Map of Vanuatu
Vanuatu is a country in Oceania with its capital at Port Vila, home to about 335,169 people across 12,190 km². The interactive map below plots 2 cities and towns, 1 mountain summits and 2 ports recorded for Vanuatu in YearMaps.
- Population
- 335,169
- Area
- 12,190 km²
- Capital
- Port Vila
- Continent
- Oceania
Interactive Map of Vanuatu
Centred on Port Vila at 17.7334° S, 168.3166° E. Use the layer panel to switch on rivers, dams, ports, peaks and historical borders.
About Vanuatu
Vanuatu, officially the Republic of Vanuatu (French: République de Vanuatu; Bislama: Ripablik blong Vanuatu), is an archipelagic country in Melanesia located in the South Pacific Ocean. The archipelago, which is of volcanic origin, is 1,750 km (1,090 mi) east of northern Australia, 540 km (340 mi) northeast of New Caledonia, east of New Guinea, southeast of Solomon Islands, and west of Fiji.
Vanuatu was first inhabited by Melanesian people. The first Europeans to visit the islands were a Spanish expedition led by Portuguese navigator Fernandes de Queirós, who arrived on the largest island, Espíritu Santo, in 1606. Queirós claimed the archipelago for Spain, as part of the colonial Spanish East Indies and named it La Austrialia del Espíritu Santo.
In the 1880s, France and the United Kingdom claimed parts of the archipelago, and in 1906, they agreed on a framework for jointly managing the archipelago as the New Hebrides – through an Anglo-French condominium.
In the 1970s, an independence movement arose, and the Republic of Vanuatu was founded in 1980. Since its independence, the country has become a member of the United Nations, the Commonwealth of Nations, the Organisation internationale de la Francophonie, and the Pacific Islands Forum.
Summary adapted from Wikipedia: Vanuatu (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Geography and Climate of Vanuatu
Austronesian speakers from the Solomon Islands first settled Vanuatu around 2000 B.C. By around 1000, localized chieftain systems began to develop on the islands. Around 1600, Melanesian Chief ROI MATA united some of the islands of modern-day Vanuatu under his rule. In 1606, a Portuguese explorer was the first European to see Vanuatu's Banks Islands and Espiritu Santo, setting up a short-lived settlement on the latter. The next European explorers arrived in the 1760s, and the islands -- then known as the New Hebrides -- were frequented by whalers in the 1800s. European interest in harvesting the islands’ sandalwood trees caused conflict with the inhabitants. In the 1860s, European planters in Australia, Fiji, New Caledonia, and Samoa needed labor and kidnapped almost half the adult males on the islands to work as indentured servants. With growing and overlapping interests in the islands, France and the UK agreed that the New Hebrides would be neutral in 1878 and established a joint naval commission in 1887. In 1906, the two countries created the UK-France condominium to jointly administer the islands, with separate laws, police forces, currencies, and education and health systems. The condominium arrangement was dysfunctional, and the UK used France’s initial defeat in World War II to assert greater control over the islands. During the war, the US stationed up to 50,000 soldiers in Vanuatu. In 1945, they withdrew and sold their equipment, leading to the rise of political and religious movements known as "cargo cults," such as the John Frum movement. The UK-France condominium was reestablished after World War II. The UK was interested in moving the condominium toward independence in the 1960s, but France was hesitant. Political parties agitating for independence began to form, largely divided along linguistic lines. France eventually relented, and elections were held in 1974, with independence granted to the newly named Vanuatu in 1980 under English-speaking Prime Minister Walter LINI. The Nagriamel Movement, with support from French-speaking landowners, then declared the island of Espiritu Santo independent from Vanuatu, but the short-lived state was dissolved 12 weeks later. Linguistic divisions have lessened over time, but highly fractious political parties have led to weak coalition governments that require support from both Anglophone and Francophone parties. Since 2008, prime ministers have been ousted more than a dozen times through no-confidence motions or temporary procedural issues.
- Location
- Oceania, group of islands in the South Pacific Ocean, about three-quarters of the way from Hawaii to Australia.
- Climate
- Tropical; moderated by southeast trade winds from May to October; moderate rainfall from November to April; may be affected by cyclones from December to April.
- Terrain
- Mostly mountainous islands of volcanic origin; narrow coastal plains.
- Highest point
- Tabwemasana 1,877 m.
- Lowest point
- Pacific Ocean 0 m.
- Coastline
- 2,528 km.
- Land borders
- Total: 0 km.
- Natural resources
- Manganese, hardwood forests, fish.
- Land use
- Agricultural land: 15.3% (2023 est.); arable land: 1.6% (2023 est.); permanent crops: 10.3% (2023 est.); permanent pasture: 3.4% (2023 est.); forest: 74.8% (2023 est.); other: 9.8% (2023 est.)
- Natural hazards
- Tropical cyclones (January to April); volcanic activity; volcanism also causes minor earthquakes; tsunamis volcanism: significant volcanic activity with multiple eruptions in recent years; Yasur (361 m), one of the world's most active volcanoes, has experienced continuous activity in recent centuries; other historically active volcanoes include Aoba, Ambrym, Epi, Gaua, Kuwae, Lopevi, Suretamatai, and Traitor's Head.
- Geographic note
- A Y-shaped chain of four main islands and 80 smaller islands; several of the islands have active volcanoes, including several underwater volcanoes.
- Languages
- Indigenous languages (more than 100) 82.6%, Bislama (official; creole) 14.5%, English (official) 2.1%, French (official) 0.8% (2020 est.)
- Religions
- Protestant 39.9% (Presbyterian 27.2%, Seventh Day Adventist 14.8%, Anglican 12%, Churches of Christ 5%, Assemblies of God 4.9%, Neil Thomas Ministry/Inner Life Ministry 3.2%), Roman Catholic 12.1%, Apostolic 2.3%, Church of Jesus Christ 1.8%, customary beliefs (including Jon Frum cargo cult) 3.1%, other 12%, none 1.4%, unspecified 0.1% (2020 est.)
- Ethnic groups
- Ni-Vanuatu 99%, other 1% (European, Asian, other Melanesian, Polynesian, Micronesian, other) (2020 est.)
- Economy
- Lower-middle income Pacific island economy; extremely reliant on subsistence agriculture and tourism; environmentally fragile; struggling post-pandemic and Tropical Cyclone Harold rebound; sizeable inflation; road infrastructure aid from Australia.
From the CIA World Factbook (public domain), archived edition of 2026-01-22. The Factbook is no longer updated, so figures reflect that edition.
Vanuatu in Numbers
- Population
- 335,169
- GDP
- US$1.4 billion
- GDP per person
- US$4,039
- Life expectancy
- 71.7 years
- Population growth
- 2.23% a year
- Population density
- 27 per km²
- Urban population
- 22.3%
- Surface area
- 12,189 km²
- Forest cover
- 74.6%
- Arable land
- 1.6%
- Access to electricity
- 65.5%
- Internet users
- 22.4%
Indicators from World Bank Open Data (CC BY 4.0). The year under each figure is its reference year.
Vanuatu in Depth
History
The history of Vanuatu before European colonisation is mostly obscure because of the lack of written sources which predate European contact and because only limited archaeological work has been conducted; Vanuatu's volatile geology and climate are also likely to have destroyed or hidden many prehistoric sites. Archaeological evidence gathered since the 1980s supports the theory that the Vanuatuan islands were first settled about 3,000 years ago, in the period roughly between 1100 BCE and 700 BCE. These were almost certainly people of the Lapita culture.
Geography
Vanuatu is a Y-shaped archipelago consisting of about 83 relatively small, geologically newer islands of volcanic origin (65 of them inhabited), with about 1,300 kilometres (810 mi) between the most northern and southern islands. Two of these islands (Matthew and Hunter) are also claimed and controlled by France as part of the French collectivity of New Caledonia. The country lies between latitudes 13°S and 21°S and longitudes 166°E and 171°E.
The fourteen of Vanuatu's islands that have surface areas of more than 100 square kilometres (39 sq mi) are, from largest to smallest: Espiritu Santo, Malakula, Efate, Erromango, Ambrym, Tanna, Pentecost, Epi, Ambae or Aoba, Gaua, Vanua Lava, Maewo, Malo and Aneityum or Anatom.
Economy
Vanuatu was ranked the 173rd safest investment destination in the world in the March 2011 Euromoney Country Risk rankings. In 2015, Vanuatu was ranked the 84th most economically free country by The Heritage Foundation and The Wall Street Journal. The economy grew about 6% in the early 2000s. This is higher than in the 1990s, when GDP rose less than 3%, on average. One report from the Manila-based Asian Development Bank about Vanuatu's economy gave mixed reviews and noted that the economy grew at a 5.9% rate from 2003 to 2007.
Vanuatu became the 185th member of the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) in December 2011.
Exports include copra, kava, beef, cocoa, and timber; imports include machinery and equipment, foodstuffs, and fuels. In contrast, mining activity is very low.
Demographics
According to the 2020 census, Vanuatu had a population of 300,019. Men outnumber women, with the population consisting of 151,597 men and 148,422 women in 2020. The population is predominantly rural, but Port Vila and Luganville have tens of thousands of residents. An English coinage termed the inhabitants of Vanuatu as Ni-Vanuatu. The Ni-Vanuatu are primarily of Melanesian descent, with the remainder made up of a mix of Europeans, Asians, and other Pacific islanders. The community of Vietnamese in Vanuatu comprises most of the country's Asian population. The Vietnamese community has declined from 10% of Vanuatu's population in 1929 to about 0.3% (or 1,000 individuals) in 2017.
Sections adapted from Wikipedia: Vanuatu (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Vanuatu: Key Facts
| Currency | Vanuatu vatus |
|---|---|
| Official languages | Bislama, French, English |
| Head of state | Nikenike Vurobaravu |
| Head of government | Bob Loughman |
| Calling code | +678 |
| Internet domain | .vu |
| Highest point | Mount Tabwemasana |
| Lowest point | Pacific Ocean |
| Established | 30 July 1980 |
Facts from Wikidata Q686 (CC0).
History of Vanuatu: Empires and States
The atlas records 2 polities whose mapped territory included part of Vanuatu, from New Hebrides in 1890 CE to 2024 CE. They are listed in the order they first appear.
| Polity | Period here | Extent |
|---|---|---|
| New Hebrides | 1890–1982 CE | A large part |
| Vanuatu | 1983–2024 CE | A large part |
Historical Maps of Vanuatu
Vanuatu on the world map in each year one of these states held it:
Derived by testing mapped cities against dated territorial polygons. Dates are when the polygons cover this place, not the polity's whole lifespan, and polities absent from the source dataset are not listed.
Visiting Vanuatu
Vanuatu (previously known as the New Hebrides Islands) is an archipelago nation in the southwest Pacific Ocean. The archipelago more than 80 islands includes deserted sand beaches, remote beauty, tribal communities and world-class deep-sea diving.
Travel notes adapted from Wikivoyage: Vanuatu (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Largest Cities in Vanuatu
2 cities recorded. Ranked by metropolitan population. A port city's harbour is written up on the page of its sea.
| # | Name | Population | Region | Role |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Port Vila | 44,040 | Shefa | National capital |
| 2 | Luganville | 13,397 | Sanma | Populated place |
Highest Mountains in Vanuatu
1 mountain recorded. Ranked by summit elevation above sea level. A summit on a border is listed under both countries.
| # | Name | Elevation | Feet | Region |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mount Tabwemasana | 1,877 m | 6,158 ft | Oceania |
Mount Tabwemasana
Mountain · 1,877 m
Mount Tabwemasana is a mountain rising to 1,877 metres (6,158 ft) in Vanuatu, in the Oceania region.
Mount Tabwemasana is the highest peak in Vanuatu, and one of the highest mountains in the Pacific. At 1,879 metres (6,165 ft), Tabwemasana towers above the surrounding mountains and provides fantastic views toward the Coral Sea in East. Located on the isolated west coast of the island of Espiritu Santo. Mount Tabwemasana actually consists of two peaks and local folklore believes that these two peaks (male and female) come together in embrace at night.
Until the 1970s the village of Kerepua was located on the flanks of Tabwemasana, a full day's walk to the coast through thick rainforest. However, in the late 1970s like many other mountain villages, Kerepua was relocated to the coast and now provides the launching pad for any summit attempt.
Very few tourists climb Tabwemasana each year, with the number reaching the summit generally less than six persons per year. This is primarily due to the isolated location of the mountain and the physical difficulty of ascending the peak. Those wishing to climb Tabwemasana must first take a boat from the village of Tasiriki to Kerepua. From Kerepua you trek up a river before leaving the valley for a steep ascent up the mountain.
Adapted from Wikipedia: Mount Tabwemasana (CC BY-SA 4.0).
- Elevation
- 1,877 m (6,158 ft)
- Global rank
- #438 of 641 indexed
- Region
- Oceania (#19)
- Subregion
- Melanesia
- Country
- Vanuatu
- Coordinates
- -15.3523°, 166.7512°
Of the 641 named summits indexed in YearMaps, Mount Tabwemasana ranks #438 by elevation, below Pico Paraná (1,877 m) and above Yunwu Shan (1,867 m).
- Ranges:
- Owen Stanley Range (Oceania), Great Dividing Range (Oceania)
- Neighbouring summits:
- Mont Panié (1,628 m), Mont Humboldt (1,618 m), Mount Popomanaseu (2,335 m)
More about Mount Tabwemasana
Mount Tabwemasana: Key Facts
| Topographic prominence | 1,879 m |
|---|
Facts from Wikidata Q1542459 (CC0).
Ports in Vanuatu
2 ports recorded. Ranked by approach channel depth, the figure that limits which ships can call. Harbours link to their write-up on the page of the sea or coast they lie on.
| # | Name | Channel Depth | Class | Sea | Max Vessel |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Port Vila | 34.7 m | Very Small | Pacific Islands & Hawaii | medium vessels |
| 2 | Forari Bay | — | Very Small | Pacific Islands & Hawaii | medium vessels |
UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Vanuatu
1 World Heritage Site recorded. Listed by year of inscription, earliest first. Sites shared with another country appear under each.
| # | Name | Inscribed | Type | Criteria |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Chief Roi Mata’s Domain | 2008 | Cultural | (iii) (v) (vi) |
Largest Islands of Vanuatu
11 islands recorded. Ranked by mapped area. An island divided between countries is listed under each, with the area of the whole island.
| # | Name | Area | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Vanuatu | 160,846 km² | Island group |
| 2 | Espiritu Santo | 4,093 km² | Island group |
| 3 | Malakula | 2,112 km² | Island group |
| 4 | Erromango | 893 km² | Island |
| 5 | Éfaté | 890 km² | Island |
| 6 | Ambrym | 694 km² | Island |
| 7 | Tanna | 581 km² | Island |
| 8 | Pentecost | 484 km² | Island |
| 9 | Gaua | 336 km² | Island |
| 10 | Vanua Lava | 306 km² | Island |
Countries Bordering Vanuatu
Land and maritime neighbours.
More Maps in Oceania
Vanuatu: Quick Answers
- What is the capital of Vanuatu?
- The capital of Vanuatu is Port Vila.
- What is the population of Vanuatu?
- Vanuatu has a population of about 335,169, the #181 largest of 225 countries in YearMaps. Source: World Bank, 2025.
- How big is Vanuatu?
- Vanuatu covers 12,190 km², ranking #165 by area, with about 27 people per square kilometre.
- Which continent is Vanuatu in?
- Vanuatu is in Oceania.
- Which countries border Vanuatu?
- Vanuatu shares a land or maritime border with Australia, Solomon Islands.
- What is the largest city in Vanuatu?
- Port Vila is the largest city in Vanuatu, with a metropolitan population of about 44,040.
- What is the highest mountain in Vanuatu?
- The highest summit recorded for Vanuatu in YearMaps is Mount Tabwemasana at 1,877 m (6,158 ft). Summits on a border are counted for both countries.