Vanuatu Government

The government of the Republic of Vanuatu, as the state is officially called, is a parliamentary democracy accompanied by a constitution. The constitution clearly declares that the President is the head of the state who also acts as a symbol of unity to the citizens of Vanuatu. However, the president has limited powers because of the limited powers granted by the constitution. The president is elected by having a two-thirds of the votes from the Electoral College. Members of parliament and Regional Council Presidents make up the college. The head of government is the Prime Minister who is elected by having three-quarters of votes by the parliament. After an election, the Prime Minister appoints the Council of Ministers (a cabinet) as per the constitution. The council and the Prime Minister form the executive branch.

The members of parliament are elected democratically by the people every four years. A vote for the members may be held before the end of their tenure if the parliament is dissolved. The college then elects a president while the parliament picks a Prime Minister. One must be a Vanuatu citizen and at least 25 years to stand for elections. Citizens above 18 are eligible to vote. Campaigns end 72 hours before voting.

The parliament buildings of Vanuatu are situated in the capital city of Vanuatu, Port Vila. The building is enormous with a red roof with immaculate green lawns and was constructed with the aid of the Chinese government in the year 1992, with the harbor to its south. A few changes have been made as recently as 2015. The official residences of the leaders, the President and Prime Minister, are both situated in the capital.

Political parties in Vanuatu include the Vanua'aku Pati, National United Party, and the Union of Moderate Parties.

This page was last modified on May 1st, 2018

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Published on 2019-11-06


Capital	Port Vila
Languages	local languages (more than 100) 63.2%, Bislama (official; creole) 33.7%, English (official) 2%, French (official) 0.6%, other 0.5% (2009 est.)
Ethnic Groups	Ni-Vanuatu 97.6%, part Ni-Vanuatu 1.1%, other 1.3% (2009 est.)
Religion	Protestant 70% (includes Presbyterian 27.9%, Anglican 15.1%, Seventh Day Adventist 12.5%, Assemblies of God 4.7%, Church of Christ 4.5%, Neil Thomas Ministry 3.1%, and Apostolic 2.2%), Roman Catholic 12.4%, customary beliefs 3.7% (including Jon Frum cargo cult), other 12.6%, none 1.1%, unspecified 0.2% (2009 est.)
Government	Parliamentary republic
Independance	30 July 1980 (from France and the UK)
Area	12,189.00 km²
Land Area	12,189.00 km²
Population	277,554.00
Location	Oceania, group of islands in the South Pacific Ocean, about three-quarters of the way from Hawaii to Australia
GDP(PPP)	$723,000,000.00 (USD)
GDP (Per Capita)	$2,600.00 (USD)
Export Partners	Its major export partners are Japan, Turkey, and Thailand.
Export Commodities	Its main exports are copra, beef, cocoa, timber, kava, and coffee.
Import Partners	Its major import partners are China, Australia, and Japan.
Import Commodities	Its major imports include machinery and equipment, foodstuffs, and fuels.
Climate	Tropical; hot, humid; more moderate in highlands
Terrain	Mostly mountainous islands of volcanic origin; narrow coastal plains

Vanuatu Government

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