not have an
embassy in the US, it does, however, have a Permanent Mission to the
UN

Diplomatic representation from the US: the US does not have an
embassy in Vanuatu; the ambassador to Papua New Guinea is accredited
to Vanuatu

Flag description: two equal horizontal bands of red (top) and
green 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

Economy

Economy--overview: The economy is based primarily on subsistence
or small-scale agriculture which provides a living for 65% of the
population. Fishing, offshore financial services, and tourism, with
about 50,000 visitors in 1997, are 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. Economic development is
hindered by dependence on relatively few commodity exports,
vulnerability to natural disasters, and long distances from main
markets and between constituent islands.

GDP: purchasing power parity--$240 million (1997 est.)

GDP--real growth rate: NA%

GDP--per capita: purchasing power parity?$1,300 (1997 est.)

GDP--composition by sector:
agriculture: 23%
industry: 13%
services: 64% (1996)

Population below poverty line: NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 2.2% (1997 est.)

Labor force: NA

Labor force--by occupation: agriculture 65%, services 32%,
industry 3% (1995 est.)

Unemployment rate: NA%

Budget:
revenues: $94.4 million
expenditures: $99.8 million, including capital expenditures of $30.4
million (1996 est.)

Industries: food and fish freezing, wood processing, meat canning

Industrial production growth rate: 6.4% (1996 est.)

Electricity--production: 30 million kWh (1996)

Electricity--production by source:
fossil fuel: 100%
hydro: 0%
nuclear: 0%
other: 0% (1996)

Electricity--consumption: 30 million kWh (1996)

Electricity--exports: 0 kWh (1996)

Electricity--imports: 0 kWh (1996)

Agriculture--products: copra, coconuts, cocoa, coffee, taro, yams,
coconut