Aminet 6/Aminet 6 - June 1995.iso/Aminet/docs/misc/wfbook93_texi.lha/texi/252.data

Text File | 1995-03-27 | 7.9 KB | 319 lines

@node Geography (Vanuatu)
@section Geography (Vanuatu)

@display

Location:
  Oceania, 5,750 km southwest of Honolulu in the South Pacific Ocean, about
  three-quarters of the way between Hawaii and Australia
Map references:
  Oceania, Standard Time Zones of the World
Area:
 total area:
  14,760 km2
 land area:
  14,760 km2
 comparative area:
  slightly larger than Connecticut
 note:
  includes more than 80 islands
Land boundaries:
  0 km
Coastline:
  2,528 km
Maritime claims:
  measured from claimed archipelagic baselines
 contiguous zone:
  24 nm
 continental shelf:
  200 nm or the edge of continental margin
 exclusive economic zone:
  200 nm
 territorial sea:
  12 nm
International disputes:
  none
Climate:
  tropical; moderated by southeast trade winds
Terrain:
  mostly mountains of volcanic origin; narrow coastal plains
Natural resources:
  manganese, hardwood forests, fish
Land use:
 arable land:
  1%
 permanent crops:
  5%
 meadows and pastures:
  2%
 forest and woodland:
  1%
 other:
  91%
Irrigated land:
  NA km2
Environment:
  subject to tropical cyclones or typhoons (January to April); volcanism
  causes minor earthquakes



@end display

@node People (Vanuatu)
@section People (Vanuatu)

@display

Population:
  165,876 (July 1993 est.)
Population growth rate:
  2.36% (1993 est.)
Birth rate:
  33.16 births/1,000 population (1993 est.)
Death rate:
  9.57 deaths/1,000 population (1993 est.)
Net migration rate:
  0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1993 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
  69.9 deaths/1,000 live births (1993 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
 total population:
  58.8 years
 male:
  57.11 years
 female:
  60.58 years (1993 est.)
Total fertility rate:
  4.47 children born/woman (1993 est.)
Nationality:
 noun:
  Ni-Vanuatu (singular and plural)
 adjective:   Ni-Vanuatu
Ethnic divisions:
  indigenous Melanesian 94%, French 4%, Vietnamese, Chinese, Pacific Islanders
Religions:
  Presbyterian 36.7%, Anglican 15%, Catholic 15%, indigenous beliefs 7.6%,
  Seventh-Day Adventist 6.2%, Church of Christ 3.8%, other 15.7%
Languages:
  English (official), French (official), pidgin (known as Bislama or
  Bichelama)
Literacy:
  age 15 and over can read and write (1979)
 total population:
  53%
 male:
  57%
 female:
  48%
Labor force:
  NA
 by occupation:
  NA



@end display

@node Government (Vanuatu)
@section Government (Vanuatu)

@display

Names:
 conventional long form:
  Republic of Vanuatu
 conventional short form:
  Vanuatu
 former:
  New Hebrides
Digraph:
  NH
Type:
  republic
Capital:
  Port-Vila
Administrative divisions:
  11 island councils; Ambrym, Aoba/Maewo, Banks/Torres, Efate, Epi, Malakula,
  Paama, Pentecote, Santo/Malo, Shepherd, Tafea
Independence:
  30 July 1980 (from France and UK)
Constitution:
  30 July 1980
Legal system:
  unified system being created from former dual French and British systems
National holiday:
  Independence Day, 30 July (1980)
Political parties and leaders:
  Vanuatu Party (VP), Donald KALPOKAS; Union of Moderate Parties (UMP), Serge
  VOHOR; Melanesian Progressive Party (MPP), Barak SOPE; National United Party
  (NUP), Walter LINI; Tan Union Party (TUP), Vincent BOULEKONE; Nagriamel
  Party, Jimmy STEVENS; Friend Melanesian Party, leader NA
Suffrage:   18 years of age; universal
Elections:
 Parliament:
  last held 2 December 1991 (next to be held by November 1995); note - after
  election, a coalition was formed by the Union of Moderate Parties and the
  National United Party to form new government on 16 December 1991; seats -
  (46 total) UMP 19; NUP 10; VP 10; MPP 4; TUP 1; Nagriamel 1; Friend 1
Executive branch:
  president, prime minister, deputy prime minister, Council of Ministers
  (cabinet)
Legislative branch:
  unicameral Parliament; note - the National Council of Chiefs advises on
  matters of custom and land
Judicial branch:
  Supreme Court
Leaders:
 Chief of State:
  President Frederick TIMAKATA (since 30 January 1989)
 Head of Government:
  Prime Minister Maxime CARLOT KORMAN (since 16 December 1991); Deputy Prime
  Minister Sethy REGENVANU (since 17 December 1991)
Member of:
  ACCT, ACP, AsDB, C, ESCAP, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IFC, IMF, IMO, IOC,
  ITU, NAM, SPARTECA, SPC, SPF, UN, UNCTAD, UNIDO, UPU, WHO, WMO
Diplomatic representation in US:
  Vanuatu does not have a mission in Washington
US diplomatic representation:
  the ambassador to Papua New Guinea is accredited to Vanuatu



@end display

@node Government (Vanuatu 2. usage)
@section Government (Vanuatu 2. usage)

@display

Flag:
  two equal horizontal bands of red (top) and green with a black isosceles
  triangle (based on the hoist side) all separated by a black-edged yellow
  stripe in the shape of a horizontal Y (the two points of the Y face the
  hoist side and enclose the triangle); centered in the triangle is a boar's
  tusk encircling two crossed namele leaves, all in yellow



@end display

@node Economy (Vanuatu)
@section Economy (Vanuatu)

@display

Overview:
  The economy is based primarily on subsistence farming which provides a
  living for about 80% of the population. Fishing and tourism are the other
  mainstays of the economy. Mineral deposits are negligible; the country has
  no known petroleum deposits. A small light industry sector caters to the
  local market. Tax revenues come mainly from import duties.
National product:
  GDP - exchange rate conversion - $142 million (1988 est.)
National product real growth rate:
  6% (1990)
National product per capita:
  $900 (1988 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  5% (1990)
Unemployment rate:
  NA%
Budget:
  revenues $90 million; expenditures $103 million, including capital
  expenditures of $45 million (1989 est.)
Exports:
  $15.6 million (f.o.b., 1990 est.)
 commodities:
  copra 59%, cocoa 11%, meat 9%, fish 8%, timber 4%
 partners:
  Netherlands, Japan, France, New Caledonia, Belgium
Imports:
  $60.4 million (f.o.b., 1990 est.)
 commodities:
  machines and vehicles 25%, food and beverages 23%, basic manufactures 18%,
  raw materials and fuels 11%, chemicals 6%
 partners:
  Australia 36%, Japan 13%, NZ 10%, France 8%, Fiji 8%
External debt:
  $30 million (1990 est.)
Industrial production:
  growth rate NA%; accounts for about 10% of GDP
Electricity:
  17,000 kW capacity; 30 million kWh produced, 180 kWh per capita (1990)
Industries:
  food and fish freezing, wood processing, meat canning
Agriculture:
  accounts for 40% of GDP; export crops - coconuts, cocoa, coffee, fish;
  subsistence crops - taro, yams, coconuts, fruits, vegetables
Economic aid:
  Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-89),
  $606 million
Currency:
  1 vatu (VT) = 100 centimes
Exchange rates:
  vatu (VT) per US$1 - 120.77 (January 1993), 113.39 (1992), 111.68 (1991),
  116.57 (1990), 116.04 (1989), 104.43 (1988)
Fiscal year:
  calendar year



@end display

@node Communications (Vanuatu)
@section Communications (Vanuatu)

@display

Railroads:
  none
Highways:
  1,027 km total; at least 240 km sealed or all-weather roads
Ports:
  Port-Vila, Luganville, Palikoulo, Santu
Merchant marine:
  125 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 2,121,819 GRT/3,193,942 DWT; includes
  23 cargo, 16 refrigerated cargo, 6 container, 11 vehicle carrier, 1
  livestock carrier, 6 oil tanker, 2 chemical tanker, 3 liquefied gas, 54
  bulk, 1 combination bulk, 1 passenger, 1 short-sea passenger; note - a flag
  of convenience registry
Airports:
 total:
  31
 usable:
  31
 with permanent-surface runways:
  2
 with runways over 3,659 m:
  0
 with runways 2,440-3,659 m:
  1
 with runways 1,220-2,439 m:
  2
Telecommunications:
  broadcast stations - 2 AM, no FM, no TV; 3,000 telephones; 1 Pacific Ocean
  INTELSAT ground station



@end display

@node Defense Forces (Vanuatu)
@section Defense Forces (Vanuatu)

@display

Branches:
  Vanuatu Police Force (VPF), paramilitary Vanuatu Mobile Force (VMF)
 note:
  no military forces
Manpower availability:
  males age 15-49 NA; fit for military service NA
Defense expenditures:
  exchange rate conversion - $NA, NA% of GDP



@end display