Vanuatu

At a glance Land People Economy Achievements and challenges Links with Australia   Vanuatu at a glance Did you know? Vanuatu was known as the New Hebrides before independence from England and France in 1980. The emblem on the flag is the crossed leaves of the 'namele' fern, (for peace) circled by a boar's tusk (for wealth). The boar's tusk is a symbol of prosperity because pigs represent wealth. In the latter stages of encouraging the tusk to grow in a spiral a pig has to be hand fed, and one needs status and wealth to have both a pig feeder and the food which are necessary. Region Pacific Population 199,414 (July 2003 est.) Land Geography: Mostly mountains of volcanic origin; narrow coastal plains Climate: Tropical; moderated by southeast trade winds People Religion: Christian (70%), indigenous beliefs 7.6%, other 15.7% (including Jon Frum cargo cult) Language: Official: English, French, pidgin (Bislama), plus more than 100 local languages Economy Economy: Subsistence or small scale agriculture Government Parliamentary republic Land Physical Geography Vanuatu is a Y-shaped archipelago of four main islands and 80 smaller islands with a total land area of 12,200 square kilometres. It is only 2.5 hours flying time North East of Brisbane, Australia. Many of the islands are mountainous, rising straight out of the ocean, with little flat coastal land. The highest point is Tabwemasana 1,877 metres, on the island Espiritu Santo and the capital, Port Vila, is on Efate. Located on the Pacific Ring of Fire there are active volcanoes, frequent earth tremors and occasional tsunamis. Climate Vanuatu has a tropical climate with high temperatures. In Port Vila, January temperatures average 27°C and July temperatures average 22°C. During the wet season, from November to April, rainfall totals vary from 2250mm in the south to 3875mm (nearly 4 metres) in the north. Cyclones may occur during the wet season. Environment Forests in Vanuatu are richly varied and include giant banyan trees, kauri pines and some remnant stands of sandalwood as well as over 150 plant species which are endemic (specific to Vanuatu). The steep terrain has protected Vanuatu's forests from logging. Coconut plantations are common. People Most people live in small villages across all the islands. Only about 14.5% of the population live in urban areas. The two largest cities are Port Vila, on Efate, 19,400 people, and Luganville, on Espiritu Santo, 7000 people. People Culture and identity The ni-Vanuatu, as the people are known, are predominantly Melanesian (94%), there are also French (4%), and Chinese, Pacific Islanders and Vietnamese make up the remaining 2%. Over 100 indigenous languages and cultures have developed due to the isolation caused by the mountainous terrain and the sea separating the islands. Some groups have links to Papuans of PNG and Australian Aborigines and others are linked to the people of the eastern Pacific. Warfare was common between the groups. Bislama (Vanuatu pidgin) is the main language spoken across the various groups but English, and more commonly, French are also spoken. There is a regular cycle of celebrations associated with birth, initiation, marriage and death which make-up the community's social life. These events include hundreds of extended family members as relationships are traced back many generations. Story telling, songs and dances have long been important because there was no written language. Art, in many forms, from body decorations and tattoos, to elaborate masks, hats and carvings are also a vital part of ritual celebrations. Traditional musical instruments include the tam-tam or slit-drum, an intricately carved log with a slice hollowed out from the centre in which the sound reverberates, panpipes and conch shells. Health Government spending on health and health education have improved preventive behaviours such as the use of mosquito nets and immunisation rates. There has been a decrease in infant mortality from 75 per 1000 live births in 1985 to 41 per 1000 live births in 1996. Life expectancy is 68 years and average family size is 4-5 children. The majority of the population does not have access to safe water. Food shortages may occur after cyclones or other natural disasters. Processed food is causing health issues for many town people. Religion and beliefs Traditional beliefs in spirits and demons are often held alongside Christian beliefs. There are some similarities between the traditional beliefs and Christianity with a Creator God, Tahara, a Garden of Eden where the original man and woman ate fruit from the forbidden rose apple tree and fell from grace, and the demon, Saratau. Some places, names, knowledge, objects or practices may be considered 'tabu' or sacred. Natural events are often considered the result of actions of individuals who may have offended certain spirits. Food and shelter The root vegetables yams, manioc and taro are the most important subsistence crops. Crops are grown in a freshly cleared section of the forest each year. In places where there is plenty of water, taro is grown in complex terraces hand built from earth and rocks. Taro, wild spinach and grated coconut are ground together to make the national dish, Laplap. Pork, beef, fish, poultry, seafood or bush meat like flying fox may be added, and the mixture is wrapped in banana leaves and baked in an underground oven. Seasonal fruits like breadfruit are important. Kava the 'anti-anxiety herb', is the national drink. Economy Wealth and poverty Vanuatu's economy is very narrowly based, relying heavily on tourism, agriculture and to some extent financial services. Most people are subsistence farmers producing just enough for their needs. The economy and social rituals connected to ceremonial events are strongly based on gifts of pigs and other food. Education and work Vanuatu has a low literacy rate (53%) and fewer than 20% of students who leave primary school continue to secondary school. There is a complex mix of schools with English and French primary schools and state and denominational secondary schools. Improvements in secondary education are limited by shortages of trained teachers. Industries and products Subsistence farming supports about 80% of the population.Subsistence farmers produce mainly taro, yams, coconuts, fruits and vegetables. The principal cash and export crops are copra, cocoa and coffee. Light industries, which cater for local needs, are based on food and natural resources - fish freezing, meat canning and wood processing. Trade Vanuatu's main exports are copra, beef, cocoa, timber, kava and coffee to India 33%, Thailand 23%, South Korea 11%, Indonesia 6% and Japan 5% (2002). It imports machinery and equipment, food and fuel from Australia 22%, Japan 19%, New Zealand 10%, Singapore 8%, Fiji 7%, Taiwan 5% and India 5% (2002). Achievements and challenges The main constraints to development in Vanuatu include more than 100 different vernacular languages, the dual French and English language and education systems, and frequent earthquakes, cyclones and tsunamis. Political instability marked the 1990s but it is expected to be improved as a result of the election (2002) of a coalition with a workable majority. Economic growth is limited by dependence on relatively few commodity exports and long distances from main markets and between the islands. There are a number of active community groups throughout the islands. The Vanuatu Women's Centre has assisted women to address issues of violence in the home and financial difficulties. The community theatre group Wan Smolbag brings powerful messages about care of the environment, health and social and human rights to villages throughout the country. Links with Australia Early contact with Australia occurred when thousands of ni-Vanuatu were 'recruited' to work on the sugar and cotton plantations of Queensland in the late 1800s. Known as blackbirding, many workers were never able to return home but had few rights in Australia. Australia now enjoys a friendly, broad-based relationship with Vanuatu. Australia is a major source of imports, investment, tourists and aid. Australia exported food products, petroleum, alcoholic beverages, tobacco and computer equipment approximately $AUD49.6 million in financial year 2002-03. Australia imported vegetable oils, fresh vegetables and wood carvings worth $AUD3.7 million. Areas of Australian investment include agriculture, tourism, finance and construction. Australian aid to Vanuatu focuses on needs identified through Vanuatu's Comprehensive Reform Program which focuses on growth and stability through better governance, strengthening the law and justice sector, supporting service delivery, particularly in health and education, and rural development.

Members of Young People's Project in Vanuatu work on the final edit of their video Isi Laef [Easy Life] which confronts issues affecting young people