Vanuatu

Vanuatu /ˌvɑːnuːˈɑːtuː/ (help·info), officially the Republic of Vanuatu (French: République de Vanuatu, Bislama: Ripablik blong Vanuatu), is an island nation located in the South Pacific Ocean. The archipelago, which is of volcanic origin, is some 1,750 kilometres (1,090 mi) east of northern Australia, 500 kilometres (310 mi) north-east of New Caledonia, west of Fiji, and southeast of the Solomon Islands, near New Guinea.

Vanuatu was first inhabited by Melanesian people. Europeans began to settle in the area in the late 18th century. In the 1880s France and the United Kingdom claimed parts of the country, and in 1906 they agreed on a framework for jointly managing the archipelago as the New Hebrides through a British-French Condominium. An independence movement arose in the 1970s, and the Republic of Vanuatu was created in 1980.

Contents

• 1 History
• 2 Geography
• 3 Administrative divisions
• 4 Politics
  • 4.1 Foreign relations and military
• 5 Economy
• 6 Demographics
• 7 Culture
• 8 Health and education
• 9 See also
• 10 Further reading
• 11 References
• 12 External links

Republic of Vanuatu Ripablik blong Vanuatu (Bislama) République de Vanuatu (French)
Flag Coat of arms
Motto: "Long God yumi stanap" (In God we stand)
Anthem: Yumi, Yumi, Yumi
Capital (and largest city)		Port Vila 17°45′S 168°18′E / 17.75°S 168.3°E / -17.75; 168.3
Official languages		Bislama, English, French
Demonym		Ni-Vanuatu; Vanuatuan
Government		Parliamentary republic
-	President	Kalkot Mataskelekele
-	Prime Minister	Edward Natapei
Independence		from France and the UK
-	Date	30 July 1980
Area
-	Total	12,200 km2 (161st) 4,706 sq mi
Population
-	July 2008 estimate	215,446 (173rd)
-	Density	17/km2 (188th) 44/sq mi
GDP (PPP)		2008 estimate
-	Total	$996 million[1]
-	Per capita	$4,244[1]
GDP (nominal)		2008 estimate
-	Total	$573 million[1]
-	Per capita	$2,442[1]
HDI (2004)		▲0.674 (medium) (120th)
Currency		Vanuatu vatu (VUV)
Time zone		UTC+11 (UTC+11)
Drives on the		right
Internet TLD		.vu
Calling code		678