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About Vanuatu

The Republic of Vanuatu is an island nation located in the South Pacific Ocean. The archipelago is located some 1,750 km east of Australia, 500 km north-east of New Caledonia, west of Fiji and south of the Solomon Islands. It was named New Hebrides during its colonial period. Vanuatu is an archipelago of 83 islands, of which two — Matthew and Hunter — are also claimed by the French overseas department of New Caledonia.

Of all the 83 islands, 14 have surface areas of more than 100 square kilometers, from largest to smallest: Espiritu Santo (3956 km), Malakula (2041 km), Éfaté (900 km), Erromango (888 km), Ambrym (678 km), Tanna (555 km), Pentecôte (491 km), Épi (445 km), Ambae or Aoba (402 km), Vanua Lava (334 km), Santa Maria (328 km), Maéwo (304 km), Malo (180 km) and Anatom or Aneityum (159 km).

Most of the islands are mountainous and of volcanic origin, and have a tropical or sub-tropical climate. The nation's largest towns are the capital Port Vila, which is situated on Efate, and Luganville, on Espiritu Santo. The highest point in Vanuatu is Mount Tabwemasana, at 1879 m (6158 ft), on the island of Espiritu Santo. There are several active volcanoes in Vanuatu, including Yasur on the island of Tanna, one of the world’s most accesible volcanoes, as well as several underwater ones.

More about Vanuatu on:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vanuatu
http://vanuatu.travel/

South Pacific - Vanuatu marked in red square	Republic of Vanuatu - Efate Island marked in red square

Quick Facts
Full Name - Republic of Vanuatu
Capital City - Port Vila (on the island of Efate)
Area - 12, 189 km2 , (4,706 sq miles)
Population - 221,417 (2007, National Statistics)
Time Zone - GMT/UTC +11. There is no daylight saving in summer.
Languages - There are over 120 distinct languages and many more dialects in Vanuatu but only 3 official languages: English, French  and Bislama (pidgin English).
Religion - Christian (84%), Other (16%)
Currency - Vatu (VT). Foreign cash, travellers cheques and credit cards are widely accepted in Port Vila.
Climate - Cooler, drier Season May-Oct, Average daytime temp 26C. Wetter, hotter season Nov – Apr average daytime temp 29C. Light weight casual clothing plus a sweater is usually sufficient, year round.