Geography A volcanic archipelago Melanesian
Map of Vanuatu with New Caledonia
Located in the Pacific Ocean, 540 kilometers northeast of New Caledonia, Vanuatu consists of 81 islands, plus two he claims - the Matthew Island and Hunter Island - currently occupied by France in the territory of New Caledonia. The archipelago covers about 12 000 km 2 and extends along an axis Nord-Nord-Ouest/Sud-Sud-Est.
The islands have a tropical or subtropical origins are volcanic and mountainous (except Aniwa , south, and the atoll Rowa , in the Banks Islands in the north).
Natural Hazards
Plain of Yasur volcano ash
The country is located southeast of the Ring of Fire. Some volcanic islands are still active, as the islands of Tanna with the volcano Yasur, of Ambrym volcanoes with Marum and Benbow and Aoba ( Ambae ) and Lopevi with volcanoes homonyms. Others are sleeping volcanoes like Mount Garet on the island of Gaua , or Karua , submarine volcano located in the Kuwae caldera between the islands of Epi and Tongoa. This caldera, now underwater, was formed during a cataclysmic eruption in the year 1452 that profoundly altered the morphology of the islands.
In November 1999 , a severe earthquake followed by tsunami ravaged the island of Pentecost and left thousands homeless. In January 2002 , another powerful earthquake, also followed by a tsunami damaged the capital, Port Vila, and surrounding areas. On 8 August 2006 and 1 August 2007, two other earthquakes were felt without causing major damage or a tsunami because it is too deep. Note that the earthquake in 2007 moved the bridge of Luganville on the island of Espiritu Santo.
Demographics
Population change between 1961 and 2003 (figure in
FAO , 2005). Population in thousands.
The 200,000 inhabitants of Vanuatu, or Ni-Vanuatu, are in majority (95%) of indigenous peoples, Melanesians and Polynesians arrived long ago. The rest of the Ni-Vanuatu population consists of other Pacific islanders, Europeans and Asians.
The only two cities are Port Vila , the capital, located on the island Efate , and Luganville , on the island of Espiritu Santo.
Administrative organization of space
Vanuatu is divided into 6 provinces, according to a geographical logic, with North and South Torba , Sanma , Penama , Malampa , Shefa , Tafea , Torba.
History
Vanuatu has been inhabited during the migration to Melanesia, of 45 000 in 1500 ( Lapita ) ave. BC's current population of Vanuatu are from a mixture of old layers of different populations. The oldest remains have been found dating from the second millennium BC. AD. If physical appearance closer to the islanders of their neighbors in New Guinea and Australia , their languages, Oceanic , the closer to their neighbors Indonesians and Polynesians.
The first European explorer to reach the islands is Portuguese Pedro Fernndez de Quirs in 1606 , which addresses at Espiritu Santo , which he named, thinking he had discovered the southern continent. Bougainville rediscovered in 1768 and Espiritu Santo islands within its is, he appoints all "Great Cyclades. James Cook come full circle in 1774 and give his name for two centuries, "New Hebrides". Until the 1830s, the archipelago is the subject of interest for explorers. Its 200,000 inhabitants live in small groups of people, very independent of each other.
From these years, the arrival of missionaries and then from 1840 to 1860, logging of sandalwood , are two different types of contacts for the natives. The trafficking of workers to Queensland in the 1860s increased the distrust of the natives against Europeans. The archipelago, however, converted, and from the 1860s, settlers, mainly English and French, settled. The indigenous population began to decline in this period, divided by 5 to be in the early twentieth century.
In spite of some affirmative action proponents of colonial interests of the island, neither France nor Great Britain would resolve to annex the island in 1887, a provisional status is established, but it was not until in 1906, that is to say, while all other land in the world are either independent or formally attached to another State, what the two powers signed by the colonial regime's final archipelago, the condominium of New Hebrides.
This scheme establishing a duplication of all forums and services on the island, causing temporary persists and eventually be accepted by the settlers of various nationalities. However, it is initially unfriendly natives. During the Second World War , the New Hebrides are the first French colony to join De Gaulle , and an important rear base for the Americans. During the 1960s , New Hebrideans sought to obtain greater autonomy and, despite the reluctance French, independence was proclaimed on 30 July 1980 and the former colony renamed Vanuatu. The 1990s, with the end of parliamentary stability, are synonymous with political instability, which has relatively subsided in the 2000s.
Politics
Vanuatu is a republic parliamentary. The president , elected by indirect suffrage for five years, is the head of state. Its role is primarily representative. The Prime Minister, Head of Government and its ministers have the executive power. The legislative power is exercised by a single chamber of 52 members renewed by direct universal suffrage every 4 years. The judiciary is independent and is based on British and French rights.
Iolu Abil is president since 2 September 2009 , Sato Kilman Premier since 2 December 2010.
Economy
For 65% of the population living in rural areas of the archipelago's economy is based primarily on farming and subsistence fishing on the scale of small villages. The fishing , offshore financial services and tourism, with about 50,000 visitors in 1997 , are other important economic sectors. The deposits of ore are negligible and the country has no known deposit of oil. The industry is weak: only a small light industrial supplies the local market. Tax revenues come mainly from customs duties. Economic development is hindered by weak exports, vulnerability to natural disasters and the great distances between islands and the two cities.
The growth in GDP was less than 3% on average during the 1990s. By mid- 2002 , the government has intensified its efforts to increase tourism.
In Vanuatu, there is no income tax, no withholding tax at source, no tax on capital gains, no inheritance and no exchange controls. The Australia and New Zealand are the main providers of foreign aid. Vanuatu is a tax haven that does not provide to other government or law enforcement agencies, information about financial accounts. Banque Populaire, through its subsidiary, BRED, has the agency under regulations of Vanuatu. In response to concerns from abroad, the government promised to improve the regulation of its offshore financial center. Vanuatu is also a flag of convenience.
Heritage
Environment
Waterfall and its natural basin
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The country has been a major scientific expedition to Santo 2006 in particular to explore the canopy. A new species of gecko (Lepidodactylus Bulela) has been discovered at that time . The country is still separated from the Western world some of its islands, because of its geographical isolation. 3 islands are only equipped with a grid.
Culture
- On the island of Pentecost is held customary spectacular event: the leap from Gol. After building a tower of twigs of about twenty meters (see Gol ), men and male children throw themselves into the void, only to tie, two vines wrapped around the ankles.
- On Malekula Island ( Malekula ), the men dance on the head by wearing masks made of kneaded clay around an armature of the roots of tree ferns. At the sound of their bells made from nuts and they attach to their ankles, they celebrate the traditional main events: births, circumcisions, graduation ceremonies and funeral rites.
- On the island of Gaua , women perform the "water music" percussion music performed by movements and clapping of hands at the water surface of a basin of a river or the sea
Languages
Vanuatu is the country with the highest density language in the world, with 113 indigenous languages and three different languages to 200 000 inhabitants . These are the French and English , both languages of colonization, and Bislama , a pidgin based on English (with some lexical items from French and Melanesian languages of northern Vanuatu). Vernacular languages all belong to the group of Oceanic languages. Within the latter, three are Polynesian , nine of the group "South Vanuatu" and every other group of North-Central Vanuatu. There is no mutual understanding between them.
If French and English are spoken little of rural (79% of inhabitants in 1996), Bislama is a lingua franca on the island. Except in urban areas, yet it does not displace local languages that resist its influence (except occasionally at the lexical level, in the form of additions).
The drawings of Vanuatu
This unique and complex tradition of drawings on the sand is typical of the archipelago of Vanuatu. These compositions are often geometric and harmonious performed by specialists insiders. They are writing: it is a means of communication between members of some 80 different language groups and a mnemonic device to transmit rituals, mythological lore, oral information about local history, farming techniques, the craft or choreography.
These drawings are part of Vanuatu's intangible heritage by UNESCO.
Literature
The literature of Vanuatu has, overall, not yet had an international effect therefore, some writers have acquired a degree of fame beyond the borders of their country. This is true of the poet Grace Mera Molisa , or the theater Wan Smolbag.
Religions
The Christianity is the religion dominant in Vanuatu, but is broken into many different churches. The Presbyterian Church , adhered approximately one third of the population, is the most important of them. The Baha'i faith is implanted in the archipelago since 1953, with more than 1,500 faithful. National Holidays Public Holidays | Date | French name | Bislama or English name | Notes |
|---|
| February 21 | In memory of Father Walter Lini of independence | Memorial Day Father Walter Lini blong | Date the "Father of Independence" of the Republic of Vanuatu, Lini died. |
| March 5 | Day chiefs | Custom Chiefs' day | The chiefs of the archipelago of Vanuatu is collect from the Nakamal. |
| July 30 | Independence Day of the Republic of Vanuatu | Independence Day | 30 July 1980 , when the official announcement of the independence of the archipelago of Vanuatu. |
| October 5 | Constitution Day | Constitution Day | Official signing of the Constitution of Vanuatu. |
Codes
Vanuatu has codes for:
- NH , according to the list of country codes used by NATO , alpha-2 code,
- VAN , according to the list of country codes IOC ,
- VU , according to the standard ISO 3166-1 (list of country codes), code alpha-2
- VU , according to the list of international codes of plates ,
- STV , according to the list of country codes used by NATO , alpha-3
- STV , according to the standard ISO 3166-1 alpha-3 (list of country codes)
- YJ , according to the list of prefixes ICAO aircraft registration ,
References
Notes
- The right to vote is granted to all citizens over 18 years.
References
- Wauthon Michel, "A figure of elementary state: the name of the country," in Paul de Deckker (ed.), Facets of State in the Pacific, L'Harmattan, 2006 ( ISBN 2296011276 )
- Y-chromosome studies confirmed the presence of The M130 chromosomes in Australian and Melanesian populations (Underhill, 2004), Which suggests thats the original settlers to this region Were Part of the original southern migration v. 40.000 to 50.000 yr BP, " Environmental setting of human migrations In The Circum-Pacific region , Kevin O. Pope and John E. Terrell, Journal of Biogeography, 2008, volume 35, pages 1-21.
- http://www.voyage-vanuatu.fr/blog/nouvelle-espece-gecko-vanuatu/192
- For this paragraph and the following: * Alexander Francis, structural constraints and freedom in the organization of discourse. A description of mwotlap, Oceanic language of Vanuatu , PhD in Linguistics, University of Paris IV-Sorbonne, 1078 p., 2001 15-18
- (en) "Voice of Vanuatu's women" , The Australian, February 1, 2002
See also
Bibliography
- Vanuatu in Vanuatu & New Caledonia, Jocelyn Harewood, Lonely Planet , London / Oakland , 2006 (5th edition), p. 25-186
- Atlas of Vanouatou (Vanuatu), Patricia Simeoni, Port Vila , Editions Geo-consults (1st edition), 392 p.
External Links
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