Vanuatu

General Information about Vanuatu

Vanuatu, which was formerly known as the New Hebrides Islands, is an archipelago nation that consists of 83 islands and is located in the South Pacific to the east of northern Australia. Vanuatu has a population of almost 210,000 people. The official languages spoken in Vanuatu are Pidgin (also known as Bislama), English and French. There are also over 100 local languages that are commonly spoken. There are many religions followed in Vanuatu such as Presbyterian, Anglican, Roman Catholic, Seventh-Day Adventist and indigenous beliefs such as Jon Frum cargo cult. The capital and largest city of Vanuatu is Port Vila which is situated in the south coast of the Efate Island and is home to an estimated 40,000 people.

The National Museum of Vanuatu has many excellent displays of the history and culture of Vanuatu. Traditional artifacts on display include log drums, outrigger canoes, pottery and ceremonial headresses. There are also videos of traditional ceremonies and photography displays. Tanna Island is home to one of the world's most accessible volcanoes Yasur as well as the village of the John Frum cargo cult. Believers still wait here for his return. Vanuatu's Espiritu Santo Island which was James A Michener's inspiration for 'South Pacific' is great for scuba-diving as this is where the President Coolidge liner and the USS Tucker destroyer are found.

Vanuatu Photo Gallery (8 of 24 Photos)

P&O Onboard Bar	Side of the P&O Boat	P&O Spa Baths	P&O Sun Baking Area
P&O Rescue Boats	Sun Deck Chairs	Onboard the P&O Boat	P&O Swimming Pool

VIEW ALL VANUATU PHOTOGRAPHS

Climate

Find Out About The Climate Of Vanuatu

Vanuatu experiences a tropical to subtropical climate alongside with trade winds that blow in from the south east. The climate does vary from the south to the north with the southern parts being more cooler and drier than in the north where conditions are wet, hot, and humid. If your planning a trip to Vanuatu then May through to October are the best months to travel with pleasant weather conditions and temperatures ranging between 21-32 degrees. This is also the period where the trade winds blow where conditions are moderated by ocean breezes. November through to March are the summer months where conditions are hotter and cyclones are common.

Geography

Geographical Information On Vanuatu

Vanuatu which is an archipelago of Oceania which is a geographical region in the South Pacific Ocean has a total area of 12,200 square kilometres which includes over 80 islands while only about 65 of these are inhabited. Vanuatu has a coastline of over 2,528 kilometres and is of volcanic origin. Because of this the terrain is mostly mountainous with some narrow coastal plains. Vanuatu was originally inhabited by Melanesian people until the France and the United Kingdom claimed parts of the islands in 1880 and was more commonly known as New Hebrides until independence was established in the 1970's. It was then in 1980 that the Republic of Vanuatu was announced. Found on the largest island of Vanuatu is the island's highest point at Espiritu Santois. Known as Mount Tabwemasana and rises to over 1,877 metres. Because of Vanuatu's volcanic origin, there are still many active volcanic islands to be found including volcanoes below sea level with the last eruption occurring in 1945. The archipelago of Vanuatu is broken into six provinces of Malampa, Penama, Sanma, Shefa, Tafea, and Torba.

Economy

Learn About The Economy Of Vanuatu

The tourism industry in Vanuatu is one of the main contributors to the economy with most of the visitors to the islands travelling from Australia and New Zealand with over 60,000 visitors in 2005. The agricultural industry employs over 65 percent of the population while just providing just over 26 percent of the economy. Fishing and offshore financial services are also important to the economy. The main exports to come out of Vanuatu are copra, beef, cocoa, timber, kava and coffee. Vanuatu had a low unemployment rate of 1.7 percent reported back in 1998 while in 2005 they received economic aid of as much as $39.48 million dollars. The official currency of Vanuatu is the Vatu.

Apartments in Vanuatu

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Hotels in Vanuatu

Must Explore would like to wish you an enjoyable stay in Vanuatu.

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