causes minor earthquakes
international agreements: party to - Biodiversity, Climate Change,
Endangered Species, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship
Pollution; signed, but not ratified - Law of the Sea

@Vanuatu:People

Population: 173,648 (July 1995 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 41% (female 34,819; male 36,128)
15-64 years: 56% (female 47,320; male 50,456)
65 years and over: 3% (female 2,217; male 2,708) (July 1995 est.)

Population growth rate: 2.22% (1995 est.)

Birth rate: 31.26 births/1,000 population (1995 est.)

Death rate: 9.06 deaths/1,000 population (1995 est.)

Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1995 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 66.3 deaths/1,000 live births (1995 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 59.71 years
male: 57.9 years
female: 61.61 years (1995 est.)

Total fertility rate: 4.14 children born/woman (1995 est.)

Nationality:
noun: Ni-Vanuatu (singular and plural)
adjective: Ni-Vanuatu

Ethnic divisions: indigenous Melanesian 94%, French 4%, Vietnamese,
Chinese, Pacific Islanders

Religions: Presbyterian 36.7%, Anglican 15%, Catholic 15%, indigenous
beliefs 7.6%, Seventh-Day Adventist 6.2%, Church of Christ 3.8%, other
15.7%

Languages: English (official), French (official), pidgin (known as
Bislama or Bichelama)

Literacy: age 15 and over can read and write (1979)
total population: 53%
male: 57%
female: 48%

Labor force: NA
by occupation: NA

@Vanuatu:Government

Names:
conventional long form: Republic of Vanuatu
conventional short form: Vanuatu
former: New Hebrides

Digraph: NH

Type: republic

Capital: Port-Vila

Administrative divisions: 6 provinces; Malampa, Penama, Sanma, Shefa,
Tafea, Torba

Independence: 30 July 1980 (from France and UK)

National holiday: Independence Day, 30 July (1980)

Constitution: 30 July 1980

Legal system: unified system being created from former dual French and
British systems

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: President Jean Marie LEYE (since 2 March 1994)
head of government: Prime Minister Maxime CARLOT Korman (since 16
December 1991); Deputy Prime Minister Sethy REGENVANU (since 17
December 1991)
cabinet: Council of Ministers; appointed by the prime minister,
responsible to parliament

Legislative branch: unicameral
Parliament: elections last held 2 December 1991 (next to be hel