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| Country
Fact Sheet |
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Location
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North East of New Caledonia - 1,930 km (app.
1,200 miles) east of Australia
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Capital
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Port
Vila
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Surface
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12,200 sq km
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Population
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Ni-Vanuatu (singular and plural) 192,920
(2001 est.)
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Currency
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Vatu (VT) $1 US = VT 130
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GDP
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Purchasing
power parity - $257 million (2000 est.)
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GDP/capita
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Purchasing
power parity - $1,300 (2000 est.)
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Language
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Official languages: Bislama (or Bichelama)
English and French
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Religion
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Christian - Indigenous Cargo Cult - practice
of "Toka" ritual dance
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Government
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Republic
- President (H.E. FR. John Bennett Bani)
elected by Parliament and National Council
of Chiefs (since 25 March 1999)
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Time
Zone
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GMT +11 hours
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Telecom
Code
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+678 and local 5 digit number
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Airport
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Bauerfield 10 min. from Port Vila - Pekoa
on Espiritu Santo
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Driving
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On right hand side of the road, license
required
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Electrical
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220-230 volts AC, mainly three-point plugs
in hotels
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Political
climate
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Stable country
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| Local
Business & Service Providers |
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Financial
services
Legal and fiduciary
Financial
Technology
Business travel
Image identity Consultancy
Corporate incentives
Automotive services
Accommodations
Lifestyle |
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| History |
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| The
first settlers arrived in Vanuatu approx. 3,500
years ago, from New Guinea and the Solomon Islands
by sea-going canoe. The islands (called the New
Hebrides until 1980) have been populated for thousands
or years. Pedro Fernandez de Quiros From Spain first
discovered the islands in 1606. Captain Cook charted
the islands in 1774 and commercial exploitation
by Sandalwooders began in the 1820's
Until
the beginning of the twentieth century, labour
recruitment for Australia and missionary activity
proved to be a disruptive combination. However,
the second half of the ninetieth century saw the
increase in European traders and planters.
From
1906 until 1980, Britain and France jointly ruled
Vanuatu. At this point the Island, which was known
as the New Hebrides had a name change on becoming
an independent republic in 1980.
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