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

Example Sentences

The FIFA-supported competition aims to help players from the likes of Vanuatu, the Solomon Islands and Tahiti forge careers in the world game.

From Barron's • Feb. 5, 2026

To close that research gap, scientists examined data on 878 coastal fish representing 138 species caught by fishing communities around Fiji, Tonga, Tuvalu, and Vanuatu.

From Science Daily • Feb. 3, 2026

Discussions with Vanuatu are due to continue in Paris in early 2026.

From Barron's • Dec. 18, 2025

"Those who are wanted by their countries or who are investigated by police authorities from overseas are not welcome to be part of the citizens of Vanuatu."

From BBC • Jun. 4, 2025

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

From The 2003 CIA World Factbook by United States. Central Intelligence Agency