Names:
conventional long form:
Republic of Vanuatu
conventional short form:
Vanuatu
former:
New Hebrides
Digraph:
NH
Type:
republic
Capital:
Port-Vila
Administrative divisions:
11 island councils; Ambrym, Aoba/Maewo, Banks/Torres, Efate, Epi,
Malakula, Paama, Pentecote, Santo/Malo, Shepherd, Tafea
Independence:
30 July 1980 (from France and UK)
National holiday:
Independence Day, 30 July (1980)
Constitution:
30 July 1980
Legal system:
unified system being created from former dual French and British
systems
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state:
President Jean Marie LEYE (since 2 March 1994)
head of government:
Prime Minister Maxime CARLOT Korman (since 16 December 1991); Deputy
Prime Minister Sethy REGENVANU (since 17 December 1991)
cabinet:
Council of Ministers; appointed by the prime minister, responsible to
parliament
Legislative branch:
unicameral
Parliament:
elections last held 2 December 1991 (next to be held by November
1995); note - after election, a coalition was formed by the Union of
Moderate Parties and the National United Party to form a new
government on 16 December 1991, but political party associations are
fluid; seats - (46 total) UMP 19; NUP 10; VP 10; MPP 4; TUP 1;
Nagriamel 1; Friend 1
note:
the National Council of Chiefs advises on matters of custom and land
Judicial branch:
Supreme Court
Political parties and leaders:
Vanuatu Party (VP), Donald KALPOKAS; Union of Moderate Parties (UMP),
Serge VOHOR; Melanesian Progressive Party (MPP), Barak SOPE; National
United Party (NUP), Walter LINI; Tan Union Party (TUP), Vincent
BOULEKONE; Nagriamel Party, Jimmy STEVENS; Friend Melanesian Party,
leader NA
Member of:
ACCT, ACP, AsDB, C, ESCAP, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IFC, IMF, IMO,
INTELSAT (nonsignatory user), IOC, ITU, NAM, SPARTECA, SPC, SPF, UN,
UNCTAD, UNIDO, UPU, WHO, WMO
Diplomatic representation in US:
Vanuatu does not have a mission in the US
US diplomatic representation:
the ambassador to Papua New Guinea is accredited to Vanuatu
Flag:
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
@Vanuatu, Economy
Overview:
The economy is based primarily on subsistence farming which provides a
living for about 80% of the population. Fishing and tourism are the
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.
National product:
GDP - exchange rate conversion - $142 million (1988 est.)
National product real growth rate:
6% (1991)
National product per capita:
$1,050 (1990)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
2.3% (1992 est.)
Unemployment rate:
NA%
Budget:
revenues:
$90 million
expenditures:
$103 million, including capital expenditures of $45 million (1989
est.)
Exports:
$14.9 million (f.o.b., 1991)
commodities:
copra, beef, cocoa, timber, coffee
partners:
Netherlands, Japan, France, New Caledonia, Belgium
Imports:
$74 million (f.o.b., 1991)
commodities:
machines and vehicles, food and beverages, basic manufactures, raw
materials and fuels, chemicals
partners:
Australia 36%, Japan 13%, NZ 10%, France 8%, Fiji 8%
External debt:
$38 million (1991)
Industrial production:
growth rate 8.1% (1990); accounts for about 10% of GDP
Electricity:
capacity:
17,000 kW
production:
30 million kWh
consumption per capita:
180 kWh (1990)
Industries:
food and fish freezing, wood processing, meat canning
Agriculture:
accounts for 40% of GDP; export crops - coconuts, cocoa, coffee, fish;
subsistence crops - taro, yams, coconuts, fruits, vegetables
Economic aid:
recipient:
Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments
(1970-89), $606 million
Currency:
1 vatu (VT) = 100 centimes
Exchange rates:
vatu (VT) per US$1 - 123.48 (September 1993), 113.39 (1992), 111.68
(1991), 116.57 (1990), 116.04 (1989)
Fiscal year:
calendar year
@Vanuatu, Communications
Railroads:
none
Highways:
total:
1,027 km
paved:
240 km
unpaved:
787 km
Ports:
Port-Vila, Luganville, Palikoulo
Merchant marine:
131 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 1,992,201 GRT/2,909,381 DWT,
bulk 57, cargo 23, chemical tanker 2, combination bulk 1, container 5,
liquefied gas 3, livestock carrier 1, oil tanker 8, passenger 1,
refrigerated cargo 19, vehicle carrier 11
note:
a flag of convenience registry
Airports:
total:
31
usable:
31
with permanent-surface runways:
2
with runways over 3,659 m:
0
with runways 2,440-3,659 m:
1
with runways 1,220-2,439 m:
2
Telecommunications:
broadcast stations - 2 AM, no FM, no TV; 3,000 telephones; 1 Pacific
Ocean INTELSAT ground station
@Vanuatu, Defense Forces
Branches:
Vanuatu Police Force (VPF), paramilitary Vanuatu Mobile Force (VMF)
note:
no military forces
Defense expenditures:
$NA, NA% of GDP
@Venezuela, Geography
Location:
Northern South America, bordering the Caribbean Sea between Colombia
and Guyana
Map references:
South America, Standard Time Zones of the World
Area:
total area:
912,050 sq km
land area:
882,050 sq km
comparative area:
slightly more than twice the size of California
Land boundaries:
total 4,993 km, Brazil 2,200 km, Colombia 2,050 km, Guyana 743 km
Coastline:
2,800 km
Maritime claims:
contiguous zone:
15 nm
continental shelf:
200-m depth or to depth of exploitation
exclusive economic zone:
200 nm
territorial sea:
12 nm
International disputes:
claims all of Guyana west of the Essequibo River; maritime boundary
dispute with Colombia in the Gulf of Venezuela
Climate:
tropical; hot, humid; more moderate in highlands
Terrain:
Andes Mountains and Maracaibo Lowlands in northwest; central plains
(llanos); Guiana Highlands in southeast
Natural resources:
petroleum, natural gas, iron ore, gold, bauxite, other minerals,
hydropower, diamonds
Land use:
arable land:
3%
permanent crops:
1%
meadows and pastures:
20%
forest and woodland:
39%
other:
37%
Irrigated land:
2,640 sq km (1989 est.)
Environment:
current issues:
sewage pollution of Lago de Valencia; oil and urban pollution of Lago
de Maracaibo; deforestation; soil degradation; urban and industrial
pollution, especially along the Caribbean coast
natural hazards:
subject to floods, rockslides, mudslides; periodic droughts
international agreements:
party to - Endangered Species, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test
Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands; signed, but not ratified -
Biodiversity, Climate Change, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Dumping
Note:
on major sea and air routes linking North and South America
@Venezuela, People