UN SYSTEM-WIDE EARTHWATCH Web Site
ISLAND DIRECTORY
Vanuatu [3]
(Independent since 1980 from United Kingdom and France)
LAND AREA: 12190 sq. km SEA AREA: 710000 sq. km
NUMBER OF ISLANDS BY SIZE (sq. km):
| >17,000 |
>10,000 |
>1,000 |
>100 |
>10 |
>1 |
<1 |
Unknown |
TOTAL |
| 0 |
0 |
2 |
12 |
16 |
8 |
1 |
42 |
81 |
DEMOGRAPHY
POPULATION: 169000 (1996)
DENSITY: 14 persons/sq. km GROWTH RATE: 3%/year
POP AGR/FISH/MINING: 12%
URBAN POP: 19% (1994), versus 9% (1960), Annual Growth: 3.8%
LIFE EXPECTANCY: 65.9 years, ADULT LITERACY: 64.0%
INFANT MORTALITY: 44 per/1000 (1994), versus 141 (1960)
HUMAN DEVELOPMENT INDEX: 0.547
ECONOMY
GNP: US$0.2 billion, Annual Growth Rate GNP/Capita: 0.5%
GDP/Capita: $821 GDP/Capita PPP: $2276
GDP/Capita: 1960 $0, 1970 $0, 1980 $807, 1990 $904
OVERSEAS DEVELOPMENT ASSISTANCE: $46 million ODA%GNP: 24.5%
ODA/Capita: $288
ENVIRONMENT (see also individual islands)
TOTAL FOREST AREA: 900,000 ha, 73.8% of land area, 5.3 ha/capita
NATURAL FOREST AREA: 893,000 ha
ARABLE LAND: 1.6% of land area
SPECIES OF CONSERVATION INTEREST:
Plants:
ca. 870 vascular plants, including 130 endemics (15%)
31 endemic orchids (39%)
Insects:
71 species of butterflies, with 5 only in Vanuatu, 26 shared with PNG
and/or Solomon Islands; southern islands with distinctive fauna.
12 species of ants and termites, 5 endemic (42%)
Other invertebrates:
76 species of land snails, including 57 endemics, high generic
endemicity.
6 Partulidae
3 freshwater molluscs
22 species of earthworms, including 11 endemics (50%)
Reptiles-Amphibians:
22 species, including 4 endemic lizards
Perochirus guentheri (Saw-tailed Gecko) group endemic, Efate and
Anatom,
known from 4 specimens.
Emoia speiseri (Speiser's Skink) group endemic, Ambrym, Anatom, Efate,
Malakula.
Birds:
57 species of land birds, 2 endemic genera and 5 other endemic species
Ptilinopus tannensis (Silver-shouldered Fruit Dove) group endemic
Ducula bakeri (Baker's Pigeon) group endemic
Halcyon farquhari (Chestnut-bellied Kingfisher) group endemic
Neolage banksiana (Vanuatu Flycatcher) monospecific genus, group
endemic
Phylidonyris notabilis (White-bellied Honeyeater) group endemic
Zosterops flavifrons (Yellow-fronted White-eye) group endemic
Aplonis santovestris (Santo Mountain Starling) endemic to Espiritu
Santo
Mammals:
12 species of bats, including 1 endemic
Dugong dugon (Dugong) Vulnerable (RDB) but healthy populations
reported
throughout Vanuatu under no present threat (1987)
SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT
ELECTRICITY CONSUMPTION: 176 kw-hr/capita, versus 108 kw-hr/cap (1970)
INSTITUTIONS
GOVERNMENT ENVIRONMENT/SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY:
Environment Unit, Ministry of Lands, Minerals and Fisheries has broad
responsibility for environmental protection and co-ordination.
National Advisory Committee on Environment reviews environmental impacts
of
major development projects.
ENVIRONMENTAL LEGISLATION:
Forest Reserves can be created under Forestry Act 1982.
Fisheries Act of 1983 provides for fisheries management,
marine reserves and species protection.
Mining activities are controlled by the Department of Geology
under the Mines and Minerals Act, 1982.
The Wildlife Protection (Birds) Regulations administered by
the Department of Agriculture give total protection to 16
species, closed season for 11 species and an export ban on 11
species.
ENVIRONMENT/SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT ORGANIZATIONS:
Vanuatu Natural Science Society, Port Vila, Vanuatu
REFERENCES:
Last updated 11/02/98
Islands of Vanuatu
Ambae (Vanuatu)
Ambrym (Vanuatu)
Aneityum (Vanuatu)
Aniwa (Vanuatu)
Aore (Vanuatu)
Efate (Vanuatu)
Emae (Vanuatu)
Epi (Vanuatu)
Erromango (Vanuatu)
Espiritu Santo (Vanuatu)
Futuna (Vanuatu)
Hiu (Vanuatu)
Loh (Vanuatu)
Lopevi (Vanuatu)
Maewo (Vanuatu)
Malakula (Vanuatu)
Malo (Vanuatu)
Mere Lava (Vanuatu)
Merig (Vanuatu)
Metoma (Vanuatu)
Mota (Vanuatu)
Mota Lava (Vanuatu)
Nguna (Vanuatu)
Paama (Vanuatu)
Pentecost (Vanuatu)
Reef Islands (Vanuatu)
Santa Maria (Vanuatu)
Tanna (Vanuatu)
Tegua (Vanuatu)
Toga (Vanuatu)
Tongoa (Vanuatu)
Ureparapara (Vanuatu)
Vanua Lava (Vanuatu)
Vot Tande (Vanuatu)
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Page last updated: 02/03/98