About Vanuatu

Vanuatu, is a country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean, consisting of a chain of 13 principal and many smaller islands located about 500 miles (800 km) west of Fiji and 1,100 miles (1,770 km) east of Australia. The islands extend north-south for some 400 miles (650 km) in an irregular Y shape. The Torres Islands are the northernmost group. Southward from the Torres group, the main islands are Vanua Lava and Santa Maria (Gaua) in the Banks Islands group, Espiritu Santo, Aoba (Ambae), Maéwo, Pentecost, Malakula, Ambrym, Épi, Éfaté, Erromango, Tanna, and Anatom. Some 200 miles (320 km) to the southeast of Anatom, two uninhabited islands, Hunter and Matthew, are claimed by both Vanuatu and France (as part of New Caledonia).

Formerly the jointly administered Anglo-French condominium of the New Hebrides, Vanuatu achieved independence in 1980. The name Vanuatu means “Our Land Forever” in many of the locally used Melanesian languages. The capital, largest city, and commercial centre is Port-Vila (Vila), on Éfaté.

 

Economy

Subsistence agriculture has traditionally been the economic base of Vanuatu, together with an elaborate exchange network within and between islands.

Kava, beef, copra, timber, and cocoa are the most important exports; Australia, New Caledonia, Japan, and New Zealand are the main export destinations. Imports—mainly of machinery and transport equipment, food and live animals, and mineral fuels—come principally from Australia, Singapore, New Zealand, and Fiji. Because of its vulnerability to weather and commodity market fluctuations, Vanuatu is working toward supplementing large-scale agriculture with stronger extractive, manufacturing, and service sectors to foster its long-term economic growth.

In addition to its major exports the Vanuatu Government started researching and doing analysis of internet gambling and explore possibility of license gambling operations on Vanuatu. The Vanuatu Government determined that internet gaming, if managed responsibly and appropriately, may be offered from within Vanuatu with significant advantage to operators, players and the people of Vanuatu represented by the Government. 

Further Information

Vanuatu is famously linked to the origins of bungee jumping, inspired by the Land Diving ritual practiced annually by men from southern Pentecost Island. 

  • Capital: Port Vila

  • Area: 12,189 km2

  • Population:  335,908 (2023) Worldometer

  • GDP: $1.064 billion (2023 estimate)

  • Official language(s): Bislama, French, English

  • Time Zone: UTC+11

  • Continent: Oceania