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Vanuatu Facts & Worksheets

Vanuatu is an archipelago located in the South Pacific Ocean in Oceania. Vanuatu consists of about 80 smaller islands wherein 65 of these islands are inhabited.

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Vanuatu is an archipelago located in the South Pacific Ocean in Oceania. Vanuatu consists of about 80 smaller islands wherein 65 of these islands are inhabited. Vanuatu’s capital and largest city is Port Vila, on Éfaté Island.

See the fact file below for more information on the Vanuatu or alternatively, you can download our 20-page Vanuatu worksheet pack to utilise within the classroom or home environment.

Key Facts & Information

GEOGRAPHY

  • Vanuatu is a Y-shaped archipelago that lies in Melanesia, the western part of the large region called Oceania.
  • Vanuatu holds about 40 islands and 40 islets in which Espíritu Santo is the largest island.
  • Many of the islands have mountains with active volcanoes and don’t have stable soil for agriculture but have abundant freshwater.
  • Mount Yasur on Tanna Island is one of the most active volcanoes.
  • Vanuatu’s highest point is Mount Tabwemasana at 1879 meters located on Espiritu Santo Island.
  • The climate of Vanuatu is tropical with two main seasons. May to September is the colder months while the months from October to April are hot and humid. December to April are the rainiest months, sometimes with cyclones.

ETYMOLOGY

  • The name Vanuatu means “Our Land Forever” in several of the locally used Melanesian languages. The country was also once known as New Hebrides.

HISTORY

  • Melanesian peoples have inhabited the islands of Vanuatu for more than 3,000 years.
  • In 1606, Pedro Fernández de Quirós, a Portuguese explorer, discovered the island of Espiritu Santo, which he thought was a great southern continent. Europeans didn’t go back until 1768 when Louis Antoine de Bougainville rediscovered the land.
  • Captain Cook named the islands the New Hebrides in 1774, a name that lasted until independence.
  • Initially, most of the immigrants were British nationals from Australia, but by the turn of the century, the French outnumbered the British two to one.
  • Attempts to stop the decimation of the native population met success in 1887 while the islands were placed under an Anglo-French naval commission, governed in the current capital Port Vila, which by the time was known as Franceville.
  • France and the United Kingdom agreed to administer the islands jointly in 1906.
  • New Hebrides gained independence in 1980.
  • The islands’ locals renamed the country Vanuatu, which means “Our Land Forever.”

PEOPLE

  • The national languages of the island nation are Bislama, English, and French. Most people speak Bislama, either as a first or second language.
  • Most of the people in Vanuatu are Melanesians which are referred to as Ni Vanuatu or Ni Van.
  • Approximately 300,000 people live in Vanuatu, mostly residing in small villages. The vast majority (about 82%) of the people practice Christianity.
  • Vanuatu’s national anthem is in Bislama called “Yumi, yumi, yumi.” Yumi translated to English means “we.”

ECONOMY

  • Most locals on the islands work in the agricultural sector.
  • Around 300,000 tourists visit Vanuatu each year, about the same number of inhabitants on the islands! Most tourists visiting the islands come from Australia and New Zealand. Most of them come for the scenic landscape, traditional island living, sandy beaches, and clear blue lagoons.
  • The currency of the country is called Vatu.
  • The main economic industries are agriculture, cattle ranching, fishing, tourism, and offshore financial services.
  • Natural resources include manganese, timber (hardwood), and seafood.
  • The main agricultural products include tropical fruits like pineapples and bananas, cabbage, vanilla, cocoa, coconuts, yams, and taro (which is a starchy root vegetable).
  • Philippines, Australia, and the USA are the main export partners of Vanuatu. Russia, Australia, and New Zealand are the main import partners.

CULTURE

  • Vanuatu is a culturally dense island nation. There are at least 113 different languages and countless dialects, despite having a population of around 300,000.
  • Alike to Australian Aboriginal narrative customs, the culture holds myths and legends. Storytelling, songs, and dances are essential forms of communication. Through these traditional tales, stories of Vanuatu’s history and landscape emerge.
  • Food in Vanuatu like the coconuts and coconut milk are used in many dishes. Food is mostly steamed or cooked over the fire and rarely fried. Lap-lap is considered by many as the national dish of Vanuatu.
  • Art is additionally a fundamental part of social life and ritual celebrations, with ni-Vanuatu showing their culture in body decorations and tattoos, elaborate masks, hats, and carvings.

Vanuatu Worksheets

This is a fantastic bundle which includes everything you need to know about the Vanuatu across 20 in-depth pages. These are ready-to-use Vanuatu worksheets that are perfect for teaching students about the Vanuatu which is an archipelago located in the South Pacific Ocean in Oceania. Vanuatu consists of about 80 smaller islands wherein 65 of these islands are inhabited. Vanuatu’s capital and largest city is Port Vila, on Éfaté Island.

Complete List Of Included Worksheets

  • Vanuatu Facts
  • Facts Please
  • Vanuatu Info
  • Vanuatu Timeline
  • Unjumble Words
  • Archipelago Nations
  • Geographical Facts
  • Economic Report
  • Vanuatu Culture
  • Only in Vanuatu
  • Vanuatu Acrostics

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Link will appear as Vanuatu Facts & Worksheets: https://kidskonnect.com - KidsKonnect, August 26, 2020

Use With Any Curriculum

These worksheets have been specifically designed for use with any international curriculum. You can use these worksheets as-is, or edit them using Google Slides to make them more specific to your own student ability levels and curriculum standards.

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