The Country

The Republic of Vanuatu is located in the South Pacific approximately 1500 miles northeast of Sydney, Australia and 500 miles due west of Fiji. A "Y" shaped archipelago, Vanuatu stretches almost 560 miles North to Southeast, encompassing approximately 80 islands. The land mass is roughly 5,700 square miles, about the size of the state of Connecticut. One of the largest countries in the South Pacific, its territorial waters are regarded as an important resource for future development.

Vanuatu is the picture perfect South Pacific escape. The Vanuatu islands are magnets because of their charm and raw beauty. Visitors to the islands have the choice of small, well-managed resort hotels or beautifully situated modern hotels offering all the amenities the sophisticated traveler demands. There are hotels to fit every budget.

Vanuatu offers many pristine beaches and snorkeling or scuba diving in its world famous waters. Fishing, as a sport, takes on a whole new meaning in Vanuatu where each expedition could land a record marlin.

And the food! For most of Vanuatu's history the French cooking style has prevailed in its restaurants and hotels. In the last few years a large variety of cooking styles from Europe and the Far East have begun to appear. But no matter what the style, the diner can be assured that fresh fish and island fruits will adorn the plate.

The People and the Language

Currently the population is estimated to be about 170,000. Approximately 90% of the population are Melanesian (ni-Vanuatu). The remainder consists of a mix of small numbers of Europeans, Australians, New Zealanders, Micronesians, Polynesians, Vietnamese and Chinese, most of whom live in the two urban centers, Port Vila on the island of Efate and Luganville on Santo. English and French are official languages of the country, while Bislama, the local pigeon English is the national language. Additionally, about 108 distinct languages are spoken throughout the archipelago.

The Climate

The climate varies from tropical in the north of the Archipelago to subtropical in the south. Both the weather and the fertile land are important to agriculture and livestock development. The humidity level is moderate most of the year but is usually higher from December to April. Most days are sunny with intermittent rainfall, which becomes heavier during the more humid months. Air conditioning is desirable in the rainy season but not necessary during the rest of the year as cool ocean breezes are frequent. Although severe storms can occur, they are infrequent, often coming years apart.

The History

The first European to discover these islands was Captain De Quiros who named them "Tierra Australia del Espiritu Santo" believing them to be part of the major southern continent. The largest island in the chain still bears the name Espiritu Santo.

The next European to land there was the French explorer Bougainville. He put ashore on the islands of Ambae, Pentecost and Maewo and named them the "Cyclades" (after the Greek Islands). Bougainville named the strait between these islands after himself.

In 1774, Captain Cook sailed through the chain from north to south and gave them the name New Hebrides (after the islands off the Scottish coast). Following Captain Cook's voyage, the islands were visited by other French explorers and by 1895 both French and British subjects had settled there. In 1902 both nations appointed Resident Commissioners and in October of 1906, Britain and France signed an agreement resolving their various claims to the country and making it a Condominium (the only one of its kind in the world) under joint management of both nations.

At the end of 1978, the Condominium Arrangement ceased. Elections were held in November 1979 and the nation became independent on July 30, 1980. Vanuatu joined the United Nations on September 5, 1981.