Research topic:Vanuatu

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Vanuatu

A Dictionary of World History | 2000 | © A Dictionary of World History 2000, originally published by Oxford University Press 2000. (Hide copyright information) Copyright

Vanuatu (formerly New Hebrides) A country comprising a double chain of over 80 south-west Pacific Ocean islands between latitudes 13° and 21°S and longitudes 167° and 170°E.

Physical

Only a dozen of Vanuatu's islands are suitable for settlement, the largest being Espíritu Santo, Efate, Malekula, Maewo, Pentecost, Ambrim, Erromanga, and Tanna. Of volcanic origin, they are very hilly. South-east trade winds moderate the heat from May to October.



Economy

Coconuts are the most important cash crop on Vanuatu; copra is the country's major export. The soil on the slopes of the extinct volcanoes that form the island group is suitable for growing coffee, while livestock are grazed on the warm, wet plains.

History

During the 19th century, thousands of the indigenous people of Vanuatu - KANAKAS - were taken to work on sugar plantations in Queensland, Australia. The population was decimated and took many years to recover. The islands were placed under an Anglo-French naval commission in 1887. In World War II they served as a major Allied base. They became an independent republic and member of the Commonwealth of Nations in 1980.

Capital:

Vila

Area:

12,190 sq km (4,707 sq miles)

Population:

182,000 (1998 est)

Ethnic Groups:

mainly Ni-Vanuatu, with European and other minorities

Languages:

Bislama; French; English

International Organizations:

UN; Commonwealth


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Related newspaper, magazine, and trade journal articles from HighBeam Research

(Including press releases, facts, information, and biographies)

Ni-Vanuatu Research and Researchers.
Magazine article from: Oceania; 9/1/1999; ; 700+ words ; ABSTRACT The Vanuatu Cultural Centre has played a central role, both in supporting and directing expatriate research in Vanuatu, and in developing a group of ni-Vanuatu researchers, known as fieldworkers. At annual workshops...
ADB, Vanuatu finance minister launch private sector assessment.
News Wire article from: PAC - Pacific Islands Broadcasting Association; 4/24/2009; 700+ words ; ...Pacnews) ---- The Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the Government of Vanuatu today launched ADBs 'Sustaining Growth, A Private Sector Assessment for Vanuatu.' Vanuatu's economy continues to grow in the midst of the global economic crisis...
Fed: Vanuatu government must make up mind on aid - Downer
Newspaper article from: AAP General News (Australia); 12/9/2004; 516 words ; ...Australia) 12-09-2004 Fed: Vanuatu government must make up mind on aid - Downer CANBERRA, Dec 9 AAP - The Vanuatu government had to make up its mind...Downer said today. Australia, which is Vanuatu's biggest aid donor, warned last...
SOUTH PACIFIC: VANUATU SHOWING EXPATRIATES THE DOOR
News Wire article from: Inter Press Service English News Wire; 7/12/1997; ; 700+ words ; ...English News Wire 07-12-1997 PORT VILA, Vanuatu, Jul. 11 (IPS) -- The government...Supreme Court completed the localization of Vanuatu's judiciary, reducing the island nation...direction, the process of phasing in ni-Vanuatu or indigenous professionals in senior...
South Pacific Archipelago Vanuatu Exposed on New Internet Television Network, Vanuatu TV.
PR Newswire; 1/30/2007; 700+ words ; PORT VILA, Republic of Vanuatu, Jan. 30 /PRNewswire/ -- The South Pacific island archipelago of Vanuatu is receiving added exposure with the debut...television station to broadcast from the area. Vanuatu TV is introducing Vanuatu's customs...
Federal Police anger Vanuatu chiefs.
News Wire article from: PAC - Pacific Islands Broadcasting Association; 6/9/2008; 700+ words ; ...Pacnews) ------ Traditional chiefs in Vanuatu have accused Australian police working...including the government and the people of Vanuatu, Chief Daniel Molisa told AAP. Molisa, who leads Vanuatu's Community Chiefs' Committee and represents...
The Efate-Erromango problem in Vanuatu subgrouping.
Magazine article from: Oceanic Linguistics; 12/1/2004; ; 700+ words ; ...Erromango clearly belong to the Southern Vanuatu family, and the languages of Efate also clearly belong to the Central Vanuatu subgroup, there are quite a few nonlexical...settlement pattern for central and southern Vanuatu that explains these changes while still...
Vanuatu to firmly adhere to one-China policy: Vanuatu FM
News Wire article from: Xinhua News Agency; 2/10/2004; 449 words ; Vanuatu to firmly adhere to one-China policy: Vanuatu FM BEIJING, Feb. 10 (Xinhua) -- The Vanuatu government will firmly adhere to the one-China policy, and further advance bilateral cooperative relations with China, visiting Vanuatu...
Air services with Vanuatu to improve.
News Wire article from: PAC - Pacific Islands Broadcasting Association; 6/8/2006; 684 words ; ...be able to fly between New Zealand and Vanuatu up to four times a week following improvements...Minister Winston Peters said. Mr Peters and Vanuatu's acting foreign minister George Wells...conclusion of Mr Peters' three-day visit to Vanuatu. The new agreement allows designated...
Digicel awarded licence to operate in Vanuatu.
News Wire article from: PAC - Pacific Islands Broadcasting Association; 3/24/2008; 663 words ; ...awarded a licence to operate a mobile phone network in Vanuatu, reports the National newspaper. This comes after...markets in Samoa, Papua New Guinea, Tonga, Fiji and Vanuatu. Vanuatu is a perfect example of a country where the commitment...

Related entries from encyclopedias, dictionaries, and thesauruses

Vanuatu
Encyclopedia entry from: Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of Physical Geography Vanuatu Official name: Republic of Vanuatu Area: 12,200 square kilometers (4,710 square miles) Highest...limits: 22 kilometers (12 nautical miles) 1 LOCATION AND SIZE Vanuatu is a Y-shaped chain of more than eighty islands located northeast...
Ni-Vanuatu
Encyclopedia entry from: Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of World Cultures Ni-Vanuatu PRONUNCIATION: nee-vahn-uh-WAH-too LOCATION: Vanuatu POPULATION: 170,000 LANGUAGE: English; French...native religions 1 • INTRODUCTION The Ni-Vanuatu are the Melanesian people that make up the population...
VANUATU
Book article from: Concise Oxford Companion to the English Language VANUATU. A country of Oceania and member of the COMMONWEALTH , consisting of twelve main islands and 70 islets. Languages: English...
Pentecost
Encyclopedia entry from: Encyclopedia of World Cultures ...southern part of Pentecost Island in northern Vanuatu. Pentecost was so called by the French...is classified in the North and Central Vanuatu Group of Austronesian languages. Although...fluent in Bislama, the lingua franca of Vanuatu, and increasingly younger Sa attain verbal...
Melanesians
Encyclopedia entry from: Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of World Cultures ...New Guinea, Indonesia (Irian Jaya), Vanuatu (the former New Hebrides), New Caledonia...Motu (Papua New Guinea); Bislama (Vanuatu); Solomon Islands Pidgin English (Solomon...Melanesia includes the islands of New Guinea, Vanuatu (the former New Hebrides), New Caledonia...

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