Vanuatu is a country in Melanesia. Its capital is Port Vila.
Oceania and its surrounding regions. The dot marks Port Vila; the mapped territory is highlighted in gold.
Natural Earth · locator mapVanuatu is a chain of islands in the southwest Pacific with rugged volcanic terrain and some lower coral landscapes. Many larger islands have steep interiors, short rivers and narrow coastal plains. Ocean channels separate distinct island environments.
Mount Yasur on Tanna is an active volcano. Espiritu Santo has high mountains, forest and varied coasts, providing a different landscape from Tanna’s volcanic ash areas. Reefs and smaller islands add further marine and coastal variety.
The islands have a warm tropical climate moderated by trade winds. Summers are generally hotter and wetter, while winters are cooler and drier.
Active geology brings earthquakes and volcanic hazards, while tropical cyclones can bring intense rain and wind. Forested catchments, farmland and reefs are closely connected. Conditions vary by island, elevation and exposure.
Two equal horizontal bands of red (top) and green with a black isosceles triangle (based on the left side); a black-edged yellow stripe in the shape of a horizontal "Y" faces the left side and encloses the triangle; a boar's tusk in the triangle circles two crossed namele fern fronds, all in yellow
.jpg)
Glowing lava traces an eruption on Tanna in this long-exposure photograph.
Photo: Romain Pontida · CC BY-SA 2.0 · Wikimedia Commons
Coastal scenery contrasts with Vanuatu’s active volcanic landscapes.
Photo: Graham Crumb/ Imagicity.com · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons
Bislama, English and French are official languages, and Bislama is the national language. Bislama is widely used to communicate across island communities.
More than a hundred Indigenous languages are also spoken. English and French have important educational roles, reflecting the former joint colonial administration, but neither captures the country’s extensive home-language diversity.
In parts of Vanuatu, skilled practitioners trace continuous geometric designs in sand, ash or clay. The drawings accompany stories and help preserve knowledge about local histories, relationships and practical activities. The tradition also supports communication between communities with different languages.
Sources: UNESCO · Vanuatu sand drawings
The islands were known internationally as the New Hebrides during a period of joint British and French colonial administration established in 1906. An independence movement developed in the twentieth century, and Vanuatu became independent in 1980. Indigenous customary institutions remain important alongside the national parliamentary system.
Agriculture, tourism, construction and services support the economy. Kava, copra, cocoa and beef are important products. Many households combine subsistence farming with cash income. Cyclones, earthquakes, volcanic activity and the cost of serving scattered islands create recurring development challenges.
Kava and copra production, cocoa, beef, tourism services and construction.
Dated World Bank observations. Population uses selected years; real GDP uses all available annual observations.
Population estimates may be revised. Selected years are shown.
Sources: World Bank · Population
| Year | People | Thousands of people |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 86,266 | 86.266 |
| 1980 | 115,660 | 115.660 |
| 1990 | 148,063 | 148.063 |
| 2000 | 186,281 | 186.281 |
| 2010 | 238,248 | 238.248 |
| 2020 | 298,858 | 298.858 |
| 2025 | 335,169 | 335.169 |
Constant prices adjust for inflation. This is total economic output, not current-dollar GDP or income per person. Missing years are left as gaps.
Sources: World Bank · Real GDP
| Year | Constant 2015 US$ | Billions of constant 2015 US dollars |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 439,359,480 | 0.439 |
| 1991 | 453,188,928 | 0.453 |
| 1992 | 464,905,737 | 0.465 |
| 1993 | 468,324,877 | 0.468 |
| 1994 | 510,855,642 | 0.511 |
| 1995 | 515,984,352 | 0.516 |
| 1996 | 527,993,038 | 0.528 |
| 1997 | 553,900,668 | 0.554 |
| 1998 | 560,419,272 | 0.560 |
| 1999 | 562,309,528 | 0.562 |
| 2000 | 595,625,294 | 0.596 |
| 2001 | 575,388,433 | 0.575 |
| 2002 | 545,477,908 | 0.545 |
| 2003 | 568,869,829 | 0.569 |
| 2004 | 591,552,904 | 0.592 |
| 2005 | 622,936,717 | 0.623 |
| 2006 | 675,641,508 | 0.676 |
| 2007 | 695,072,230 | 0.695 |
| 2008 | 734,003,168 | 0.734 |
| 2009 | 756,297,072 | 0.756 |
| 2010 | 765,817,848 | 0.766 |
| 2011 | 789,863,019 | 0.790 |
| 2012 | 797,841,012 | 0.798 |
| 2013 | 801,538,131 | 0.802 |
| 2014 | 826,426,928 | 0.826 |
| 2015 | 855,360,240 | 0.855 |
| 2016 | 886,322,641 | 0.886 |
| 2017 | 923,754,899 | 0.924 |
| 2018 | 946,990,364 | 0.947 |
| 2019 | 978,021,084 | 0.978 |
| 2020 | 922,026,415 | 0.922 |
| 2021 | 911,300,253 | 0.911 |
| 2022 | 962,259,774 | 0.962 |
| 2023 | 1,018,356,922 | 1.018 |
| 2024 | 1,056,704,662 | 1.057 |
| 2025 | 1,088,971,965 | 1.089 |
The Human Development Index combines health, education and income. Scores range from 0 to 1.
The latest values refer to 2023. All historical scores use the same report edition. HDI does not describe every aspect of inequality or quality of life.
Sources: UNDP · Human Development Report 2025
A parliamentary republic. A President is head of state and a Prime Minister leads the government. Parliament has one elected chamber. The Malvatumauri, or National Council of Chiefs, advises on customary and cultural matters.
Three questions about Vanuatu.
Sources: CIA World Factbook · archived profile
Prepared 24 September 2026. World Bank series: SP.POP.TOTL (persons) and NY.GDP.MKTP.KD (constant 2015 US dollars); downloaded 24 September 2026, provider update 13 July 2026. UNDP values use the 2025 report and 2023 observation year. These are dated statistical snapshots, not live population or economic counters.
Maps use Natural Earth geographic data. Background geography, flag descriptions and selected historical facts use archived public-domain CIA World Factbook profiles, supplemented by the sources linked above. The Factbook is no longer updated; dated statistics here come from the separately named providers.
