- Republic of Vanuatu, former(old) New-Hebrides, island country of Oceania (Melanesia), situated in the south - Occidental Pacific Ocean (sea of Coral), in the northeast of New Caledonia. The archipelago is consisted of about forty islands. The bigger four are Espiritu Santo, Malekula, Efaté and Tanned. The other important islands are Ear, Pentecost, Erromango, Ambrym, Aurora, the group of islands Torres and that of islands Banks. The archipelago is populated for the greater part by Melanesians. There are also minorities European, Chinese and Vietnamese. The two thirds(third parties) of the population live in four main islands. Official languages are English and French. The bichelamar ( Creole) as well as of numerous languages Melanesians are usually spoken. The population is for the greater part Christian. Islands, of volcanic origin, are mountainous and very damaged. They peak in 1 880 m in the mountain Tabwemasana ( Espiritu Santo). Some volcanoes are in activity (Lopevi, Tanned). Banks are lined with coral reefs frangeants, returning the inhospitable coasts. Most of the islands are covered by the dense forest. The climate is equatorial, warm and very wet. The capital of the State is Port Vila, on the island of Efaté. Agriculture stays the main source of uses(jobs). Commercial cultures (plantations of coconut palms, cocoa, coffee) coexist with subsistence crops (igname, taro, sweet potato, banana). The copra (27 000 tons) is the main product of export. The forestry development, the peach(fishing) (canned food of tuna) and the breeding (bovine, pigs, goats(tackles)) are also well developed. Tourism is rapidly expanding. Port Vila and the island of Espiritu Santo possess international airports. During these last years, advantageous fiscal laws made of the archipelago a tax haven. Tourism and foreign capital represent today the two thirds(third parties) of the GNP. The archipelago is lived with Melanesians since several millenniums. In 1606, the Portuguese explorer Queirós's Pedro discovered the island of Espiritu Santo. The archipelago was rediscovered in 1768 by the French navigator Louis Antoine de Bougainville who named him Grandes Cyclades of the South. In 1773, the British navigator James Cook gave him(her) New-Hebrides's name (according to the Hebrides in Scotland). British and French colonists began to become established after 1870 to the detriment of the natives, provoking revolts and repressions. In 1906, the archipelago became a French - British condominium, with right(straight) equals of place of residence and business for French and British subjects. During Second World war, the United States established a big air and sea base on Espiritu Santo. The archipelago established from then on an essential allied base in the fight against Japan. New-Hebrides reached the independence in July, 1980, under the name of republic of Vanuatu ( parliamentary democracy). The same year, a secessionist revolt on the islands of Tanned and of Espiritu Santo was suffocated by means of Papua New Guinea and of Australia. Political life is marked by the opposition among English speakers and French-speaking. Total surface: 14 763 km2!; population (1989): 142 630 inhabitants.
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