Language
English, Bislama and French are official languages. More than 100 Melanesian languages are also spoken.
Source: New Internationalist World Guide

Population

2009	0.2 million	U.N. Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA) Population Division (2009)
2007	0.2 million	U.N. Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA) Population Division (2006)
2006	0.2 million	U.N. DESA (2006)
2005	0.2 million	U.N. DESA (2006)
2004	0.2 million	U.N. DESA (2006)
2003	0.2 million	U.N. DESA (2006)
2002	0.2 million	U.N. DESA (2006)
2001	0.2 million	U.N. DESA (2006)
2000	0.2 million	U.N. DESA (2006)

Future population estimates
0.5 million (2050)
Source: U.N. DESA (2009)

Ethnic groups
Most (98 percent) are Melanesian, with a small European minority of English and French origin. There are smaller groups from Vietnam, China and other Pacific Islands.
Source: NI World Guide

Religion
Christianity is the major religion. Presbyterian 37 percent, Anglican 15 percent and Catholic 15 percent. Indigenous and other religions are also practised.
Source: NI World Guide

Percentage urban population

2007	24.3 percent	U.N. DESA - World Urbanisation Prospects 2005
2006	23.8 percent	U.N. DESA (2005)
2005	23.5 percent	U.N. DESA (2005)
2004	23.1 percent	U.N. DESA (2005)
2003	22.7 percent	U.N. DESA (2005)
2002	22.4 percent	U.N. DESA (2005)
2001	22.0 percent	U.N. DESA (2005)
2000	21.7 percent	U.N. DESA (2005)

Year women granted right to vote
1975 1980
Source: U.N. Development Programme (UNDP) Human Development Report
Where two figures are shown, the first refers to a partial recognition of the right to vote and the second to the year women received the right to vote on a universal and equal basis.

Net percentage of girls enrolled in primary education
86 (2007)
Source: UNESCO

Percentage of population under 15

2005	39.8 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2007/2008
2004	40.4 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2006
2003	40.8 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2005
2002	40.6 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2004
2001	41.6 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2003
2000	42.0 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2002

Time zone
GMT +11

Climate description
Tropical from May-December with cooling trade winds. January-April generally warm and humid with occasional rain.

Currency
Vatu

Telephone dialling code
(+) 678

Driving (left/right)
Right

Average life expectancy

2005	69.3 years	UNDP - Human Development Report 2007/2008
2004	68.9 years	UNDP - Human Development Report 2006
2003	68.6 years	UNDP - Human Development Report 2005
2002	68.6 years	UNDP - Human Development Report 2004
2001	68.3 years	UNDP - Human Development Report 2003
2000	68.0 years	UNDP - Human Development Report 2002

Life expectancy - male

2005	67.5 years	UNDP - Human Development Report 2007/2008
2004	67.2 years	UNDP - Human Development Report 2006
2003	66.9 years	UNDP - Human Development Report 2005
2002	67.4 years	UNDP - Human Development Report 2004
2001	67.1 years	UNDP - Human Development Report 2003
2000	66.7 years	UNDP - Human Development Report 2002

Life expectancy - female

2005	71.3 years	UNDP - Human Development Report 2007/2008
2004	70.9 years	UNDP - Human Development Report 2006
2003	70.6 years	UNDP - Human Development Report 2005
2002	70.4 years	UNDP - Human Development Report 2004
2001	70.1 years	UNDP - Human Development Report 2003
2000	69.8 years	UNDP - Human Development Report 2002

Infant mortality

2007	28 per 1,000 live births	U.N. Children's Fund (UNICEF) - State of the World's Children 2009
2006	30 per 1,000 live births	UNICEF - State of the World's Children 2008
2005	31 per 1,000 live births	U.N. Children's Fund (UNICEF) - State of the World's Children 2007
2004	32 per 1,000 live births	UNICEF - State of the World's Children 2006
2003	31 per 1,000 live births	UNDP - Human Development Report 2005
2002	34 per 1,000 live births	UNDP - Human Development Report 2004
2001	34 per 1,000 live births	UNDP - Human Development Report 2003
2000	35 per 1,000 live births	UNDP - Human Development Report 2002

Child mortality - deaths before the age of five

2007	34 per 1,000 live births	U.N. Children's Fund (UNICEF) - State of the World's Children 2009
2006	36 per 1,000 live births	UNICEF - State of the World's Children 2008
2005	38 per 1,000 live births	UNICEF - State of the World's Children 2007
2004	40 per 1,000 live births	UNICEF - State of the World's Children 2006
2003	38 per 1,000 live births	UNDP - Human Development Report 2005
2002	42 per 1,000 live births	UNDP - Human Development Report 2004
2000	44 per 1,000 live births	UNDP - Human Development Report 2002

Births attended by skilled personnel

1997-2005	88 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2007/2008
1996-2004	88 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2006
1995-2003	89 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2005
1995-2002	89 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2004
1995-2001	89 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2003
1995-2000	89 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2002

Maternal mortality

2005	No data available per 100,000 live births
2000	32 per 100,000 live births	UNDP - Human Development Report 2006

Human development index (HDI rank)

2005	120	UNDP - Human Development Report 2007/2008
2004	119	UNDP - Human Development Report 2006
2003	118	UNDP - Human Development Report 2005
2002	129	UNDP - Human Development Report 2004
2001	128	UNDP - Human Development Report 2003
2000	131	UNDP - Human Development Report 2002

Percentage of children under weight for age (under age 5)

2000-2007	No data available percent
2000-2006	No data available percent
1996-2005	No data available percent
1996-2004	No data available percent
1995-2003	No data available percent
1995-2002	No data available percent
1995-2001	20 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2003
1995-2000	No data available percent

Percentage of undernourished population

2003-2005	7 percent	U.N. Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) 2008
2002-2004average	11 percent	U.N. Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) 2006
2001-2003average	12 percent	FAO 2006
1999-2001average	No data available percent
1998-2000average	No data available percent

Food intake falls below the minimum requirement.

Population with access to improved water

2006	No data available percent
2004	60 percent	UNICEF and World Health Organisation (WHO) 2006
2002	60 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2005
2000	88 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2004

Population with access to improved sanitation

2006	No data available percent
2004	50 percent	UNICEF and WHO 2006
2002	No data available percent
2000	100 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2004

Literacy - average

2004	No data available percent
2003	74.0 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2005
2002	34.0 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2004
2001	34.0 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2003
2000	34.0 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2002

Literacy - male
No data available percent

Literacy - female
No data available percent

Landlines telephones

2008	39 per 1,000 people	ITU 2009
2007	39 per 1,000 people	ITU 2009
2006	34 per 1,000 people	ITU 2009
2005	32 per 1,000 people	ITU 2009
2004	32 per 1,000 people	ITU 2009
2003	32 per 1,000 people	ITU 2009
2002	33 per 1,000 people	ITU 2009
2001	35 per 1,000 people	ITU 2009
2000	35 per 1,000 people	ITU 2009

Cellular telephone subscribers

2008	114 per 1,000 people	ITU 2009
2007	114 per 1,000 people	ITU 2009
2006	68 per 1,000 people	ITU 2009
2005	59 per 1,000 people	ITU 2009
2004	50 per 1,000 people	ITU 2009
2003	38 per 1,000 people	ITU 2009
2002	25 per 1,000 people	ITU 2009
2001	2 per 1,000 people	ITU 2009
2000	2 per 1,000 people	ITU 2009

Internet users

2008	75 per 1,000 people	ITU 2009
2007	75 per 1,000 people	ITU 2009
2006	60 per 1,000 people	ITU 2009
2005	52 per 1,000 people	ITU 2009
2004	48 per 1,000 people	ITU 2009
2003	39 per 1,000 people	ITU 2009
2002	35 per 1,000 people	ITU 2009
2001	28 per 1,000 people	ITU 2009
2000	21 per 1,000 people	ITU 2009

Transparency International corruption ranking (Scale: 1 = least corrupt, >175 = most corrupt)

2008	109 (joint)	Transparency International 2008
2007	98	Transparency International 2007
2006	Not ranked

Signatory of International Convention on the Prevention and Punishment for the crime of Genocide
No (1948)
Source: UNDP - Human Development Report

Signatory of the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment
No (1984)
Source: UNDP - Human Development Report

Signatory of the Convention on the Rights of the Child
Yes (1989)
Source: UNDP - Human Development Report

Percentage of population living on less than US$1 a day
No data available percent

GNI per capita, Atlas method

2007	1840 current US$	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009
2006	1780 current US$	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009
2005	1590 current US$	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009
2004	1380 current US$	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009
2003	1150 current US$	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009
2002	1050 current US$	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009
2001	1210 current US$	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009
2000	1250 current US$	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009

The purpose of the Atlas conversion factor is to reduce the impact of exchange rate fluctuations in a cross-country comparison of national incomes. The Atlas conversion factor for any year is the average of a country's exchange rate (or alternative conversion factor) for that year and its exchange rates for the two preceding years.

GDP

2007	0.5 current US$ billions	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009
2006	0.4 current US$ billions	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009
2005	0.4 current US$ billions	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009
2004	0.3 current US$ billions	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009
2003	0.3 current US$ billions	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009
2002	0.2 current US$ billions	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009
2001	0.2 current US$ billions	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009
2000	0.2 current US$ billions	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009

Annual GDP growth

2006	7.2 percent	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2008
2005	6.5 percent	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2008
2004	5.5 percent	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2008
2003	3.2 percent	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2008
2002	-7.4 percent	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2008
2001	-2.7 percent	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2008
2000	2.7 percent	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2008

Annual inflation

2007	-3.9 percent	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009
2006	6.0 percent	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009
2005	2.9 percent	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009
2004	2.2 percent	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009
2003	3.7 percent	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009
2002	1.1 percent	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009
2001	4.0 percent	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009
2000	1.2 percent	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009

Share of income or consumption (poorest 10 percent)
No data available

Share of income or consumption (richest 10 percent)
No data available

Physicians

2000-2004	No data available per 100,000 people
1990-2004	11 per 100,000 people	UNDP - Human Development Report 2006
1990-2003	12 per 100,000 people	UNDP - Human Development Report 2004
1990-2002	12 per 100,000 people	UNDP - Human Development Report 2003

Percentage HIV+ (adults aged 15-49)
No data available percent

Malaria
Moderate risk from P.falciparum throughout the year in the whole country. P.falciparum resistance to chloroquine and sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine reported. P.vivax resistance to chloroquine reported.
Source: WHO

TB cases

2007	77 per 100,000 people	WHO 2009
2006	80 per 100,000 people	WHO 2009
2005	83 per 100,000 people	WHO 2009
2004	86 per 100,000 people	WHO 2009
2003	89 per 100,000 people	WHO 2009
2002	92 per 100,000 people	WHO 2009
2001	95 per 100,000 people	WHO 2009
2000	98 per 100,000 people	WHO 2009

Number of refugees originating here
No data available

Number of refugees residing here

2008	3	UNHCR
2007	1	UNHCR

Number of internally displaced people\Estimate

No data available

Landmine casualties per year

2004	0	Landmine Monitor Report 2005
2003	0	Landmine Monitor Report 2004

Casualty figures may include both civilians and military personnel injured or killed by landmines and unexploded ordnance.
Signatory to landmine convention?
Yes (1997)
Source: Landmine Monitor Report

Percentage of GDP spent on military
No data available percent

Percentage of GDP spent on education

2002-2005	9.6 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2007/2008
2002-2004	9.6 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2006
2000-2002	11.0 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2005
1999-2001	10.5 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2004
1998-2000	7.3 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2003

Percentage of GDP spent on health

2004	3.1 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2007/2008
2003-2004	2.9 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2006
2002	2.8 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2005
2001	2.2 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2004
2000	2.4 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2003