Vanuatu
Vanuatu is a country in the Pacific Ocean. The official languages of Vanuatu are Bislama, English and French. Vanuatu has a population of over 250,000 people.[7] The capital of Vanuatu is Port Vila. The country was ruled as a colony by England and France. It got its independence in 1980.[8] During the colonial time, it was named the "New Hebrides" or "Nouvelles Hebrides".
Republic of Vanuatu Ripablik blong Vanuatu (in Bislama) République de Vanuatu (in French) | |
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| Motto: | |
| Anthem: | |
| Location of Vanuatu | |
| Capital and largest city | Port Vila |
| Official languages | Bislama English French |
| Ethnic groups (1999) | Ni-Vanuatu 98.5% other 1.5% |
| Demonym(s) | Ni-Vanuatu; Vanuatuan |
| Government | Unitary parliamentary republic |
| Tallis Obed Moses | |
| Bob Loughman | |
| Independence | |
• from France and the United Kingdom | 30 July 1980 |
| Area | |
• Total | 12,190 km2 (4,710 sq mi) (161st) |
| Population | |
• Estimate | 224,564 (July 2011 est.)[4] |
• 2009 census | 243,304[5] |
• Density | 19.7/km2 (51.0/sq mi) (188th) |
| GDP (PPP) | 2010 estimate |
• Total | $1.216 billion[6] |
• Per capita | $5,500 (2010 est.)[6] |
| GDP (nominal) | 2010 estimate |
• Total | $721 million[6] |
• Per capita | $2,835[6] |
| HDI (2004) |  0.693medium · 126th |
| Currency | Vanuatu vatu (VUV) |
| Time zone | UTC+11 (VUT (Vanuatu Time)) |
| Driving side | right |
| Calling code | 678 |
| ISO 3166 code | VU |
| Internet TLD | .vu |
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History
Evidence shows, that people lived in Vanuatu by 1300 BC.[9] Portuguese explorer Pedro Fernández de Quirós first discovered the islands in 1606. British explorer, navigator James Cook discovered the islands in 1774. Cook mapped the islands and named them New Hebrides.[10][9]
Geography
Vanuatu is an island archipelago. It has about 82 small islands. The islands were made from volcanoes. 65 of the islands are inhabited. There is about 800 miles (1,300 km) north to south distance between the outermost islands. Two of the islands (Matthew and Hunter) are also claimed by France. Fourteen of Vanuatu's islands have surface areas of more than 100 square kilometres (39 sq mi).
The highest point in Vanuatu is Mount Tabwemasana, at 1,879 metres (6,165 ft), on the island of Espiritu Santo.
Flora and fauna
Even though it has tropical forests, Vanuatu has a small number of plant and animal species. There are no large mammals. The 19 species of native reptiles include the flowerpot snake, found only on Efate. The Fiji Banded Iguana (Brachylophus fasciatus) was introduced as a feral animal in the 1960s.[11][12] There are 11 species of bats and 61 species of land and water birds.
The region is rich in sea life. There are more than 4,000 species of marine molluscs. Coneshell and stonefish carry poison that will kill humans. The giant East African land snail arrived only in the 1970s but already has spread from the Port-Vila region to Luganville.
There are three or possibly four adult saltwater crocodiles living in Vanuatu's mangroves and no current breeding population.[12] It is said the crocodiles reach the northern part of the islands after cyclones. This is because of the island chain's closeness to the Solomon Islands and New Guinea, where crocodiles are very common.[13]
Cuisine
The national dish of Vanuatu is the lap lap.[14]
Locations
There are six provinces in Vanuatu. They are Malampa, Penama, Sanma, Shefa, Tafea and Torba.
Some of the cities are:[15]
Gallery
- Vanuatu Tanna Yasur.JPG
Cinder plain of Yasur volcano on Tanna island.
- National Cultural Centre, Vanuatu.jpg
National Cultural Centre, Port Vila.
- National Council of Chiefs, Vanuatu.jpg
National Council of Chiefs, Port Vila.
- A stream on Efate, Vanuatu.jpg
Stream on Efate island.
- Street band, Port Vila, Vanuatu - Flickr - PhillipC.jpg
Port Villa street band.
- Port Vila aerial.jpg
Aerial view of Port Vila.
- Feuerreiben.gif
Early fire-making technique in Vanuatu.
- Commercial agriculture, North Efate.jpg
North Efate.
References
- ↑ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Utilities at line 38: bad argument #1 to 'ipairs' (table expected, got nil).
- ↑ John Lynch and Fa'afo Pat (eds), Proceedings of the first International Conference on Oceanic Linguistics, Australian National University, 1993, p. 319.
- ↑ G. W. Trompf, The Gospel is not Western: Black theologies from the Southwest Pacific, Orbis Books, 1987, p. 184.
- ↑ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Utilities at line 38: bad argument #1 to 'ipairs' (table expected, got nil).
- ↑ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Utilities at line 38: bad argument #1 to 'ipairs' (table expected, got nil).
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Utilities at line 38: bad argument #1 to 'ipairs' (table expected, got nil).
- ↑ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Utilities at line 38: bad argument #1 to 'ipairs' (table expected, got nil).
- ↑ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Utilities at line 38: bad argument #1 to 'ipairs' (table expected, got nil).
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Utilities at line 38: bad argument #1 to 'ipairs' (table expected, got nil).
- ↑ "Vanuatu profile - Timeline" (in en-GB). BBC News. 2017-07-12. https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-16426561. Retrieved 2021-05-07.
- ↑ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Utilities at line 38: bad argument #1 to 'ipairs' (table expected, got nil).
- ↑ 12.0 12.1 Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Utilities at line 38: bad argument #1 to 'ipairs' (table expected, got nil).
- ↑ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Utilities at line 38: bad argument #1 to 'ipairs' (table expected, got nil).
- ↑ The secrets of Vanuatu's national dish, the Lap Lap
- ↑ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Utilities at line 38: bad argument #1 to 'ipairs' (table expected, got nil).
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