Vanuatu

Resort bungalows on Iririki Island, Vanuatu
Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Iririki,_Vanuatu.jpg
Author: Phillip Capper


Vanuatu is an island nation located on the southwestern part of the Pacific Ocean. It has a land area totaling 12,190 sq km (4,710 sq mi) and a population of 245,000 (2011 estimate). The country is 1,750 km (1,090 mi) to the northeast of Australia. Its capital and largest city is Port Vila.

Vanuatu is eleven hours ahead of Coordinated Universal Time (UTC+11). Its official currency is called the Vanuatu vatu (VUV). Traffic here is driven on the right. The phone IDD code is +678.

Champagne Beach, North Santo, Vanuatu
Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Champagne_Beach.jpg
Author: Jae Lee


Vanuatu comprises 82 small islands. Most of these were created by undersea volcanoes. The largest islands of Vanuatu include Espiritu Santo, Malakula, Efate and Erromango. The capital, Port Vila, is located on Efate while the tallest peak in Vanuatu, the 1,879 m (6,165 ft) Mount Tabwemasana, is on Espiritu Santo.

Vanuatu experiences a subtropical climate. Temperature here is fairly constant, between 20°C (68°F) and 32°C (90°F). The wet season in Vanuatu is from December through April, which is also the warmest months. The islands are occasionally hit by cyclones during this period.

Landdiving ritual by Pentecost Islanders, Vanuatu
Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Landdiving3.jpg
Author: Paul Stein


Vanuatu has been inhabited by people of Micronesia for thousands of years when it was discovered by Europeans. The Spanish under Fernandes de Queirós were the first to arrive in the area, in 1605.

By the 19th century, both Britain and France were laying claims to different islands in the Vanuatu group, resulting in a unique joint government called the British-French Condominium. This unusual form of government began to fall apart with the rise of nationalism in the 1940's. However it was only in the 1970's that a political party was formed in Vanuatu. On 30 July, 1980, Vanuatu gained its independence from Britain and France.

Cave drawings, Fels Cave, Lelepa Island, Vanuatu
Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Fels_Cave_Drawings_1.jpg
Author: Phillip Capper

Planning your visit to Vanuatu

Visitors from most countries, including most EU countries and Commonwealth countries, do not need a visa for entering Vanuatu for up to four months. The national carrier Air Vanuatu flies to Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne, Auckland, Nadi and Nouméa from Port-Vila.

Major Cities in Vanuatu

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About this website

Hello and thanks for reading this page. My name is Timothy and my hobby is in describing places so that I can share the information with the general public. My website has become the go to site for a lot of people including students, teachers, journalists, etc. whenever they seek information on places, particularly those in Malaysia and Singapore. I have been doing this since 5 January 2003, for over twenty years already. You can read about me at Discover Timothy. By now I have compiled information on thousands of places, mostly in Peninsular Malaysia and Singapore, and I continue to add more almost every day. My goal is to describe every street in every town in Malaysia and Singapore.