Vanuatu

The Pacific island Republic of Vanuatu, formerly known by the colonial name of New Hebrides until it was changed by the government in 1980, is an archipelago of 80 islands with a majority Christian population. Nearly all Vanuatuans are Melanesian, with small communities of Europeans, Asians, and Pacific Islanders. While nearly all residents of the archipelago hold onto strong beliefs regarding ancestral spirits, and syncretic practices are widely evident in the country, more than 80% of the populace report adherence to one form of Christianity or another: 31% Presbyterian, 13% Roman Catholic, 13% Anglican, 11% Seventh-Day Adventist, and an additional 14% claimed by the Church of Christ, the Apostolic Church, the Assemblies of God, and other Protestant denominations. Members of the Baha'i Faith, along with ...