ms
National holiday:
Independence Day, 30 July (1980)
Executive branch:
president, prime minister, deputy prime minister, Council of Ministers
(cabinet)
Legislative branch:
unicameral Parliament; note - the National Council of Chiefs advises on
matters of custom and land
Judicial branch:
Supreme Court
Leaders:
Chief of State:
President Frederick TIMAKATA (since 30 January 1989)
Head of Government:
Prime Minister Maxime CARLOT (since 16 December 1991); Deputy Prime Minister
Sethy REGENVANU (since 17 December 1991)
Political parties and leaders:
Vanuatu Party (VP), Donald KALPOKAS; Union of Moderate Parties (UMP), Serge
VOHOR; Melanesian Progressive Party (MPP), Barak SOPE; National United Party
(NUP), Walter LINI; Tan Union Party (TUP), Vincent BOULEKONE; Nagriamel
Party, Jimmy STEVENS; Friend Melanesian Party, leader NA
Suffrage:
universal at age 18
Elections:
Parliament:
last held 2 December 1991 (next to be held by November 1995); note - after
election, a coalition was formed by the Union of Moderate Parties and the
National United Party to form new government on 16 December 1991; seats -
(46 total) UMP 19; NUP 10; VP 10; MPP 4; TUP 1; Nagriamel 1; Friend 1
Member of:
ACCT, ACP, AsDB, C, ESCAP, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, IDA, IFC, IMF, IMO,
IOC, ITU, NAM, SPC, SPF, UN, UNCTAD, UNIDO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WMO
Diplomatic representation:
Vanuatu does not have a mission in Washington
US:
the ambassador in Papua New Guinea is accredited to Vanuatu
Flag:
two equal horizontal bands of red (top) and green (bottom) with a black
isosceles triangle (based on the hoist side) all separated by a black-edged
yellow stripe in the shape of a horizontal Y (the two points of the Y face
the hoist side and enclose the triangle); centered in the triangle is a
boar's tusk encircling two crossed namele leaves, all in yellow

:Vanuatu Economy

Overview:
The economy is based primarily on subsistence farming which provides a
living for about 80% of the population. Fishing and tourism are the other
mainstays of the economy. Mineral deposits are negligible; the country has
no known petroleum deposits. A small light industry sector caters to the
local market. Tax revenues come mainly from import duties.
GDP:
exchange rate conversion - $142 million, per capita $900 (1988 est.); real
growth ra