Vanuatu Information

Vanuatu has excellent communications with the rest of the world via telephone, telex, facsimile and the Internet. The capital, Port Vila, is served by major courier companies and three international airlines. Vanuatu has a population of about 190,000 people. The population is made up of 98% local Ni-Vanuatu and the rest a mixture of expatriates and other pacific islanders. The Ni-Vanuatu are a friendly and industrious people and there is no racial or tribal disharmony.

Climate
Vanuatu's climate is rather typical of the South Pacific. The climate varies from wet tropical in the north to subtropical in the south. The prevailing winds throughout the year are from the south-east. The average maximum temperature varies from 27.2 degrees in July to 30.2 degrees in January. The average range of temperature during the day is about 18 or 19 degrees Celsius.

Economy
The Vanuatu economy is developing gradually and is based primarily on agriculture and is supplemented by tourism and financial services.

Agriculture
The fertile volcanic soils of Vanuatu are its greatest asset. Agricultural products make up 90% of the country's exports. Copra is the most significant agricultural crop in the country, with large plantations on Santo and Malekula. Copra is the country's largest export earner, however it is susceptible to the large swings in the commodity price on international markets. Much of this is exported where it is processed into confectionery, soap, margarine and industrial products.

Government
Vanuatu is a republic within the British Commonwealth of Nations and has a parliamentary democracy based on the Westminster System. Its legal basis derives from the written constitution produced prior to independence in 1980. The legislature consists of a single chamber with 50 members of parliament and general elections are held every four years. The guardian of the constitution and titular head of government is the President who is elected by an electoral college comprising members of parliament, local councils and chiefs. The law of Vanuatu is based on English law, together with local statutes which have generally modernised and modified the common law in a way suitable for an offshore financial centre and the local business environment.

Vanuatu has many regional affiliations including the South Pacific Commission, South Pacific Forum, South Pacific Regional Trade and Economic Co-operation Agreement, Melanesian Spearhead Group and Asian Development Bank.

Language
Vanuatu has one of the highest concentrations of different languages per head of population in the world. There are over 120 indigenous languages that result from the traditional small isolated island communities. The official languages of the nation are English and French. The national language is Bislama, a sophisticated pidgin English more suitable for conversation than the written form.

Transportation
Land: There is no public transportation system, but there is an abundance of privately owned and operated 10-14 seat minibuses. They do not operate on a fixed route, instead travelling to the locations of the various passengers' wishes. Similar to the taxi service they are much cheaper than a taxi, generally, at a cost of 100 Vt. They can boarded by simply waving them down on the side of the road or at a designated bus stop. Taxis can be found on all islands in one form or another. In rural areas they may be 4WD vehicles. It is generally wise to negotiate the cost of the fare before embarking on the ride. Additionally vehicles and mopeds (a small motorbike) may be hired in Port Vila. There is an minimum age restrictions for hiring are 23 for vehicles and 17 for mopeds.

Sea: Port Vila and Luganville have international deep water ports with full customs and immigration facilities. These ports host the regular visits by cruise ships and touring yachts to the area. There are shipping services, run by a number of operators, to Australia , New Zealand , Europe and New Caledonia . The main ports are Port Vila and Luganville.

Air: Travelling to Vanuatu is made easy by regular international flights by the regional carriers originating from Sydney, Brisbane, Melbourne, Noumea, Fiji, Auckland. The chief airports are at Bauerfield, near Port Vila, and Pekoa on Espíritu Santo Island; there are 26 smaller airfields, with a further three planned. Vanuatu has two airlines, Vanair which operates internal flights throughout the archipelago, and Air Vanuatu for flights from Bauerfield to Australia, New Zealand, Fiji, Solomon Islands and New Caledonia. Local charter flights can also be arranged.

Visitor's Permits
Persons wishing to visit Vanuatu for a holiday or for reasons of business where such business is not located in Vanuatu (eg: a sales representative) may be issued with Visitors Permits on arrival provided they are in possession of a confirmed onward or return ticket to a place to which entry is authorised and they have sufficient funds to support themselves. Apart from this exception Visitors are not permitted to engage in any business or employment. The validity of a Visitors Permit may be extended to a maximum period of four months in any one year but will not be extended further. Applications for Residence Permits from persons who have already entered Vanuatu as visitors will not be approved while they are in Vanuatu.