Vanuatu

Overview

Vanuatu is a Pacific island nation east of Australia, made up of about 80 islands, roughly 65 of which are inhabited. Until 1980 the country, then known as the New Hebrides, was jointly administered by Britain and France, and this dual colonial history is still reflected in its official languages: English, French, and Bislama, a local creole, all hold official status. The population is predominantly Melanesian, and more than 100 local languages are spoken, giving Vanuatu one of the highest linguistic densities in the world relative to its population.

Mount Yasur, on Tanna Island, is one of the most accessible active volcanoes in the world, reachable by vehicle and a short walk to the crater rim. Port Vila, the capital, located on Efate Island, is the country's commercial hub, with a harbor and central market. On Espiritu Santo, Million Dollar Point marks the site where the U.S. military dumped tons of equipment into the sea at the end of World War II, now a diving site. Land diving (naghol) on Pentecost Island, in which local men jump from a wooden tower with vines tied to their ankles, is regarded locally as a precursor to bungee jumping and takes place in April and May.

The coral reefs around Vanuatu, including the wreck of the USS President Coolidge off Espiritu Santo from World War II, are popular diving sites. The Blue Holes, natural freshwater pools on Espiritu Santo, are used for swimming and snorkeling. Local cuisine is based on taro, yam, and the national dish laplap, made from grated root vegetables such as taro, yam, or cassava, combined with coconut milk and sometimes meat or fish, traditionally cooked in an underground oven.