens of smaller islands grouped in the shape of a large Y between the Solomon Islands in the north and New Caledonia in the south.

According to Abbreviationfinder, Vanuatu (this land forever) is a state in Melanesia in the Pacific Ocean, located on 83 islands of the New Hebrides archipelago. The capital is Port Vila. Official languages ​​are Bislama, English, French. Religion – Christianity.

The climate is humid tropical. Temperature +20*С, +30*С. The rainy season is January-March. Drought August-September.

The most popular types of recreation on the islands are diving, fishing, weddings and honeymoons. Tourists from Russia do not need a visa.

Resorts and attractions of Vanuatu

“There is an archipelago in Oceania called Vanuatu, in the old way – the islands of the New Hebrides, that’s where they never knew hunger. Lost between New Caledonia and the Fiji Islands, Vanuatu had two advantages for thousands of years, rare in themselves, and in the union of so rare – abundance and privacy.”

Vanuatu is an eternal land. There are many beautiful islands and protected coral atolls in the Pacific Ocean. But there are so beautiful islands and archipelagos that you can’t call them anything other than paradise lands. One of these Edens of Oceania is an amazing island group with the poetic name of Vanuatu, which is translated from the local dialect as eternal land.

Vanuatu borders the waters of New Caledonia, the waters of the Solomon Islands, the waters of Fiji and the economic zone of Australia. Land area 12,190 km. sq. Population – 215,000 people. There are many butterflies, snails, crocodiles and snakes on the islands.

Interesting facts about Vanuatu

The islands were inhabited 4000 years ago.

The islands were discovered in 1606 by the Spanish navigator Pedro Fernandez Quiros.

The wealth and position of a person in society on the islands is determined by how many mats and boars he can sacrifice. The more boars sacrificed, the higher the status of the donor.

Vanuatu has its own internet domain.vu.

The Republic of Vanuatu (according to research by the New Economics Foundation) was named the happiest country. Russia in this study ranked 172 out of 178 possible.

In Vanuatu, not far from the island of Hideaway, there is the world’s only underwater post office, on the island of Tanna there is the world’s only volcanic post office.

Country data

Location: South Pacific Ocean

Time zone: CET + 10

Total area: 12,189 km²

Land area: 12,189 km²

Water area: 0 km²

Length of the state border: 0 km

Coastline: 2,528 km

Capital: Port Vila

Provinces: 6
Malampa, Penama, Sanma, Shefa, Tafea, Torba

Electric current: 220, 230 V / 50 Hz

Telephone code: 00 678 (Source: Allcitycodes)

Highest point: Tabwemasana 1,877 m

Population

Population: approx. 270,000 residents (Countryaah, 2021)

Population growth: 2% per year

Population density (residents per km²): 22

Life expectancy: 71 (male), 74 (female)

Official language: Bislama, English, French

Religions:

• 70% Protestants
• 12% Roman Catholic
• 18% other

Climate

Dry season:

• May until October
• average temperatures around 24 ° C
• high humidity
• rare rains

Rainy season:

• November to April
• average temperatures around 30 ° C
• very high humidity
• very frequent and heavy rains

Currency / finance

Currency unit: Vatu (VUV)

ATMs: There are ATMs in Efate, Luganville, Malekula Port Vila, Santo and Tanna.

International credit cards: Only a few larger shops and hotels accept them. However, cash payments are usually common.

Regulations: National and foreign currencies can be imported and exported in unlimited amounts.

The Australian dollar is recommended as a foreign currency, as it can be exchanged without any problems. Most stores can also be used to pay directly.

Customs regulations

The following may be carried duty-free:

• 200 cigarettes or 50 cigars or 250 g of tobacco
• 1.5 liters of alcoholic beverages

(Information applies to people aged 18 and over)

Tourists and people in transit can bring items of personal use with them duty-free.

There is an import ban for:

• Drugs of all kinds
• Guns and ammunition of all kinds
• pornographic articles and magazines
• Plant and animal products

Travel advice

There is no German embassy in Vanuatu. The German embassy in Canberra, Australia is responsible.

Economy

Most of the residents are employed in agriculture and fishing. These also represent the most important branches of industry.

For some time now, the government has been expanding the still weak tourism industry in order to tap new sources of income.

Industries: fishing, wood processing, agriculture, food production

Natural resources: fish, wood, manganese

Land use:

• Usable land: 2%
• Grain cultivation: 10%
• Pasture area: 2%
• Forests: 75%
• other: 11%