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PEOPLE OF VANUATU
Name of the People: noun: Ni-Vanuatu (singular and plural); adjective: Ni-Vanuatu.
Ethnic Groups: Melanesian 99.2 percent, non-Melanesian 0.8 percent (2016 estimate). [Source: CIA World Factbook 2023]
Languages: local languages (more than 100) 63.2 percent, Bislama (official; creole) 33.7 percent, English (official) 2 percent, French (official) 0.6 percent, other 0.5 percent (2009 estimate). [Source: CIA World Factbook 2023]
Religions: Protestant 70 percent (includes Presbyterian 27.9 percent, Anglican 15.1 percent, Seventh Day Adventist 12.5 percent, Assemblies of God 4.7 percent, Church of Christ 4.5 percent, Neil Thomas Ministry 3.1 percent, and Apostolic 2.2 percent), Roman Catholic 12.4 percent, customary beliefs 3.7 percent (including Jon Frum cargo cult), other 12.6 percent, none 1.1 percent, unspecified 0.2 percent (2009 estimate). [Source: CIA World Factbook 2023]
Population of Vanuatu
Population: 313,046 (2023 estimate); ranking compared to other countries in the world: 179. [Source: CIA World Factbook 2023]
Population Growth: 1.59 percent (2023 estimate); ranking compared to other countries in the world: 59; Birth rate: 21.19 births/1,000 population (2023 estimate); ranking compared to other countries in the world: 61; Death rate: 3.99 deaths per 1,000 population (2023 estimate); ranking compared to other countries in the world: 214; Net migration rate: -1.28 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2023 estimate); ranking compared to other countries in the world: 153. [Source: CIA World Factbook 2023]
Population Distribution: three-quarters of the population lives in rural areas; the urban populace lives primarily in two cities, Port-Vila and Lugenville; three largest islands: Espiritu Santo, Malakula, and Efate: accomodate over half of the populace. [Source: CIA World Factbook 2023]
Demography of Vanuatu
Age Structure: 0-14 years: 31.73 percent (male 50,721/female 48,607); 15-64 years: 63.41 percent (male 97,376/female 101,135); 65 years and over: 4.86 percent (2023 estimate) (male 7,486/female 7,721). [Source: CIA World Factbook 2023]
Dependency Ratios: total dependency ratio: 76.5; youth dependency ratio: 69.9; elderly dependency ratio: 12.3; potential support ratio: 15.2 (2021 estimate). [Source: CIA World Factbook 2023]
Median Age: total: 23 years; male: 22.6 years; female: 23.5 years (2020 estimate); ranking compared to other countries in the world: 179. [Source: CIA World Factbook 2023]
Urbanization: urban population: 26 percent of total population (2023); rate of urbanization: 2.55 percent annual rate of change (2020-25 estimate); Major Urban Areas (population): 53,000 PORT-VILA (capital) (2018)
Fertility, Birth Control, Marriage and Sex
Total Fertility Rate: 2.59 children born per woman (2023 estimate); ranking compared to other countries in the world: 62; Gross reproduction rate: 1.26 (2023 estimate). [Source: CIA World Factbook 2023]
Contraceptive Use: 49 percent (2013). [Source: CIA World Factbook 2023]
Married Women (ages 15-49): 69.2 percent (2023 estimate). [Source: CIA World Factbook 2023]
Sex Ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female; 0-14 years: 1.04 male(s)/female; 15-64 years: 0.96 male(s)/female; 65 years and over: 0.97 male(s)/female; total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2023 estimate)
Health of the People in Vanuatu
Life Expectancy at Birth: total population: 75.4 years; male: 73.72 years; female: 77.17 years (2023 estimate); ranking compared to other countries in the world: population 129. [Source: CIA World Factbook 2023]
Infant Mortality Rate: total: 14 deaths per 1,000 live births; male: 15.38 deaths per 1,000 live births; female: 12.56 deaths per 1,000 live births (2023 estimate); ranking compared to other countries in the world: 105. [Source: CIA World Factbook 2023]
Maternal Mortality Ratio: 94 deaths per 100,000 live births (2020 estimate); ranking compared to other countries in the world: 72. [Source: CIA World Factbook 2023]
Obesity (prevalence rate among adults): 25.2 percent (2016); ranking compared to other countries in the world: 52. [Source: CIA World Factbook 2023]
Alcohol Consumption Per Capita: total: 1.6 liters of pure alcohol (2019 estimate); beer: 0.34 liters of pure alcohol (2019 estimate); wine: 0.39 liters of pure alcohol (2019 estimate); spirits: 0.87 liters of pure alcohol (2019 estimate); other alcohols: 0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 estimate); ranking compared to other countries in the world: 136. [Source: CIA World Factbook 2023]
Percentage of Population That Uses Tobacco: total: 17.8 percent (2020 estimate); male: 33 percent (2020 estimate); female: 2.6 percent (2020 estimate); ranking compared to other countries in the world: 94. [Source: CIA World Factbook 2023]
Children Under the Age of Five Years That Are Underweight 11.7 percent (2013); ranking compared to other countries in the world: 51. [Source: CIA World Factbook 2023]
Drinking Water Source: improved: urban: 100 percent of population; rural: 89.7 percent of population; total: 92.3 percent of population; unimproved: urban: 0 percent of population; rural: 10.3 percent of population; total: 7.7 percent of population (2020 estimate). [Source: CIA World Factbook 2023]
Image Sources:
Text Sources: CIA World Factbook, 2023; “Encyclopedia of World Cultures, Volume 2: Oceania,” edited by Terence E. Hays, 1991, Wikipedia, New York Times, Washington Post, Los Angeles Times, Times of London, Lonely Planet Guides, Library of Congress, The Guardian, National Geographic, Smithsonian magazine, The New Yorker, Reuters, Associated Press, AFP, BBC, CNN, and various books, websites and other publications.
Last updated August 2023