Vanuatu

American  

[vah-noo-ah-too] / ˌvɑ nuˈɑ tu /

noun

1. a republic consisting of a group of 80 islands in the southern Pacific, about 1,000 miles (1,600 km) northeast of Australia: formerly under joint British and French administration; gained independence 1980. About 5,700 sq. mi. (14,763 sq. km). Vila.

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Vanuatu British  

/ ˈvænuːˌætuː /

noun

1. Former name (until 1980): New Hebrides. Official name: Republic of Vanuatu. a republic comprising a group of islands in the W Pacific, W of Fiji: a condominium under Anglo-French joint rule from 1906; attained partial autonomy in 1978 and full independence in 1980 as a member of the Commonwealth. Its economy is based chiefly on copra. Official languages: Bislama; French; English. Religion: Christian majority. Currency: vatu. Capital: Vila (on Efate). Pop: 261 565 (2013 est). Area: about 14 760 sq km (5700 sq miles)

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Other Word Forms

• Vanuatuan
  adjective

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

Vanuatu

Since late last year, Australia has reached agreements with Vanuatu, Fiji and Papua New Guinea, the largest and most populous Pacific Island nation.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 9, 2026

Vanuatu and Samoa have moved to protect their corals from imminent bleaching.

From Barron's ● Oct. 4, 2026

Before the Seychelles population was wiped out, the species occupied an even larger range that stretched more than 12,000 kilometers from Vanuatu in the Pacific Ocean to the Seychelles in the Indian Ocean.

From Science Daily ● May 28, 2026

Australia - through public money and philanthropy - is now helping its neighbours, countries like Vanuatu and Papua New Guinea, pursue elimination too.

From BBC ● May 1, 2026

Vanuatu:   The economy is based primarily on subsistence or   small-scale agriculture which provides a living for 65% of the   population.

From The 2001 CIA World Factbook by United States. Central Intelligence Agency

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