Vanuatu

Geography Vanuatu is an archipelago of 83 islands lying between New Caledonia and Fiji in the South Pacific. Largest of the islands is Espiritu Santo (875 sq mi; 2,266 sq km); others are Efate, Malekula, Malo, Pentecost, and Tanna. Republic of Vanuatu Languages: Bislama 33.7% (a Melanesian pidgin English), English 2%, French 0.6% (all 3 official); other 0.5%; more than 100 local languages 63.2% Ethnicity/race: Ni-Vanuatu 97.6%, part Ni-Vanuatu 1.1%, other 1.3% (2009 est.) Religions: Protestant 70% (includes Presbyterian 27.9%, Anglican 15.1%, Seventh Day Adventist 12.5%, Assemblies of God 4.7%, Church of Christ 4.5%, Neil Thomas Ministry 3.1%, and Apostolic 2.2%), Roman Catholic 12.4%, customary beliefs 3.7% (including Jon Frum cargo cult), other 12.6%, none 1.1%, unspecified 0.2% (2009 est.) Literacy rate: 83.2% (2011 est.) Economic summary: GDP/PPP (2013 est.): $1.27 billion; per capita $4,800. Real growth rate: 3.3%. Inflation:1.9%. Unemployment: 1.7% (1999). Arable land: 1.64%. Agriculture: copra, coconuts, cocoa, coffee, taro, yams, fruits, vegetables; beef; fish. Labor force: 115,900 (2007); agriculture 65%, services 30%, industry 5% (2000 est.). Industries: food and fish freezing, wood processing, meat canning. Natural resources: manganese, hardwood forests, fish. Exports: $43.1 million (2013 est.): copra, beef, cocoa, timber, kava, coffee. Imports: $319.4 million (2013 est.): machinery and equipment, foodstuffs, fuels. Major trading partners: Thailand, Japan, China, Cote divoire, United States, Australia, Singapore, New Zealand, Fiji (2012). Communications: Telephones: main lines in use: 5,800 (2012); mobile cellular: 137,000 (2012). Radio broadcast stations: AM 2, FM 2, shortwave 1 (2008). Radios: 67,000 (1997). Television broadcast stations: 1 (2002).Televisions: 2,300 (1999). Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 5,655 (2012). Internet users: 17,000 (2009). Transportation: Railways: 0 km. Highways: total: 1,070 km; paved: 256 km; unpaved: 814 km (2000 est.).Waterways: none. Ports and harbors: Forari Bay, Luganville (Santo, Espiritu Santo), Port-Vila. Airports: 31 (2013). International disputes: Matthew and Hunter Islands east of New Caledonia claimed by Vanuatu and France.