What To Know Before Visiting Vanuatu? Country Facts

What to Know Before Visiting Vanuatu?
Country Facts:
 Vanuatu is made up of around 80 islands
 The highest point in Vanuatu is Mount Tabwemasana, which has an altitude of
1,879 meters (6,160 ft.) and is located on the island of Espiritu Santo.
 The island of Efate was named by Captain Cook, after his patron (Lord
Sandwich!!).
 A lot of islands of Vanuatu have been colonized for thousands of years
 There are only three or four mature saltwater crocodiles in Vanuatu’s mangroves.
 Agriculture is a large source of income for about 65% of the population of
Vanuatu
 There are no regular military forces in Vanuatu. Instead, the police have a
paramilitary force called the ‘Vanuatu Mobile Force’.
 Nearly 80% of the population lives in the rural or isolated areas of Vanuatu.
 Vanuatu is one of the least visited countries in the world.
 The island Torba is banning importation of Western food by 2020, to become
totally organic.
 Tanna island features one of the most accessible active volcanos, Mt Yasur

Source:
1. https://girlaroundtheworld.com.au/25-cool-facts-vanuatu/
2. https://sup.star-board.com/10-interesting-facts-about-the-vanuatu-expedition/
Country Flag:
Capital: Portvilla is the capital of Vanuatu.
Government: The politics of Vanuatu take place within the framework of a

constitutional democracy. The constitution provides for a representative parliamentary
system. The head of the Republic is an elected President. The Prime Minister of
Vanuatu is the head of government.
Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Politics_of_Vanuatu
Prime Minster: Charlot Salwai is Prime Minister of Vanuatu since 2016.

Economy: The Vanuatu economy is based on agriculture, fishing, tourism and offshore
financial services. Much of the agriculture is subsistence farming. As most exports are
agricultural – for example, copra, coconut oil, kava, beef, timber, cocoa and coffee,
Vanuatu is vulnerable to fluctuations in world commodity prices. For the 2018 estimate,
GDP per capita in Vanuatu will be $2863 in PPP per capita and $3255 in nominal per
capita.
Population: The population of Vanuatu was estimated to be 42.72 million in 2018.
Religion by Percentage: Approximately 83% of the population of Vanuatu is Christian.
An estimated 32% is Presbyterian, 13% Roman Catholic, 13% Anglican, and 11%
Seventh-day Adventist.
Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Religion_in_Vanuatu
Top Vanuatu Foods: Vanuatu is one of the few countries in the world without
McDonald's or Starbucks. A couple of greasy takeaways in the centre of Port Vila
substitute for the former; at Seaview takeaway near the market you can have fun
throwing your leftovers to the fish. There is not a culture of grabbing a takeaway coffee,
but Jungle Cafe in Port Vila will serve you one if you're desperate. Hot meals are very
difficult to find after about 9.30 in the evening, but the Sportsman's Bar by the Cultural
Centre is open 24 hours. In Luganville you'll find many cafes shut at weekends. On
Friday and Saturday nights, 'fundraising' events at kava bars sell cheap takeaway food
to support local groups or families struggling with school fees.
 Lap-Lap: The traditional dish which you will most likely be offered once during
your stay is a root vegetable cake called lap lap. Essentially this either manioc
(kasava), sweet potato, taro or yam shaved into the middle of a banana leaf with
island cabbage and sometimes a chicken wing on top. This is all wrapped up into
a flat package and then cooked in hot stones underground till it all melts together
into a cake. The best place to pick up some of this is at the food market in the
town centre and should cost you about 100 vatu.
 Tuluk: This is a variation of lap lap with the the cake rolled into a cylinder with
meat in the middle. It tastes a lot like a sausage roll. You can find these again in
the market (usually from mele village people) but they will be served from foam
boxes to keep them warm.
 Steak: Vanuatu's meat is renowned in the region. At the airports you will see
signs reminding you to pack the 25kg of meat permitted to other nearby island
nations. The reason the meat's so good is that it's all naturally grown, with no
feedlots or other problems of westernised mass production. The result of this is
that the steaks are very good indeed. They are also one of the few things in
Vanuatu that's cheap and good value by Western standards.
 Coconut Crab: These giant land crustaceans are delicious but are becoming
highly endangered as a result. Claims about sustainable harvesting should not
be trusted: for every crab that is collected and sold in accordance with fisheries
regulations, the harvesters will probably pick up half a dozen underage crabs for
unofficial local consumption. Depending on your attitude to conservation, either
avoid eating coconut crabs in order to help ensure the survival of the species, or
eat them while you still can.
 Poulet fish: It is a variety of local snapper from Vanuatu that is praised for its
unique flavor, said to be reminiscent of chicken. That is most certainly the reason
why this fish was given the name poulet fish, which translates to chicken fish in
French. The deep water fish is large and meaty, with a pinkish-red color and firm
white flesh. Considered a fish delicacy, poulet fish is usually prepared soon after
it has been caught, either whole or filleted, and due to its firm flesh, the fish lends
itself to a plethora of cooking techniques such as grilling, pan frying, baking, or
steaming. Typical accompaniments include creamy sauces, roasted or mashed
potatoes, fries, scallops, vegetables, and a glass of wine or a cold beer on the
side. Poulet fish is available in restaurants across the islands of Vanuatu, and its
typical chicken-like flavor appeals to tourists and locals alike.
Language: However there are also more than one hundred indigenous Vanuatu
languages spoken throughout the islands. Vanuatu has the highest language density
per capital in the world, with around 110 different languages and 2,000 speakers of
each local language.
Dress for Men and Women: Many Ni-Vanuatu women wear skirts that are at least
knee-length, out of modesty. Although you can wear shorts and short skirts around the
resorts and in main towns, it is respectful to pay attention to local customs and wear
longer skirts when you're out and about in more rural areas.
Holidays: There are several national holidays in Vanuatu such as:

 New Year's Day
 Father Walter Lini Day
 Custom Chief's Day
 Good Friday
 Easter Monday
 Labour Day.
 Ascension Day
 Children's Day
 Independence Day (of Vanuatu)
 Assumption of Mary
 Constitution Day
 National Unity Day
 Christmas Day
 Family Day
Travel Tips:
 With such a large north-south area, Vanuatu has all the tropical variances
possible. From hot and humid in the north, to mild and dry in the south.
 Nationals of any European Union state within the Schengen Area may enter
Vanuatu visa-free for up to 90 days in a 180-day period.
 All visitors must have a passport valid for a further 4 months and an onward.
 There are two ferry boats operating regularly on the route Vila - Santo: 1:
Vanuatu Ferry and the Big Sista. Both ships are fairly comfortable.
 Taxis are plentiful within Port Vila. Fare is calculated per taxi.
 The Vanuatu people are a delight to photograph, friendly, co-operative and
photogenic. Yes, they love to be photographed but please do not offer to pay to
photograph local people as this will quickly discourage spontaneity and
encourage commercialisation.
 The local currency is the Vatu (VT). For purposes of very rough calculation, there
are a hundred vatu to the dollar.
 Alcoholic beverages are also widely available
 Vanuatu is, on the whole, a safe and friendly environment.
 It is advisable to be immunised against Hepatitis A and B and typhoid fever
before visiting Vanuatu.
 Within their own small communities, ni-Vanuatu uphold very conservative values,
but they are used to diversity and tend not to openly criticise other people's
cultural practices although they may be curious or uncomprehending.
 Internet cafes can be found in Luganville & Port-Vila.
Top 10 Attractions and places to visit:
1. Mount Yasur
2. Champagne Beach
3. Hideaway
4. Iririki Island
5. Millenium Cave
6. Million Dollar Point
7. Aore
8. Mystery Island
9. Lelepa
10. Espiritu Santo Island
Vanuatu Boys Name:
 Enele
 Afa
 Afu
 Fara
 Haych
 Itu
 Hone
Top 10 Universities in Vanuatu:
1. the university of the south pacific
2. Revans university
Top 10 Websites:
1. Paclii.org
2. Vfsc.vu
3. Firstnationalvanuatu.com
4. Volcanicearth.com
5. Pacificprivatebank.com
6. Tvl.vu
7. Islandproperty.vu
8. Tannacoffee.com
9. Oceanbluefishing.com
10. Ajc-vanuatu.com
Top 3 Search engines used:

1. Google
2. Bing
3. Yahoo
Top exports:
 Frozen fish
 Scrap Vessels
 Perfume plants
 Molluscs
 Copra
Top 5 Cars:
Not found…
Natural Disasters:
Many types of natural disasters occur in Vanuatu such as:
 Tropical cyclones
 Earthquake
 Tsunamis
 Volcanoes
Home Designs / Architecture:
The vast majority of villagers still build their own homes from local materials. The
majority of dwellings are traditional Melanesian houses with earth or coral floors, no
glass windows, and palm, bamboo, or cane walls and roofing. The most widely used
exterior construction material was bush.
Deaths and Mortality:
In 2019, death rate for Vanuatu was 5.2 per 1,000 people. Death rate of Vanuatu fell
gradually from 12 per 1,000 people in 1970 to 5.2 per 1,000 people in 2019.
Source: https://knoema.com/atlas/Vanuatu/Death-rate

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What to Know Before Visiting Vanuatu?

Government: The politics of Vanuatu take place within the framework of a

Prime Minster: Charlot Salwai is Prime Minister of Vanuatu since 2016.

Holidays: There are several national holidays in Vanuatu such as:

Top 10 Attractions and places to visit:

Top 3 Search engines used:

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