Vanuatu

The Republic of Vanuatu is an archipelago of islands located in the South Pacific. Language patterns today reflect the mixed Anglo-French heritage of the islands. Upon achieving independence in 1980, the nation's name was changed from the New Hebrides to Vanuatu. Three-fourths of the population resides in rural areas, and 70 percent live off of small-scale agriculture. The per capita income of $4,800 is subsidized by substantial foreign aid from Australia and New Zealand. Vanuatu ranks 126th on the United Nations Development Program's list of countries with very high human development.

More than 98 percent of the population is ethnically Ni-Vanuatu. The islands are more diverse in religion, but the majority of citizens are either Protestant or Roman Catholic. There are more than 100 local languages ...