Introduction
Background
Vanuatu was first settled around 2000 B.C. by Austronesian speakers from Solomon Islands. By around 1000, localized chieftain systems began to develop on the islands. In the mid-1400s, the Kuwae Volcano erupted, causing frequent conflict and internal strife amid declining food availability, especially on Efate Island. Around 1600, Chief ROI MATA united Efate under his rule. In 1606, Portuguese explorer Pedro Fernandes de QUEIROS was the first European to see the Banks Islands and Espiritu Santo, setting up a short-lived settlement on the latter. The next European explorers arrived in the 1760s, and in 1774, British navigator James COOK named the islands the New Hebrides. The islands were frequented by whalers in the 1800s and interest in harvesting the islands’ sandalwood trees caused conflict between Europeans and local Ni-Vanuatu. Catholic and Protestant missionaries arrived in the 1840s but faced difficulties converting the locals. In the 1860s, European planters in Australia, Fiji, New Caledonia, and Samoa needed labor and kidnapped almost half the adult males of the islands and forced them to work as indentured servants.
With growing and overlapping interests in the islands, France and the UK agreed that the New Hebrides would be neutral in 1878 and established a joint naval commission in 1887. In 1906, the two countries created the British-French Condominium to jointly administer the islands and they established separate laws, police forces, currencies, and education and health systems. The condominium arrangement was dysfunctional and the UK used France’s defeat to Germany in World War II to assert greater control over the islands. As Japan pushed into Melanesia, the US stationed up to 50,000 soldiers in Vanuatu to prevent further advances. In 1945, US troops withdrew and sold their equipment, leading to the rise of political and religious cargo cults, such as the John Frum movement.
The France-UK condominium was reestablished after World War II. The UK was interested in moving the condominium toward independence in the 1960s, but France was hesitant and political parties agitating independence began to form, largely divided along linguistic lines. France eventually relented and elections were held in 1974 with independence granted in 1980 as Vanuatu under English-speaking Prime Minister Walter LINI. At independence, the Nagriamel Movement, with support from French-speaking landowners, declared Espiritu Santo independent, but the short-lived state was dissolved 12 weeks later. Linguistic divisions have lessened over time but highly fractious political parties have led to weak coalition governments that require support from both Anglophone and Francophone parties. Since 2008, prime ministers have been ousted through no-confidence motions or temporary procedural issues more than a dozen times.
Visit the Definitions and Notes page to view a description of each topic.
Geography
Location
Oceania, group of islands in the South Pacific Ocean, about three-quarters of the way from Hawaii to Australia
Geographic coordinates
16 00 S, 167 00 E
Map references
Oceania
Area
total: 12,189 sq km
land: 12,189 sq km
water: 0 sq km
note: includes more than 80 islands, about 65 of which are inhabited
comparison ranking: total 162
Area - comparative
slightly larger than Connecticut
Land boundaries
total: 0 km
Coastline
2,528 km
Maritime claims
territorial sea: 12 nm
contiguous zone: 24 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin
measured from claimed archipelagic baselines
Climate
tropical; moderated by southeast trade winds from May to October; moderate rainfall from November to April; may be affected by cyclones from December to April
Terrain
mostly mountainous islands of volcanic origin; narrow coastal plains
Elevation
highest point: Tabwemasana 1,877 m
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
Natural resources
manganese, hardwood forests, fish
Land use
agricultural land: 15.3% (2018 est.)
arable land: 1.6% (2018 est.)
permanent crops: 10.3% (2018 est.)
permanent pasture: 3.4% (2018 est.)
forest: 36.1% (2018 est.)
other: 48.6% (2018 est.)
Irrigated land
0 sq km (2022)
Population distribution
three-quarters of the population lives in rural areas; the urban populace lives primarily in two cities, Port-Vila and Lugenville; three largest islands - Espiritu Santo, Malakula, and Efate - accomodate over half of the populace
Natural hazards
tropical cyclones (January to April); volcanic eruption on Aoba (Ambae) island began on 27 November 2005, volcanism also causes minor earthquakes; tsunamis
volcanism: significant volcanic activity with multiple eruptions in recent years; Yasur (361 m), one of the world's most active volcanoes, has experienced continuous activity in recent centuries; other historically active volcanoes include Aoba, Ambrym, Epi, Gaua, Kuwae, Lopevi, Suretamatai, and Traitor's Head
Geography - note
a Y-shaped chain of four main islands and 80 smaller islands; several of the islands have active volcanoes and there are several underwater volcanoes as well
People and Society
Nationality
noun: Ni-Vanuatu (singular and plural)
adjective: Ni-Vanuatu
Ethnic groups
Ni-Vanuatu 99%, other 1% (European, Asian, other Melanesian, Polynesian, Micronesian, other) (2020 est.)
Languages
Indigenous languages (more than 100) 82.6%, Bislama (official; creole) 14.5%, English (official) 2.1%, French (official) 0.8% (2020 est.)
note: data represent first language spoken for population aged 3 years and above
Religions
Protestant 39.9% (Presbyterian 27.2%, Seventh Day Adventist 14.8%, Anglican 12%, Churches of Christ 5%, Assemblies of God 4.9%, Neil Thomas Ministry/Inner Life Ministry 3.2%), Roman Catholic 12.1%, Apostolic 2.3%, Church of Jesus Christ 1.8%, customary beliefs (including Jon Frum cargo cult) 3.1%, other 12%, none 1.4%, unspecified 0.1% (2020 est.)
Age structure
0-14 years: 31.73% (male 50,721/female 48,607)
15-64 years: 63.41% (male 97,376/female 101,135)
65 years and over: 4.86% (2023 est.) (male 7,486/female 7,721)
Dependency ratios
total dependency ratio: 76.5
youth dependency ratio: 69.9
elderly dependency ratio: 12.3
potential support ratio: 15.2 (2021 est.)
Median age
total: 24.2 years (2023 est.)
male: 23.7 years
female: 24.6 years
comparison ranking: total 174
Population distribution
three-quarters of the population lives in rural areas; the urban populace lives primarily in two cities, Port-Vila and Lugenville; three largest islands - Espiritu Santo, Malakula, and Efate - accomodate over half of the populace
Urbanization
urban population: 26% of total population (2023)
rate of urbanization: 2.55% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Major urban areas - population
53,000 PORT-VILA (capital) (2018)
Sex ratio
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
0-14 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.96 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.97 male(s)/female
total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2023 est.)
Infant mortality rate
total: 14 deaths/1,000 live births (2023 est.)
male: 15.4 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 12.6 deaths/1,000 live births
comparison ranking: total 103
Life expectancy at birth
total population: 75.4 years (2023 est.)
male: 73.7 years
female: 77.2 years
comparison ranking: total population 122
Gross reproduction rate
1.26 (2023 est.)
Contraceptive prevalence rate
49% (2013)
Drinking water source
improved: urban: 100% of population
rural: 89.7% of population
total: 92.3% of population
unimproved: urban: 0% of population
rural: 10.3% of population
total: 7.7% of population (2020 est.)
Current health expenditure
4% of GDP (2020)
Physicians density
0.17 physicians/1,000 population (2016)
Sanitation facility access
improved: urban: 91.1% of population
rural: 60.4% of population
total: 68.2% of population
unimproved: urban: 8.9% of population
rural: 39.6% of population
total: 31.8% of population (2020 est.)
Alcohol consumption per capita
total: 1.6 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
beer: 0.34 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
wine: 0.39 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
spirits: 0.87 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
other alcohols: 0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
comparison ranking: total 136
Tobacco use
total: 17.8% (2020 est.)
male: 33% (2020 est.)
female: 2.6% (2020 est.)
comparison ranking: total 94
Currently married women (ages 15-49)
69.2% (2023 est.)
Literacy
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 89.1%
male: 89.8%
female: 88.4% (2021)
Environment
Environment - current issues
population growth; water pollution, most of the population does not have access to a reliable supply of potable water; inadequate sanitation; deforestation
Environment - international agreements
party to: Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping-London Convention, Marine Dumping-London Protocol, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Climate
tropical; moderated by southeast trade winds from May to October; moderate rainfall from November to April; may be affected by cyclones from December to April
Land use
agricultural land: 15.3% (2018 est.)
arable land: 1.6% (2018 est.)
permanent crops: 10.3% (2018 est.)
permanent pasture: 3.4% (2018 est.)
forest: 36.1% (2018 est.)
other: 48.6% (2018 est.)
Urbanization
urban population: 26% of total population (2023)
rate of urbanization: 2.55% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Air pollutants
particulate matter emissions: 8.42 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)
carbon dioxide emissions: 0.15 megatons (2016 est.)
methane emissions: 0.5 megatons (2020 est.)
Waste and recycling
municipal solid waste generated annually: 70,225 tons (2012 est.)
municipal solid waste recycled annually: 25,983 tons (2013 est.)
percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 37% (2013 est.)
Total renewable water resources
10 billion cubic meters (2020 est.)
Government
Country name
conventional long form: Republic of Vanuatu
conventional short form: Vanuatu
local long form: Ripablik blong Vanuatu
local short form: Vanuatu
former: New Hebrides
etymology: derived from the words "vanua" (home or land) and "tu" (stand) that occur in several of the Austonesian languages spoken on the islands and which provide a meaning of "the land remains" but which also convey a sense of "independence" or "our land"
Government type
parliamentary republic
Capital
name: Port-Vila (on Efate)
geographic coordinates: 17 44 S, 168 19 E
time difference: UTC+11 (16 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
etymology: there are two possibilities for the origin of the name: early European settlers were Portuguese and "vila" means "village or town" in Portuguese, hence "Port-Vila" would mean "Port Town"; alternatively, the site of the capital is referred to as "Efil" or "Ifira" in native languages, "Vila" is a likely corruption of these names
Administrative divisions
6 provinces; Malampa, Penama, Sanma, Shefa, Tafea, Torba
Independence
30 July 1980 (from France and the UK)
National holiday
Independence Day, 30 July (1980)
Constitution
history: draft completed August 1979, finalized by constitution conference 19 September 1979, ratified by French and British Governments 23 October 1979, effective 30 July 1980 at independence
amendments: proposed by the prime minister or by the Parliament membership; passage requires at least two-thirds majority vote by Parliament in special session with at least three fourths of the membership; passage of amendments affecting the national and official languages, or the electoral and parliamentary system also requires approval in a referendum; amended several times, last in 2013
Legal system
mixed legal system of English common law, French law, and customary law
International law organization participation
has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction
Citizenship
citizenship by birth: no
citizenship by descent only: both parents must be citizens of Vanuatu; in the case of only one parent, it must be the father who is a citizen
dual citizenship recognized: no
residency requirement for naturalization: 10 years
Suffrage
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch
chief of state: President Nikenike VUROBARAVU (since 23 July 2022)
head of government: Prime Minister Charlot SALWAI (since 6 October 2023)
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the prime minister, responsible to Parliament
elections/appointments: president indirectly elected by an electoral college consisting of Parliament and presidents of the 6 provinces; Vanuatu president serves a 5-year term; election last held on 23 July 2022 (next to be held in 2027); following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or majority coalition usually elected prime minister by Parliament from among its members; election for prime minister last held on 20 April 2020 (next to be held following general elections in 2024)
election results: Nikenike VUROBARAVU elected president in eighth round on 23 July 2022 with 48 votes;
Sato KILMAN defeated as prime minister in no-confidence vote on 6 October 2023; Charlot SALWAI elected prime minister on 6 October 2023, 29 votes for - 0 against
Legislative branch
description: unicameral Parliament (52 seats; members directly elected in 8 single-seat and 9 multi-seat constituencies by single non-transferable vote to serve 4-year terms (candidates in multi-seat constituencies can be elected with only 4% of the vote)
elections: last held on 13 October 2022 (next to be held in 2026)
election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - UMP 7, VP 7, LPV 5, RMC 5, GJP 4, NUP 4, RDP 4, IG 3, PPP 2, VNDP 2, NAG 1, VLM 1, other 6, independent 1; composition - men 51, women 1; percent of women 2%; note - political party associations are fluid
note: the National Council of Chiefs advises on matters of culture and language
Judicial branch
highest court(s): Court of Appeal (consists of 2 or more judges of the Supreme Court designated by the chief justice); Supreme Court (consists of the chief justice and 6 puisne judges - 3 local and 3 expatriate)
judge selection and term of office: Supreme Court chief justice appointed by the president after consultation with the prime minister and the leader of the opposition; other judges appointed by the president on the advice of the Judicial Service Commission, a 4-member advisory body; judges serve until the age of retirement
subordinate courts: Magistrates Courts; Island Courts
Political parties and leaders
Green Confederation or GC [Moana CARCASSES Kalosil]
Iauko Group or IG [Tony NARI]
Land and Justice Party (Graon mo Jastis Pati) or GJP [Ralph REGENVANU]
Leaders Party of Vanuatu or LVP [Nikenike VUROBARAVU]
Melanesian Progressive Party or MPP [Barak SOPE]
Nagriamel Movement or NAG [Frankie STEVENS]
Natatok Indigenous People's Democratic Party or NATATOK or NIPDP [Alfred Roland CARLOT]
National United Party or NUP [Ham LINI]
People's Progressive Party or PPP [Sato KILMAN]
People's Service Party or PSP [Don KEN]
Reunification of Movement for Change or RMC [Charlot SALWAI]
Rural Development Party or RDP [Jay NGWELE, spokesman]
Union of Moderate Parties or UMP [Alatoi Ishmael KALSAKAU]
Vanua'aku Pati (Our Land Party) or VP [Bob LOUGHMAN]
Vanuatu Democratic Party [Maxime Carlot KORMAN]
Vanuatu First or Vanuatu [Russel NARI]
Vanuatu Liberal Democratic Party or VLDP [Tapangararua WILLIE]
Vanuatu Liberal Movement or VLM [Gaetan PIKIOUNE]
Vanuatu National Development Party or VNDP [Robert Bohn SIKOL]
Vanuatu National Party or VNP [Issac HAMARILIU]
Vanuatu Republican Party or VRP [Marcellino PIPITE]
International organization participation
ACP, ADB, AOSIS, C, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, IOC, IOM, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, NAM, OAS (observer), OIF, OPCW, PIF, Sparteca, SPC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US
chief of mission: Ambassador Odo TEVI (since 8 September 2017)
note - also Permanent Representative to the UN
chancery: 800 Second Avenue, Suite 400B, New York, NY 10017
telephone: [1] (212) 661-4323
FAX: [1] (212) 422-3427
email address and website:
vanunmis@aol.com
https://www.un.int/vanuatu/
note - the Vanuatu Permanent Mission to the UN serves as the embassy
Diplomatic representation from the US
embassy: the US does not have an embassy in Vanuatu; the US Ambassador to Papua New Guinea is accredited to Vanuatu
Flag description
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 fern fronds, all in yellow; red represents the blood of boars and men, as well as unity, green the richness of the islands, and black the ni-Vanuatu people; the yellow Y-shape - which reflects the pattern of the islands in the Pacific Ocean - symbolizes the light of the Gospel spreading through the islands; the boar's tusk is a symbol of prosperity frequently worn as a pendant on the islands; the fern fronds represent peace
note: one of several flags where a prominent component of the design reflects the shape of the country; other such flags are those of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brazil, and Eritrea
National symbol(s)
boar's tusk with crossed fern fronds; national colors: red, black, green, yellow
National anthem
name: "Yumi, Yumi, Yumi" (We, We, We)
lyrics/music: Francois Vincent AYSSAV
note: adopted 1980; the anthem is written in Bislama, a Creole language that mixes Pidgin English and French
National heritage
total World Heritage Sites: 1 (cultural)
selected World Heritage Site locales: Chief Roi Mata’s Domain
Economy
Economic overview
lower-middle income Pacific island economy; extremely reliant on subsistence agriculture and tourism; environmentally fragile; struggling post-pandemic and Tropical Cyclone Harold rebound; sizeable inflation; road infrastructure aid from Australia
Real GDP (purchasing power parity)
$888.165 million (2021 est.)
$884.192 million (2020 est.)
$934.627 million (2019 est.)
note: data are in 2017 dollars
comparison ranking: 208
Real GDP per capita
$2,800 (2021 est.)
$2,800 (2020 est.)
$3,100 (2019 est.)
note: data are in 2017 dollars
comparison ranking: 199
GDP (official exchange rate)
$870 million (2017 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices)
2.34% (2021 est.)
5.33% (2020 est.)
2.76% (2019 est.)
comparison ranking: 143
GDP - composition, by sector of origin
agriculture: 27.3% (2017 est.)
industry: 11.8% (2017 est.)
services: 60.8% (2017 est.)
comparison rankings: services 115; industry 201; agriculture 24
GDP - composition, by end use
household consumption: 59.9% (2017 est.)
government consumption: 17.4% (2017 est.)
investment in fixed capital: 28.7% (2017 est.)
investment in inventories: 0% (2017 est.)
exports of goods and services: 42.5% (2017 est.)
imports of goods and services: -48.5% (2017 est.)
Agricultural products
coconuts, roots/tubers, bananas, vegetables, pork, fruit, milk, beef, groundnuts, cocoa
Industries
food and fish freezing, wood processing, meat canning
Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24)
total: 5.4% (2021 est.)
male: 5.2%
female: 5.6%
comparison ranking: total 186
Household income or consumption by percentage share
lowest 10%: NA
highest 10%: NA
Budget
revenues: $398 million (2019 est.)
expenditures: $355 million (2019 est.)
Fiscal year
calendar year
Current account balance
$1.893 million (2021 est.)
$60.619 million (2020 est.)
$215.521 million (2019 est.)
comparison ranking: 76
Exports
$88.805 million (2021 est.) note: data are in current year dollars
$141.534 million (2020 est.) note: data are in current year dollars
$372.711 million (2019 est.)
comparison ranking: 211
Exports - partners
Thailand 54%, Japan 18%, South Korea 6%, Cyprus 5%, China 4% (2021)
Exports - commodities
tuna, floating platforms, cargo ships, perfume plants, mollusks, copra (2021)
Imports
$495.858 million (2021 est.) note: data are in current year dollars
$429.601 million (2020 est.) note: data are in current year dollars
$488.795 million (2019 est.)
comparison ranking: 200
Imports - partners
China 26%, Australia 16%, New Zealand 15%, Fiji 8%, Singapore 7% (2021)
Imports - commodities
refined petroleum, fishing ships, poultry meats, delivery trucks, lumber, rice, broadcasting equipment (2021)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold
$664.751 million (31 December 2021 est.)
$613.637 million (31 December 2020 est.)
$511.546 million (31 December 2019 est.)
comparison ranking: 161
Debt - external
$200.5 million (31 December 2017 est.)
$182.5 million (31 December 2016 est.)
comparison ranking: 188
Exchange rates
vatu (VUV) per US dollar -
Exchange rates:
109.453 (2021 est.)
115.38 (2020 est.)
114.733 (2019 est.)
110.165 (2018 est.)
107.821 (2017 est.)
Energy
Electricity access
electrification - total population: 70% (2021)
electrification - urban areas: 97% (2021)
electrification - rural areas: 60.7% (2021)
Electricity
installed generating capacity: 35,000 kW (2020 est.)
consumption: 62.926 million kWh (2019 est.)
exports: 0 kWh (2020 est.)
imports: 0 kWh (2020 est.)
transmission/distribution losses: 5 million kWh (2019 est.)
comparison rankings: imports 153; exports 141; installed generating capacity 198; transmission/distribution losses 202; consumption 200
Electricity generation sources
fossil fuels: 84.5% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
nuclear: 0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
solar: 8.2% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
wind: 7.4% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
hydroelectricity: 0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
tide and wave: 0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
geothermal: 0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
biomass and waste: 0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
Coal
production: 0 metric tons (2020 est.)
consumption: 0 metric tons (2020 est.)
exports: 0 metric tons (2020 est.)
imports: 0 metric tons (2020 est.)
proven reserves: 0 metric tons (2019 est.)
Petroleum
total petroleum production: 0 bbl/day (2021 est.)
refined petroleum consumption: 1,500 bbl/day (2019 est.)
crude oil and lease condensate exports: 0 bbl/day (2018 est.)
crude oil and lease condensate imports: 0 bbl/day (2018 est.)
crude oil estimated reserves: 0 barrels (2021 est.)
Natural gas
production: 0 cubic meters (2021 est.)
consumption: 0 cubic meters (2021 est.)
exports: 0 cubic meters (2021 est.)
imports: 0 cubic meters (2021 est.)
proven reserves: 0 cubic meters (2021 est.)
Carbon dioxide emissions
225,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)
from coal and metallurgical coke: 0 metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)
from petroleum and other liquids: 225,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)
from consumed natural gas: 0 metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)
comparison ranking: total emissions 201
Communications
Telephones - fixed lines
total subscriptions: 3,600 (2021 est.)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 1 (2021 est.)
comparison ranking: total subscriptions 210
Telephones - mobile cellular
total subscriptions: 250,000 (2021 est.)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 78 (2021 est.)
comparison ranking: total subscriptions 182
Telecommunication systems
general assessment: for many years, 2G Global System for Mobile Communications was the primary mobile technology for Vanuatu’s 300,000 people; recent infrastructure projects have improved access technologies, with a transition to 3G and, to a limited degree, to LTE; Vanuatu has also benefited from the ICN1 submarine cable and the launch of the Kacific-1 satellite, both of which have considerably improved access to telecom services in recent years; Vanuatu’s telecom sector is liberalized, with the two prominent mobile operators; while fixed broadband penetration remains low, the incumbent operator is slowly exchanging copper fixed-lines for fiber; a number of ongoing submarine cable developments will also assist in increasing data rates and reduce internet pricing in coming years (2021)
domestic: fixed-line teledensity is 1 per 100 and mobile-cellular 78 per 100 (2021)
international: country code - 678; landing points for the ICN1 & ICN2 submarine cables providing connectivity to the Solomon Islands and Fiji; cables helped end-users with Internet bandwidth; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean) (2020)
Broadcast media
1 state-owned TV station; multi-channel pay TV is available; state-owned Radio Vanuatu operates 2 radio stations; 2 privately owned radio broadcasters; programming from multiple international broadcasters is available
Internet users
total: 211,200 (2021 est.)
percent of population: 66% (2021 est.)
comparison ranking: total 181
Broadband - fixed subscriptions
total: 2,785 (2020 est.)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 1 (2020 est.)
comparison ranking: total 194
Transportation
National air transport system
number of registered air carriers: 1 (2020)
inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers: 8
annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers: 374,603 (2018)
annual freight traffic on registered air carriers: 1.66 million (2018) mt-km
Airports - with paved runways
3
note: paved runways have a concrete or asphalt surface but not all have facilities for refueling, maintenance, or air traffic control; the length of a runway required for aircraft to safely operate depends on a number of factors including the type of aircraft, the takeoff weight (including passengers, cargo, and fuel), engine types, flap settings, landing speed, elevation of the airport, and average maximum daily air temperature; paved runways can reach a length of 5,000 m (16,000 ft.), but the “typical” length of a commercial airline runway is between 2,500-4,000 m (8,000-13,000 ft.)
Airports - with unpaved runways
28
note: unpaved runways have a surface composition such as grass or packed earth and are most suited to the operation of light aircraft; unpaved runways are usually short, often less than 1,000 m (3,280 ft.) in length; airports with unpaved runways often lack facilities for refueling, maintenance, or air traffic control
Roadways
total: 1,070 km (2000)
paved: 256 km (2000)
unpaved: 814 km (2000)
comparison ranking: total 184
Merchant marine
total: 331 (2022)
by type: bulk carrier 16, container ship 4, general cargo 87, oil tanker 2, other 222
comparison ranking: total 51
Ports and terminals
major seaport(s): Forari Bay, Luganville (Santo, Espiritu Santo), Port-Vila
Military and Security
Military and security forces
no regular military forces; Ministry of Internal Affairs: Vanuatu Police Force (VPF) (2023)
note: the VPF includes the Vanuatu Mobile Force (VMF) and Police Maritime Wing (VPMW); the paramilitary VMF also has external security responsibilities
Military - note
the separate British and French police forces were unified in 1980 under Ni-Vanuatu officers as the New Hebrides Constabulary; the force retained some British and French officers as advisors; the Constabulary was subsequently renamed the Vanuatu Police Force later in 1980
the Vanuatu Mobile Force has received training and other support from Australia, China, France, New Zealand, and the US
Vanuatu has a "shiprider" agreement with the US, which allows local maritime law enforcement officers to embark on US Coast Guard (USCG) and US Navy (USN) vessels, including to board and search vessels suspected of violating laws or regulations within Vanuatu's designated exclusive economic zone (EEZ) or on the high seas; "shiprider" agreements also enable USCG personnel and USN vessels with embarked USCG law enforcement personnel to work with host nations to protect critical regional resources (2023)
Transnational Issues
Disputes - international
Vanuatu-France: Matthew and Hunter Islands, two uninhabited islands east of New Caledonia, claimed by Vanuatu and France; in January 2019, a French naval mission landed officers on the islands to reinforce France’s sovereignty; in November 2021, French vessels fishing near the islands raised tensions
Trafficking in persons
tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List — Vanuatu does not fully meet the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking but is making significant efforts to do so; these efforts included sentencing four traffickers to prison, following their conviction in the previous reporting period; however, the government did not demonstrate overall increasing efforts, compared with the previous reporting period, to expand its anti-trafficking capacity; for the fourth consecutive year, authorities did not identify any trafficking victims and did not provide protection services to victims; for the third consecutive year, officials did not investigate any trafficking crimes; the government also did not conduct public awareness campaigns or administer anti-trafficking training for law enforcement officials; therefore, Vanuatu was downgraded to Tier 2 Watch List (2023)
trafficking profile: human traffickers exploit domestic and foreign victims in Vanuatu, and traffickers exploit victims from Vanuatu abroad; individuals from Bangladesh, China, the Philippines, and Thailand are exploited in Vanuatu; workers from China may have been forced to work in Vanuatu at projects run by Chinese companies; traffickers target migrant women in the hospitality and tourism sectors and low-skilled foreign workers in high-risk sectors, such as agriculture, mining, fishing, logging, construction, and domestic service; Chinese and South Asian migrant women are at risk for labor trafficking in bars, beauty salons, and massage parlors; Bangladeshi criminal groups lure Bangladeshis with false promises of jobs in Australia, then exploit them in forced labor in construction in Vanuatu; women and girls may be at risk of debt-based coercion in sex trafficking and domestic servitude to pay back the husband’s family for the “bride-price payments” they made to the bride’s family; children are exploited through “child-swapping” used to pay off debts, or by taxi drivers who may facilitate their exploitation in commercial sex; forced labor and child sex trafficking occur on fishing vessels in Vanuatu; LGBTQI+ individuals are vulnerable to trafficking; children may experience conditions indicative of forced labor in the illegal logging industry and in newspaper sales (2023)