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NAVIGATION
Republic of Vanuatu
former: New Hebrides
GOVERNMENT
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Country name:
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conventional long form: Republic of Vanuatu
conventional short form: Vanuatu former: New Hebrides |
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Government type:
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parliamentary republic |
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Capital:
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Port-Vila |
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Administrative divisions:
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6 provinces; Malampa, Penama, Sanma, Shefa, Tafea, Torba |
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Independence:
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30 July 1980 (from France and UK) |
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National holiday:
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Independence Day, 30 July (1980) |
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Constitution:
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30 July 1980 |
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Legal system:
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unified system being created from former dual French and British systems |
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Suffrage:
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18 years of age; universal |
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Executive branch:
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chief of state: President Father John BANI (since 25 March 1999)
elections: president elected for a four-year term by an electoral college consisting of Parliament and the presidents of the regional councils for a five-year term; election for president last held 25 March 1999 (next to be held NA 2004); 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 2 August 2002 (next to be held NA 2003) election results: Father John BANI elected president; percent of electoral college vote - NA%; Saufatu SOPOANGA elected prime minister by Parliament; Saufatu SOPOANGA 8, Amasone KILEI 7 cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the prime minister, responsible to Parliament head of government: Prime Minister Saufatu SOPOANGA (since 2 August 2002) |
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Legislative branch:
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unicameral Parliament (52 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 2 May 2002 (next to be held NA 2006) election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - UMP 15, VP 14, VRP 3, MPP 2, other and independent 18; note - political party associations are fluid note: the National Council of Chiefs advises on matters of custom and land |
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Judicial branch:
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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) |
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Political parties and leaders:
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Jon Frum Movement [Song KEASPAI]; Melanesian Progressive Party or MPP [Barak SOPE]; National United Party or NUP [Dinh Van THAN]; Union of Moderate Parties or UMP [Serge VOHOR]; Vanuaaku Party (Our Land Party) or VP [Edward NATAPEI]; Vanuatu Republican Party or VRP [Maxime Carlot KORMAN] |
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Political pressure groups and leaders:
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NA |
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International organization participation:
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ACCT, ACP, AsDB, C, ESCAP, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFC, IFRCS, IMF, IMO, IOC, ITU, NAM, Sparteca, SPC, SPF, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMIBH, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WMO, WTrO (observer) |
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Diplomatic representation in the US:
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Vanuatu does not have an embassy in the US; it does, however, have a Permanent Mission to the UN |
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Diplomatic representation from the US:
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the US does not have an embassy in Vanuatu; the ambassador to Papua New Guinea is accredited to Vanuatu |
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Flag description:
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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 |
ECONOMY
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Economy - overview:
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The economy is based primarily on subsistence or 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. Australia and New Zealand are the main suppliers of foreign aid. |
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GDP:
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purchasing power parity - $563 million (2002 est.) |
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GDP - real growth rate:
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-0.3% (2002 est.) |
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GDP - per capita:
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purchasing power parity - $2,900 (2002 est.) |
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GDP - composition by sector:
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agriculture: 26%
industry: 12% services: 62% (2000 est.) |
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Population below poverty line:
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NA% |
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Household income or consumption by percentage share:
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lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA% |
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Inflation rate (consumer prices):
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3.2% (2001 est.) |
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Labor force:
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NA |
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Labor force - by occupation:
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agriculture 65%, services 30%, industry 5% (2000 est.) |
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Unemployment rate:
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NA% |
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Budget:
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revenues: $94.4 million
expenditures: $99.8 million, including capital expenditures of $30.4 million (1996 est.) |
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Industries:
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food and fish freezing, wood processing, meat canning |
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Industrial production growth rate:
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1% (1997 est.) |
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Electricity - production:
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43.46 million kWh (2001) |
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Electricity - production by source:
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fossil fuel: 100%
hydro: 0% other: 0% (2001) nuclear: 0% |
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Electricity - consumption:
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40.42 million kWh (2001) |
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Electricity - exports:
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0 kWh (2001) |
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Electricity - imports:
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0 kWh (2001) |
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Oil - production:
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0 bbl/day (2001 est.) |
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Oil - consumption:
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600 bbl/day (2001 est.) |
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Oil - exports:
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NA (2001) |
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Oil - imports:
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NA (2001) |
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Agriculture - products:
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copra, coconuts, cocoa, coffee, taro, yams, coconuts, fruits, vegetables; fish, beef |
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Exports:
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$22 million f.o.b. (2001) |
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Exports - commodities:
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copra, beef, cocoa, timber, kava, coffee |
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Exports - partners:
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Indonesia 34.8%, Japan 14.2%, Thailand 11.0%, Germany 3.0% (2001) |
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Imports:
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$93 million c.i.f. (2001) |
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Imports - commodities:
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machinery and equipment, foodstuffs, fuels |
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Imports - partners:
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Japan 26.1%, Australia 16.9%, Singapore 14.5%, Germany 11.0% (2001) |
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Debt - external:
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$68.6 million (2000 est.) |
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Economic aid - recipient:
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$45.8 million (1995) |
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Currency:
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vatu (VUV) |
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Currency code:
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VUV |
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Exchange rates:
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vatu per US dollar - 139.198 (2002), 145.312 (2001), 137.643 (2000), 129.075 (1999), 127.517 (1998) |
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Fiscal year:
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calendar year |