Country name
conventional long form: Republic of Vanuatu
conventional short form: Vanuatu
former: New Hebrides

Data code NH

Government type republic

National 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 Donald KALPOKAS (since 30 March 1998); Deputy Prime Minister Father Walter LINI (since 30 March 1998)
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the prime minister, responsible to Parliament
elections: president elected by an electoral college consisting of Parliament and the presidents of the regional councils for a five-year term; election for president last held 2 March 1994 (next to be held NA 1999); following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or majority coalition is usually elected prime minister by Parliament from among its members; election for prime minister last held 6 March 1998 (next to be held NA 2002)
election results: Jean Marie LEYE elected president; percent of electoral college vote - NA; Donald KALPOKAS elected prime minister by Parliament with a total of 35 votes, other candidate, Rialuth Serge VOHOR, received 17 votes
note: the general legislative elections in November 1995 did not give a majority to any of the political parties; since the election, there have been four changes of government - all of which have been coalitions formed by Parliamentary vote; Rialuth Serge VOHOR was prime minister from November 1995 until he resigned 7 February 1996 when faced with a no-confidence vote in Parliament; Maxime Carlot KORMAN was then elected prime minister and served until he was ousted in a no-confidence motion on 30 September 1996; VOHOR was then elected prime minister for a second time; as a result of legislative elections in March 1998, KALPOKAS was elected prime minister and formed a coalition government with Father LINI's National United Party (NUP)

Legislative branch unicameral Parliament (52 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 6 March 1998 (next to be held NA 2002)
election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - VP 18, UMP 12, NUP 11, other and independent 11; note - political party associations are fluid; there have been four changes of government since the November 1995 elections
note: the National Council of Chiefs advises on matters of custom and land

Judicial branch Supreme Court, chief justice is appointed by the president after consultation with the prime minister and the leader of the opposition, three other justices are appointed by the president on the advice of the Judicial Service Commission

Political parties and leaders Union of Moderate Parties (UMP), Serge VOHOR; National United Party (NUP), Walter LINI; Vanuatu Party (VP), Donald KALPOKAS; Melanesian Progressive Party (MPP), Barak SOPE; Tan Union (TU), Vincent BOULEKONE; Na-Griamel Movement, Frankie STEVENS; Friend Melanesian Party, Albert RAVUTIA; John Frum Movement, leader NA; Vanuatu Republican Party, Maxime Carlot KORMAN

International organization participation ACCT, ACP, AsDB, C, ESCAP, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFC, IFRCS, IMF, IMO, Intelsat (nonsignatory user), IOC, ITU, NAM, Sparteca, SPC, SPF, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WMO, WTrO (applicant)

Diplomatic representation in the US Vanuatu does not have an embassy in the US

Diplomatic representation from the US the US does not have an embassy in Vanuatu; the ambassador to Papua New Guinea is accredited to Vanuatu

Flag description two equal horizontal bands of red (top) and green with a black isosceles triangle (based on the hoist side) all separated by a black-edged yellow stripe in the shape of a horizontal Y (the two points of the Y face the hoist side and enclose the triangle); centered in the triangle is a boar's tusk encircling two crossed namele leaves, all in yellow

NOTE: The information regarding Vanuatu on this page is re-published from the 1998 World Fact Book of the United States Central Intelligence Agency. No claims are made regarding the accuracy of Vanuatu Government 1998 information contained here. All suggestions for corrections of any errors about Vanuatu Government 1998 should be addressed to the CIA.