Terrain:
mostly mountainous islands of volcanic origin; narrow coastal plains
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: Tabwemasana 1,877 m
Natural resources: manganese, hardwood forests, fish
Land use: arable land: 2.46% permanent crops: 7.38% other: 90.16% (2001)
Irrigated land:
NA
Natural hazards:
tropical cyclones or typhoons (January to April); volcanism causes
minor earthquakes; tsunamis
Environment - current issues:
a majority of the population does not have access to a reliable
supply of potable water; deforestation
Environment - international agreements:
party to: Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Biodiversity, Climate
Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered
Species, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection,
Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 94
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography - note:
a Y-shaped chain of four main islands and 80 smaller islands;
several of the islands have active volcanoes
People Vanuatu