Part 876

Geographic coordinates: 16 00 S, 167 00 E

Map references: Oceania

Area: total : 14,760 sq km land: 14,760 sq km water: 0 sq km note: includes more than 80 islands

Area - comparative: slightly larger than Connecticut

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 2,528 km

Maritime claims: measured from claimed archipelagic baselines contiguous zone: 24 nm continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin exclusive economic zone: 200 nm territorial sea : 12 nm

Climate: tropical; moderated by southeast trade winds

Terrain: mostly mountains of volcanic origin; narrow coastal plains

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: Mount Tabwemasana 1,877 m

Natural resources: manganese, hardwood forests, fish

Land use: arable land: 2% permanent crops: 10% permanent pastures : 2% forests and woodland: 75% other: 11% (1993 est.)

Irrigated land: NA sq km

Natural hazards: tropical cyclones or typhoons (January to April); volcanism causes minor earthquakes

Environment - current issues: a majority of the population does not have access to a potable and reliable supply of water; deforestation

Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered Species, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution signed, but not ratified: Desertification, Law of the Sea

@Vanuatu:People

Population: 181,358 (July 1997 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 40% (male 36,655; female 35,359) 15-64 years: 57% (male 53,506; female 50,508) 65 years and over: 3% (male 2,904; female 2,426) (July 1997 est.)

Population growth rate: 2.12% (1997 est.)

Birth rate: 29.87 births/1,000 population (1997 est.)

Death rate: 8.63 deaths/1,000 population (1997 est.)

Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1997 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.06 male(s)/female 65 years and over : 1.2 male(s)/female total population: 1.05 male(s)/female (1997 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 62.9 deaths/1,000 live births (1997 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: total population: 60.56 years male: 58.65 years female: 62.58 years (1997 est.)

Total fertility rate: 3.88 children born/woman (1997 est.)

Nationality: noun: Ni-Vanuatu (singular and plural) adjective: Ni-Vanuatu