221552
local languages (more than 100) 63.2%, Bislama (official; creole) 33.7%, English (official) 2%, French (official) 0.6%, other 0.5% (2009 est.)
PORT-VILA (capital) 53,000 (2014)
- Conventional long form
- Republic of Vanuatu
- Conventional short form
- Vanuatu
- Local long form
- Ripablik blong Vanuatu
- Local short form
- Vanuatu
parliamentary republic
- Name
- Port Vila
- Geographic coordinates
- 17 44 S, 168 19 E
- Time difference
- UTC+11 (16 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction
This South Pacific island economy is based primarily on small-scale agriculture, which provides a living for about two-thirds of the population. Fishing, offshore financial services, and tourism, with nearly 350,000 visitors in 2016, are other mainstays of the economy. Tourism has struggled after Efate, the most populous and popular island for tourists, was damaged by Tropical Cyclone Pam in 2015. Ongoing infrastructure difficulties at Port Vila’s Bauerfield Airport have caused air travel disruptions, further hampering tourism numbers. Australia and New Zealand are the main source of tourists and foreign aid. A small light industry sector caters to the local market. Tax revenues come mainly from import duties. Mineral deposits are negligible; the country has no known petroleum deposits.
- Inflation
- 2.466%
- External debt stocks
- US$ 170,276,000
- Total tax rate (% of commercial profits)
- 8.5%
- Real Interest Rate
- 1.113%
- Manufacturing, value added (% of GDP)
- 3.708%
- Current Account Balance
- US$ -82,051,487
- Labor Force, Total
- 122,660
- Employment in Agriculture
- 60.55%
- Employment in Industry
- 7.03%
- Employment in Services
- 31.07%
- Unemployment Rate
- 5.36%
- Imports of goods and services
- US$ 402,516,902
- Exports of goods and services
- US$ 395,707,503
- Total Merchandise Trade
- 61.40%
- FDI, net inflows
- US$ 31,021,246
- Commercial Service Exports
- US$ 277,492,850
copra, coconuts, cocoa, coffee, taro, yams, fruits, vegetables; beef; fish
food and fish freezing, wood processing, meat canning
- Commodities
- copra, beef, cocoa, timber, kava, coffee
- Partners
- Japan 35.1%, Turkey 10.5%, Thailand 8.7%, China 8.2%, Venezuela 5.9%, UK 5.6% (2015)
- Commodities
- machinery and equipment, foodstuffs, fuels
- Partners
- China 16.7%, Australia 14.6%, Japan 13.9%, Singapore 10%, Fiji 9.2%, NZ 8.4%, New Caledonia 5.2% (2015)