Vanuatu
Oceania Β· Capital: Port Vila
How it is run: Vanuatu is a member of the United Nations, so it gets one vote in the General Assembly. Use the research links below to find out exactly who makes the laws there.
Vanuatu is home to 335,169 people in Melanesia, where people speak Bislama, English, French.
Numbers that tell a story π’
π₯ People
335,169 people
That is about 41 people out of every million on Earth (counted in 2025).
πΊοΈ Land
12,189 kmΒ²
About the size of a small US state such as Vermont or New Hampshire.
ποΈ How crowded
About 27 people per square kilometre β a comfortable mix of cities and open land.
π Size in its region
6th most people in Oceania
7th largest by land in Oceania.
π£οΈ Official languages
Bislama, English, French
More than one language is used for official business.
π° Money
Vanuatu vatu (Vt)
Life here today π©Ί
These come from World Bank open data β the same numbers governments use when they argue about budgets.
β€οΈ How long people live
71.7 years on average
Doctors, clean water and food supply all change this number over time.
πΌ Money made per person each year
about US$4,039
A lower-middle-income country: incomes are rising, but many families still farm or work informally.
π’ Living in cities
22.3% of people
Many people still live in villages and farming towns.
π Kids under 15
38% of the population
A very young country β schools have to be built quickly.
Everyday details π§
π Phone code
+678
Dial this before the number to call from another country.
π Websites end in
.vu
π§ People here are called
Ni-Vanuatu
π·οΈ Name at home
Vanuatu
Also written: Republic of Vanuatu, Ripablik blong Vanuatu, RΓ©publique de Vanuatu.
π Coast or inland
Has a coastline
ποΈ UN voting group
Asia and the Pacific Group
Countries in the same group often plan votes together.
Neighbours & borders π€
Vanuatu has no land borders at all. It is surrounded by water, so boats and planes are the way in and out.
Say its name around the world π£οΈ
Countries have different names in different languages. Try these with a penpal.
Spanish
Vanuatu
French
Vanuatu
Arabic
ΩΨ§ΩΩΨ§ΨͺΩ
Chinese
η¦εͺιΏεΎ
Japanese
γγγ’γ
Russian
ΠΠ°Π½ΡΠ°ΡΡ
Portuguese
Vanuatu
German
Vanuatu
Put it in perspective π
- Australia β the most populated country in Oceania β has about 82.4Γ as many people as Vanuatu.
- Vanuatu covers roughly 116 times the area of Hong Kong Island.
- If everyone in Vanuatu lined up shoulder to shoulder, the line would stretch about 168 km.
Fast facts π§
Fact of the day: π»πΊ is the flag of Vanuatu. Its country code β the short name used on the internet and at the Olympics β is VU.
π·οΈ Official name
Republic of Vanuatu
ποΈ Capital
Port Vila
π Region
Oceania Β· Melanesia
π€ Country code
VU
ποΈ UN status
UN member state
π© Independence
Independent country
More about Vanuatu π
π§ Where on the map
16.0Β° S, 167.0Β° E
π Half of the world
Southern & Eastern hemisphere
π°οΈ Clock check
Roughly UTC+11 β when it is noon in London it is about 23:00 in Port Vila.
- Because of where Vanuatu sits, the school day there starts many hours before or after yours does.
- The capital of Vanuatu is Port Vila β that's where the country's big decisions get made.
- π»πΊ is the flag of Vanuatu. Its country code β the short name used on the internet and at the Olympics β is VU.
- Vanuatu is an independent country, meaning it makes its own laws.
- Vanuatu shares its part of the world with New Caledonia. Countries close together often trade the most with each other.
Countries nearby π€
Talk about it π¬
- Vanuatu has 3 official languages. How would your school day change if lessons were taught in more than one language?
- Vanuatu can trade by sea. What should a country protect first: its ports, its fishing waters, or its beaches?
- If Vanuatu spoke at the General Assembly tomorrow, what one problem should its delegate ask the world to help fix?
Quick quiz π§ͺ
Guess first, then tap to check your answer.
What is the capital of Vanuatu?
Port Vila
Which money do people spend in Vanuatu?
Vanuatu vatu (Vt)
How many countries share a land border with Vanuatu?
None β no land neighbours at all.
Roughly how many people live in Vanuatu?
335,169 people
Keep researching π
Everything here is a starting point. These trusted sites, databases and libraries will take you further β and they are the kind of sources a teacher will accept in a report.
Start here β kid-friendly encyclopedias π
Short articles written for students, with maps and photos you can use in a report.
Official data & government sources ποΈ
Primary sources. Cite these when your teacher asks for real data.
News & current policy π°
Use two different outlets before you decide what you think.
Your library card π«
Libraries give you books, databases and librarians β all free.
Library tip: Ask your school or public librarian for their online databases (like Gale in Context or EBSCO Explora). Your library card unlocks them for free at home, and they are already checked by adults for school use.