Vanuatu
Vanuatu is a South Pacific Ocean nation made up of roughly 80 islands that stretch 1,300 kilometers. The islands offer scuba diving at coral reefs, underwater caverns and wrecks such as the WWII-era troopship SS President Coolidge. Harborside Port Vila, the nation’s capital and economic center, is on the island of Efate. The city is home to the Vanuatu National Museum, which explores the nation’s Melanesian culture.
Country Profile
| Population | 277,554 |
| Border Countries | South Pacific Ocean |
| Capital City | Port Vila |
| Currency | Vanuatu vatu |
| Language | Local languages (more than 100) 63.2%, Bislama (official; creole) 33.7%, English (official) 2%, French (official) 0.6%, other 0.5% |
| Religion | Protestant 70%, Roman Catholic 12.4%, customary beliefs 3.7% (including Jon Frum cargo cult), other 12.6%, none 1.1%, unspecified 0.2% |
| Type of Government | Parliamentary republic |
| % living in poverty | Poverty headcount ratio at national poverty lines: 12.7% (2010) |
| Life Expectancy | 72 years |
| Infectious Diseases | Malaria, typhoid, dengue |
| Top Killers | Heart disease, cerebrovascular disease |
| Literacy | Adult literacy rate (% ages 15 and older) 85.2% |
| Natural Resources | Manganese, hardwood forests, fish |
| Main Industry/Export | Agriculture: copra, coconuts, cocoa, coffee, taro, yams, fruits, vegetables; beef; fish
Industry: food and fish freezing, wood processing, meat canning Exports: copra, beef, cocoa, timber, kava, coffee |