Vanuatu15.37° S, 166.91° E
No land border at all — every neighbor is across water, along 2,528 km of coast, the 45th longest on Earth.
land borders 0 km · 164th/230 · coastline 2,528 km · 45th/229
CIA World Factbook · 2026-02-01 · ranks computed across the countries in this atlas that carry the value
geometry: Natural Earth 1:50m · EPSG:6933 equal-area
Each line is every country in this atlas that carries the value, ordered smallest to largest. The line down the middle is the world median; the mark on each line is this country.
The name "Vanuatu" means "Our land forever" in several Austronesian languages spoken on the islands. The former name, New Hebrides, was given by Captain James Cook in 1774 because he thought the islands looked similar to the Hebrides islands off the coast of Scotland.
Source: CIA World Factbook · 2026-02-01 · text generated from this source, approved by a person
Austronesian speakers from the Solomon Islands settled the islands around 2000 BCE; by around 1000, localized chieftain systems developed. Around 1600, Melanesian Chief Roi Mata united some islands under his rule. In 1606, a Portuguese explorer first saw the Banks Islands and Espiritu Santo; whalers frequented the New Hebrides in the 1800s. Sandalwood harvesting caused conflict, and in the 1860s planters kidnapped adult men as indentured servants. France and the UK declared the islands neutral in 1878 and established a joint naval commission in 1887. In 1906, they created a condominium with separate laws, police forces, currencies, and education and health systems. The condominium proved dysfunctional and was reestablished after World War II.
During the 1960s, the UK favored independence, but France was hesitant. After France relented, elections came in 1974, and Vanuatu became independent in 1980 under Prime Minister Walter Lini. The Nagriamel Movement, backed by French-speaking landowners, declared Espiritu Santo independent, but the state was dissolved. Linguistic divisions lessened, but fractious parties produced weak coalition governments needing Anglophone and Francophone support. Since 2008, prime ministers have been ousted by no-confidence motions or procedural issues.
Source: CIA World Factbook · 2026-02-01 · text generated from this source, approved by a person
A parliamentary republic is the form of government. Its legal system is a mixed system of English common law, French law, and customary law. The constitution took effect 30 July 1980 at independence. Independence came from France and the UK on 30 July 1980. The national holiday is Independence Day, 30 July (1980).
Source: CIA World Factbook · 2026-02-01 · text generated from this source, approved by a person
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