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Republic of Vanuatu
President: Kalkot Mataskelekele (2004)
Prime Minister: Ham Lini (2004)
Total area: 4,710 sq mi (12,200 sq km)
Population (2006 est.): 208,869 (growth rate: 1.5%); birth rate: 22.7/1000;
infant mortality rate: 53.8/1000; life expectancy: 62.9; density per sq mi: 37
Capital and largest city (2003 est.): Port Vila, 35,300
Monetary unit: Vatu
Languages: Bislama 23% (a Melanesian pidgin English), English 2%, French 1% (all
3 official); more than 100 local languages 73%
Ethnicity/race: Ni-Vanuatu 98.5%, other 1.5% (1999)
Religions: Presbyterian 31%, Anglican 13%, Roman Catholic 13%, Seventh-Day
Adventist 11%, other Christian 14%, indigenous beliefs 6% (including Jon Frum
Cargo cult), none 1%
Literacy rate: 53% (1979 est.)
Economic summary: GDP/PPP (2003 est.): $580 million; per capita $2,900. Real
growth rate: 1.1%. Inflation: 3.1%. Unemployment: n.a. Arable land: 2%.
Agriculture: copra, coconuts, cocoa, coffee, taro, yams, fruits, vegetables;
beef; fish. Labor force: n.a.; agriculture 65%, services 30%, industry 5% (2000
est.). Industries: food and fish freezing, wood processing, meat canning.
Natural resources: manganese, hardwood forests, fish. Exports: $205 million
f.o.b. (2004 est.): copra, beef, cocoa, timber, kava, coffee. Imports: $233
million c.i.f. (2004 est.): machinery and equipment, foodstuffs, fuels. Major
trading partners: Thailand, Malaysia, Japan, Belgium, China, Taiwan, Australia,
Singapore, New Zealand, Fiji, U.S. (2004).
Communications: Telephones: main lines in use: 5,500 (1998); mobile cellular:
310 (2000). Radio broadcast stations: AM 2, FM 2, shortwave 1 (2002). Radios:
67,000 (1997). Television broadcast stations: 1 (2002). Televisions: 2,300
(1999). Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 1 (2000). Internet users: 3,000
(2000).
Transportation: Railways: 0 km. Highways: total: 1,070 km; paved: 256 km;
unpaved: 814 km (1999 est.). Waterways: none. Ports and harbors: Forari,
Port-Vila, Santo (Espiritu Santo). Airports: 30 (2002).
International disputes: Matthew and Hunter Islands east of New Caledonia claimed
by Vanuatu and France.
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