Browse additional economic indicators and data sets, selected by Global Finance editors, to learn more about Vanuatu economic outlook, debt to GDP ratio, international trade performance and population trends.
Basic Information
Government Type: Parliamentary republic
Capital City: Port-Vila (on Efate)
GDP & Economic Information
Macroeconomy & Sovereign Data
Central Bank | Reserve Bank of Vanuatu |
---|---|
Currency | Vatu (VUV) |
International Reserves |
USD 0.42 billion (2018) International Monetary Fund (IMF) |
Gross Domestic Product – GDP | USD 0.9 billion (2018, estimate) |
GDP (Purchasing Power Parity) | Intl$ 0.8 billion (2018, estimate) |
GDP Data
Real GDP growth |
2014 2.3% 2015 0.2% 2016 3.5% 2017* 4.4% 2018* 3.2% *Estimate |
---|---|
GDP per capita – current prices | USD 3,254.1 (2018, estimate) |
GDP per capita – PPP | Intl$ 2,861.8 (2018, estimate) |
GDP (PPP) – share of world total | 0.001% (2019) |
GDP – composition by sector |
agriculture: 27.3% industry: 11.8% services: 60.8% (2016 estimate) |
Gross domestic expenditure on R&D; (% of GDP) | N/A |
Inflation |
2015 2.5% 2016 0.8% 2017 3.1% 2018* 2.9% 2019* 2.0% *Estimate |
Vanuatu
Inflation & Debt
Inflation |
2015 2.5% 2016 0.8% 2017 3.1% 2018* 2.9% 2019* 2.0% *Estimate |
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Government Bond Ratings |
Standard & Poor’s: N/A Moody’s: N/A Standard & Poor’s / Moody’s (Updated January 2017) |
Unemployment rate |
2015 N/A 2016 N/A 2017 N/A 2018* N/A 2019* N/A *Estimate |
Household saving rates | N/A |
Public debt (General government gross debt as a % of GDP) |
2015 34.7% 2016 45.2% 2017 52.1% 2018* 51.4% 2019* 49.2% *Estimate |
Public deficit (General government net lending/borrowing as a % of GDP) |
2015 -7.3% 2016 -3.9% 2017 -0.9% 2018* 4.8% 2019* -0.6% *Estimate |
Market value of publicly traded shares | N/A |
Largest Companies | N/A |
Import/Export
Exports as percent of GDP (Exports of goods and services) | 48.6% (2014) |
---|---|
Shares in world total merchandising export | 0.0004% (2018) |
Shares in world total commercial services export | 0.01% (2017) |
Total exports | USD 414.0 million (2017 estimate) |
Export commodities | Copra, beef (veal), cocoa, timber, kava, coffee, coconut oil, shell, cowhides, coconut meal, fish |
Total imports | USD 448.6 (2017 estimate) |
Import commodities | Machinery and equipment, foodstuffs, fuels |
Exports – major partners | Philippines 23.9%, Australia 16.5%, US 10.4%, Japan 8.8%, Venezuela 8%, France 4.8%, Fiji 4.5%, Hong Kong 4.4% (2017) |
Imports – major partners | Russia 35.2%, Australia 19.8%, NZ 9.8%, China 6.3%, Fiji 5.5% (2017) |
Competitiveness & Trade
Current account balance | USD 0.0 billion (2018 estimate) |
---|---|
Current account balance by percentage of GDP | -3.4% (2018 estimate) |
FDI inflows |
2016 USD 22 million 2019 USD 24 million 2018 USD 38 million |
FDI Outflows |
2016 USD 0.9 million 2017 USD 1.1 million 2018 USD 1.2 million |
Value of cross-border M&A, by country of purchaser |
N/A United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) – World Investment Report |
Cross-border M&A deals worth over $3 billion completed in 2014 | N/A |
Cross-border M&A deals worth over $3 billion completed in 2015 | N/A |
Best countries for doing business |
Economies are ranked on their ease of doing business. A high ease of doing business ranking means the regulatory environment is more conducive to the starting and operation of a local firm. Overall ranking: 107 out of 190 countries Subcategories: Starting a Business: 137 out of 190 countries Dealing with Construction Permits: 163 out of 190 countries Getting Electricity: 101 out of 190 countries Registering Property: 84 out of 190 countries Getting Credit: 37 out of 190 countries Protecting Minority Investors: 147 out of 190 countries Paying Taxes: 67 out of 190 countries Trading across Borders: 148 out of 190 countries Enforcing Contracts: 138 out of 190 countries Resolving Insolvency: 101 out of 190 countries |
Global competitiveness ranking | N/A |
Index of Economic Freedom |
Ranking: 116 / Score: 56.4 (Moderately free) (2019) (100=totally free 0=totally repressed) |
Population & Geographic Data
Total Area | 12,189 sq km |
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Total Population |
1990 0.15 Million 2000 0.19 Million 2010 0.24 Million 2015 0.27 Million 2020 0.3 Million |
Urban population as % of total population |
1960 10.4% 1980 14.7% 2000 21.7% 2018 25.3% |
Population median age | 22.3 years (2018 estimate) |
Population growth rate | 1.81% (2018 estimate) |
Life expectancy | 74 years (2018 estimate) |
% of population living on less than $3.10 a day | 39.2% (2010 estimate) |
Inequality of wealth distribution (Gini index) | 37.8 (2010 estimate) |
Freedom House rating |
Political Rights: 2 Civil Liberties: 2 (2019) (1 represents the most free, 7 the least free rating) |
Total telephone subscribers as % of population |
Fixed 1.6% Mobile 79.9% (2017) (fixed-telephone subscribers and mobile-cellular subscribers) |
Internet users as % of total population | 25.72% (2017) |
Language & Religon
Languages | Local languages (more than 100) 63.2%, Bislama (official; creole) 33.7%, English (official) 2%, French (official) 0.6%, other 0.5% (2009 est.) |
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Literacy |
Total population: 85.2% Male: 86.6% Female: 83.8% (2015 est.) (age 15 and over can read and write) |
Religions | Protestant 70% (includes Presbyterian 27.9%, Anglican 15.1%, Seventh Day Adventist 12.5%, Assemblies of God 4.7%, Church of Christ 4.5%, Neil Thomas Ministry 3.1%, and Apostolic 2.2%), Roman Catholic 12.4%, customary beliefs 3.7% (including Jon Frum cargo cult), other 12.6%, none 1.1%, unspecified 0.2% (2009 est.) |
World Rankings
Population | 0.3 million |
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Mercer Cost of living index | N/A |
C02 Emissions per capita | 0.58 (2014) |
Global Finance Rankings & Awards: Vanuatu
Global Finance Magazine holds several conferences and awards ceremonies throughout the year to recognize the winning financial institutions and companies in a host of categories including World’s Best Trade Finance Banks, World's Biggest Banks, World's Safest Banks, World's Best Developed & Emerging Markets Banks, World's Best Internet Banks, and World’s Best Investment Banks.
Data Sources:
IMF World Economic Outlook
UN World Population Prospects
World Inequality Report
S&P Global Ratings
Moody’s
Fitch Ratings
IMF Direction of Trade Statistics (DOTS)
UN Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD)
CIA The World Factbook
World Bank’s World Integrated Trade Solution
Forbes Global 2000