The most interesting facts about Vanuatu, from inventing bungee jumping, worshipping a British prince and being one of the happiest countries in the world.
Fast facts
Official name: Republic of Vanuatu
Capital city: Port-Vila
Population: 341,076
Area: 12,189 sq km
Major languages: Bislama, English, French
Time zone: UTC+11 (Vanuatu Time)
Interesting facts about Vanuatu
1. Vanuatu is a country in Oceania made up of 83 islands, of which around 65 are inhabited.
2. It is believed the first inhabitants of Vanuatu were the Melanesian people of the Lapita culture, arriving from around 1300BC.
3. The first Europeans to see Vanuatu believed they had discovered Australia. In 1606, Portuguese explorer Pedro Fernández de Quirós named an island Terra Australis del Espiritu Santo. Today the island is called Espiritu Santo.
4. In 1774, British explorer Captain Cook charted the islands and named them the New Hebrides.
5. In 1906 the Anglo-French Condominium of the New Hebrides was created. The dual administration was often farcical and was nicknamed ‘the Pandemonium’ as multiple systems were created including two police forces, two health services, two education systems, two currencies and two prison systems.
6. During the Second World War, Vanuatu played an important role in the liberation of Pacific islands occupied by Japan. More than half a million Allied troops roamed the island, leaving behind substantial amounts of equipment.
7. One of the most famous sites is the wreck of the SS President Coolidge. The ship was an American luxury ocean liner converted to a troopship. In 1942, the ship struck a mine and sunk off the coast of Espiritu Santo. Today it is regarded as one of the world’s most accessible wreck dives.
8. In the late 19th century, Vanuatu was among several Pacific islands to suffer from ‘blackbirding’. Blackbirding was the kidnapping of people for use as forced labour on plantations in Fiji and Australia. The despicable practice ended around 1872 and led to several countries banning overseas-labour recruitment.
9. Prince Phillip – the husband of British Queen Elizabeth II – is worshipped by villagers of Yaohnanen on Tanna Island in Vanuatu. Followers of the Prince Philip Movement believe the Duke is the son of their ancestral mountain god.
10. In the 1930s, the ‘John Frum cargo cult’ emerged and is still observed in some places today. Devotees believed that goods owned by American and European visitors were actually meant for locals but had been intercepted by the newcomers. Followers believe John Frum will one day return and shower them with riches.
11. Some of the world’s most recent cases of cannibalism were reported in Vanuatu. Most anthropologists agree that Vanuatu’s last recorded case of cannibalism took place on the island of Malekulu in 1969.
12. Vanuatu is the country most at risk of experiencing natural disasters according to the 2020 World Risk Report, compiled by the United Nations.
13. Bungee jumping was invented in Vanuatu. For centuries men on Pentecost Island in Vanuatu practiced nagol – land diving. In a ritual associated with the annual yam harvest, men dive from a wooden tower up to 30m high with only vines attached to their ankles.
14. Vanuatu is home to one of the world’s most active volcanoes. According to the Volcanic Explosivity Index, a ranking of the largest volcanic explosions in recent geological history, Ambrym is currently joint-second.
15. Vanuatu is also home to Mount Yasur, considered to be the world’s most accessible active volcano. It is possible for visitors to hike to the crater rim and peer into its cauldron.
16. Vanuatu is one of just 21 countries without a standing army.
17. ‘Basket blong titi’ is the word for a bikini in Bislama. Bislama, a Melanesian pidgin-English, is the national language in Vanuatu and one of over 100 dialects spoken.
18. The English word ‘taboo’ comes from Vanuatu. The Bislama word ‘tabu’ means sacred, forbidden or no entry when written across a doorway. Failure to observe tabu can require the payment of pigs or even death.
19. The sacrifice of pigs is a common religious ritual in Vanuatu. So much so that their blood is represented in the dark red stripe of the national flag which also features a pig’s tusk.
20. The complete flag consists of a green stripe which represents the lush vegetation of the country; a black triangle representing the rich soil and the people; a Y-shape representing the layout of the islands with the yellow signifying peace and Christianity. Finally, there are two crossed namele leaves encircled by the pig’s tusk.
See how Vanuatu’s flag compares to other Oceania flags.
21. In Vanuatu, air pollution is estimated to make up around 23.4% of all deaths— one of the highest shares in the world. Despite its pristine island image, the country’s PM₂.₅ levels sit at roughly double the WHO guideline, and an estimated 94% of households still rely on polluting fuels for cooking.
22. Kava is a traditional mildly narcotic drink in Vanuatu and throughout much of Polynesia and Melanesia. To decline kava when offered it is to decline friendship.
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Caitriona Maria is an education writer and owner of The Facts Institute. With seven years of teaching experience and a background in educational content, she specialises in creating clear reference resources about countries, geography and global topics.