What was Vanuatu originally called?
the New Hebrides
Formerly the jointly administered Anglo-French condominium of the New Hebrides, Vanuatu achieved independence in 1980. The name Vanuatu means “Our Land Forever” in many of the locally used Melanesian languages.
What was the colonial name for Vanuatu?
New Hebrides
New Hebrides, officially the New Hebrides Condominium (French: Condominium des Nouvelles-Hébrides, lit. “Condominium of the New Hebrides”) and named for the Hebrides Scottish archipelago, was the colonial name for the island group in the South Pacific Ocean that is now Vanuatu.
What is another name for Vanuatu?
the Republic of Vanuatu
listen) VAH-noo-AH-too or /vænˈwɑːtuː/ van-WAH-too; Bislama and French pronunciation [vanuatu]), officially the Republic of Vanuatu (French: République de Vanuatu; Bislama: Ripablik blong Vanuatu), is an island country located in the South Pacific Ocean.
Who are the original inhabitants of Vanuatu?
“The people of Vanuatu today are descended from Asia first of all. Their original base population is Asian. They were straight out of Taiwan and perhaps the northern Philippines,” said Professor Spriggs of the ANU School of Archaeology and Anthropology in the College of Arts and Social Sciences.
How many islands are in Vanuatu?
Vanuatu is a double chain of 13 principal and many smaller islands in the south-western Pacific Ocean. The islands are volcanic and coral in origin. They lie about 800 kilometres west of Fiji and nearly 1800 kilometres east of Australia. Around 65 of the islands are inhabited.
What island is Suva on?
Viti Levu
The capital, Suva, is on the southeast coast of the largest island, Viti Levu (“Great Fiji”).… Suva, the Fijian capital, is situated on the island’s southeastern coast and has an excellent harbour….…
Was Vanuatu a French colony?
Vanuatu, then known as the New Hebrides, was a Franco-British condominium from 1906 to 1980, and maintained formal relations with both of its former colonial masters after gaining independence. Relations improved from the 1990s onwards and, today, France provides development aid to Vanuatu.
What is the biggest island in Vanuatu?
Espiritu Santo
Espiritu Santo, also called Santo, formerly Marina, largest (1,420 square miles [3,677 square km]) and westernmost island of Vanuatu, in the southwestern Pacific Ocean.
Which is better Nadi or Suva?
The Nadi area has more tourist facilities and activities. Suva is more administrative but just out of Suva is the fantastic area of Pacific Harbour. I would be inclined to head to there or the Coral Coast regions for a budget break.
What is Suva known for?
political, economic
Suva is the political, economic, and cultural centre of Fiji. It is also the economic and cultural capital of the South Pacific, hosting the majority of the regional headquarters of major international corporations, international agencies, and diplomatic missions.
When did the Europeans first come to Vanuatu?
European contact. The Vanuatu group of islands first had contact with Europeans in 1606, when the Portuguese explorer Pedro Fernandes de Queirós, sailing for the Spanish Crown, arrived on the largest island and called the group of islands La Austrialia del Espiritu Santo or “The Southern Land of the Holy Spirit”,…
What kind of country is the Republic of Vanuatu?
.vu. Vanuatu (English: /ˌvɑːnuˈɑːtuː/ (listen) VAH-noo-AH-too or /vænˈwɑːtuː/ van-WAH-too; Bislama pronunciation [vanuatu]), officially the Republic of Vanuatu (French: République de Vanuatu, Bislama: Ripablik blong Vanuatu), is a Pacific island country located in the South Pacific Ocean.
Where did the first Melanesians live in Vanuatu?
The archipelago, which is of volcanic origin, is 1,750 kilometres (1,090 mi) east of northern Australia, 540 kilometres (340 mi) northeast of New Caledonia, east of New Guinea, southeast of the Solomon Islands, and west of Fiji . Vanuatu was first inhabited by Melanesian people.
Which is the largest island in the Vanuatu archipelago?
The mostly volcanic archipelago extends 560 miles (900 kilometers) from north to south and has an area of 5,700 square miles (14,760 square kilometers). Espiritu Santo is the largest island. Port Vila, the capital, which was also the colonial headquarters, is on the south-central island of Efate.