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71-613: 15°36′9″S 166°51′51″E  /  15.60250°S 166.86417°E  / -15.60250; 166.86417 This Vanuatu location article is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . This article related to a river in Oceania is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . Vanuatu Vanuatu ( English: / ˌ v ɑː n u ˈ ɑː t uː / VAH -noo- AH -too or / v æ n ˈ w ɑː t uː / van- WAH -too ; Bislama and French pronunciation [vanuatu] ), officially

142-570: A Joint Court. Land expropriation and exploitation of Ni-Vanuatu workers on plantations continued apace. In an effort to curb the worst of the abuses, and with the support of the missionaries, the Condominium's authority was extended via the Anglo-French Protocol of 1914, although this was not formally ratified until 1922. While this resulted in some improvements, labour abuses continued, and Ni-Vanuatu were barred from acquiring

213-755: A bid to forestall the Vemarana secessionists. Still ambivalent about independence, the French effectively neutered the force, prompting a collapse of law and order on Espiritu Santo resulting in large scale looting. The New Hebrides, now renamed Vanuatu, achieved independence as planned on 30 July 1980 under Prime Minister Walter Lini , with a ceremonial President replacing the Resident Commissioners. The Anglo-French forces withdrew in August, and Lini called in troops from Papua New Guinea , sparking

284-581: A coronavirus outbreak, recording its first case of COVID-19 in November 2020. In October 2023, Vanuatu aimed itself at being the first Pacific country to eliminate cervical cancer . Vanuatu is a Y-shaped archipelago consisting of about 83 relatively small, geologically newer islands of volcanic origin (65 of them inhabited), with about 1,300 kilometres (810 mi) between the most northern and southern islands. Two of these islands ( Matthew and Hunter ) are also claimed and controlled by France as part of

355-604: A huge volcanic eruption occurred on Ambrym in c.  200 CE, which would have devastated local populations and likely resulted in further population movements. Human cannibalism was widespread in some parts of Vanuatu. The Vanuatu islands first had contact with Europeans in April 1606, when the Portuguese explorer Pedro Fernandes de Queirós , sailing for the Spanish Crown , departed El Callao , sailed by

426-644: A large ancient cemetery containing the remains of 94 individuals. There are also sites – on Éfaté and on the adjacent islands of Lelepa and Eretoka – associated with the 16th–17th century chief or chiefs called Roy Mata . (This may be a title held by different men over several generations.) Roy Mata is said to have united local clans and instituted and presided over an era of peace. The stories about Roy Mata come from local oral tradition and are consistent with centuries-old evidence uncovered at archaeological sites. The Lapita sites became Vanuatu's first UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2008. The immediate origins of

497-635: A more gradual transition to independence and a federal system, plus the maintenance of French as an official language. In March 1977, a joint Anglo-French and Ni-Vanuatu conference was held in London, at which it was agreed to hold fresh Assembly elections and later an independence referendum in 1980; the VP boycotted the conference and the subsequent election in November. They set up a parallel 'People's Provisional Government' which had de facto control of many areas, prompting violent confrontations with Moderates and

568-630: A platform of more gradual political development – the Mouvement Autonomiste des Nouvelles-Hébrides (MANH), based on Espiritu Santo, and the Union des Communautés des Nouvelles-Hébrides (UCNH) on Efate. The parties aligned on linguistic and religious lines: the NHNP was seen as the party of Anglophone Protestants, and were backed by the British who wished to exit the colony altogether, whereas

639-711: A secret deal to recognise Taiwan in the China-Taiwan dispute and was unseated in a confidence vote less than five months after taking office, being replaced by Ham Lini . Lini switched back recognition to the People's Republic of China, and the PRC remains a major aid donor to the Vanuatu government. In 2007, violent clashes broke out in Port Vila between migrants from Tanna and Ambrym, in which two people died. Lini lost

710-541: Is Anelcauhat ( a.k.a. Anelghowhat), on the south side. Aneityum had a population of 915 in 2009. This population is believed to have been between 9,000 and 20,000 prior to the arrival of the Europeans, in 1793 . However, introduced diseases and blackbirding played a major role in Aneityum's massive depopulation, which left the island with fewer than 200 inhabitants in 1930. The main language of Aneityum island

781-487: Is also called Aneityum , or Anejom̃ in the local orthography. At the time of first contact with Europeans (around 1830) the island was subdivided into seven chiefdoms ( nelcau ) that each were presided by a natimarid (high chief) (clockwise, starting in Northwest:): The chiefdoms were further subdivided into more than 50 districts that were presided by minor chiefs ( natimi alupas ). The power of

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852-529: Is also likely to have destroyed or hidden many prehistoric sites. Archaeological evidence gathered since the 1980s supports the theory that the Vanuatuan islands were first settled about 3,000 years ago, in the period roughly between 1100 BCE and 700 BCE. These were almost certainly people of the Lapita culture . The formerly widespread idea that Vanuatu might have been only marginally affected by this culture

923-481: Is coincident with the extinction of several species, such as the land crocodile ( Mekosuchus kalpokasi ), land tortoise ( Meiolania damelipi ) and various flightless bird species. Lapita settlements reached as far east as Tonga and Samoa at their greatest extent. Over time, the Lapita culture lost much of its early unity; as such, it became increasingly fragmented, the precise reasons for which are unclear. Over

994-562: The 1998 Vanuatuan general election the UMP were unseated by the VP under Donald Kalpokas. He lasted only a year, resigning when threatened with a no confidence vote, replaced by Barak Sopé of the MPP in 1999, himself unseated in a no confidence vote in 2001. Despite the political uncertainty Vanuatu's economy continued to grow in this period, fuelled by high demand for Vanuatu beef, tourism, remittances from foreign workers, and large aid packages from

1065-664: The 2008 Vanuatuan general election , with Natapei returning to power as Vanuatu politics entered a period of turmoil. There were frequent attempts by the opposition to unseat Natapei via the use of no confidence votes – though unsuccessful, he was briefly removed on a procedural technicality in November 2009, an action that was then overturned by the Chief Justice. Sato Kilman of the People's Progressive Party (PPP) ousted Natapei in another no confidence vote in December 2010. He

1136-498: The American Civil War , they switched to coffee, cocoa , bananas, and, most successfully, coconuts . Initially British subjects from Australia made up the majority of settlers, but with little support from the British government they frequently struggled to make a success of their settlements. French planters also began arriving, beginning with Ferdinand Chevillard on Efate in 1880, and later in larger numbers following

1207-718: The Asian Development Bank (in 1997) and the US Millennium Challenge fund (in 2005). Vanuatu was removed from the OECD list of 'uncooperative tax havens' in 2003 and joined the World Trade Organization in 2011. Edward Natapei of the VP became prime minister in 2001 and went on to win the 2002 Vanuatuan general election . The 2004 Vanuatuan general election saw Vohor and the UMP return to power. He lost much support over

1278-589: The Banks Islands , landing briefly on Gaua (which he called Santa María). Continuing further south, Queirós arrived at the largest island, naming it La Austrialia del Espíritu Santo or "The Southern Land of the Holy Spirit", believing he had arrived in Terra Australis (Australia). The Spanish established a short-lived settlement named Nueva Jerusalem at Big Bay on the north side of

1349-496: The Nagriamel movement was founded in 1966 by Chief Buluk and Jimmy Stevens on a platform of opposing any further land clearances and gradual, Ni-Vanuatu-led, economic development. The movement gained a large following, prompting a crackdown by the authorities, with Buluk and Stevens being arrested in 1967. Upon their release, they began to press for complete independence. In 1971, Father Walter Lini established another party:

1420-578: The Oceanic branch of the Austronesian language family . This linguistic hyperdiversity resulted from a number of factors: continuing waves of migration, the existence of numerous decentralised and generally self-sufficient communities, hostilities between people groups, with none able to dominate any of the others, and the difficult geography of Vanuatu that impeded inter- and intra-island travel and communication. The geological record also shows that

1491-602: The Pacific Islands Forum . Vanuatu's name derives from the word vanua ("land" or "home"), which occurs in several Austronesian languages , combined with the word tu , meaning "to stand" (from POc * tuqur ). Together, the two words convey the independent status of the country. The history of Vanuatu before European colonisation is mostly obscure because of the lack of written sources up to that point, and because only limited archaeological work has been conducted; Vanuatu's volatile geology and climate

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1562-606: The Republic of Vanuatu (French: République de Vanuatu ; Bislama : Ripablik blong Vanuatu ), is an island country in Melanesia located in the South Pacific Ocean. The archipelago , which is of volcanic origin, is 1,750 km (1,090 mi) east of northern Australia, 540 km (340 mi) northeast of New Caledonia , east of New Guinea , southeast of Solomon Islands , and west of Fiji . Vanuatu

1633-617: The Vanuatu Mobile Force over a pay dispute and later released unharmed. A riot occurred in Port Vila in 1998 when savers attempted to withdraw funds from the Vanuatu National Provident Fund following allegations of financial impropriety, prompting the government to declare a brief state of emergency. A Comprehensive Reform Program was enacted in the 1998 with the aim of improving economic performance and cracking down on government corruption. At

1704-425: The citizenship of either power, being officially stateless. The underfunded Condominium government proved dysfunctional, with the duplication of administrations making effective governance difficult and time-consuming. Education, healthcare and other such services were left in the hands of the missionaries. During the 1920s–1930s, indentured workers from Vietnam (then part of French Indochina ) came to work in

1775-579: The American libertarian organisation Phoenix Foundation , took over the island's government in January and declared the independent Republic of Vemarana, prompting VP supporters to flee and the central government to institute a blockade. In May, an abortive Moderate rebellion broke out on Tanna, in the course of which one of their leaders was shot and killed. The British and French sent in troops in July in

1846-600: The American presence that 'cargo' (i.e. large quantities of American goods) would be delivered to them. Meanwhile, the Condominium government returned, though understaffed and underfunded, it struggled to reassert its authority. Decolonisation began sweeping the European empires after the war, and from the 1950s the Condominium government began a somewhat belated campaign of modernisation and economic development. Hospitals were built, doctors trained and immunisation campaigns carried out. The inadequate mission-run school system

1917-600: The Anglo-French authorities for the duration of their stay, with the Americans' more tolerant and friendly attitude to the Ni-Vanuatu, informal habits, relative wealth, and the presence of African American troops serving with a degree of equality (albeit in a segregated force ) seriously undermining the underlying ethos of colonial superiority. Wartime Vanuatu was the setting for James Michener's novel Tales of

1988-685: The Banks Islands on their return voyage to Timor following the mutiny on the Bounty ; Bligh later returned to the islands, naming them after his benefactor Joseph Banks . Whaleships were among the first regular visitors to this group of islands. The first recorded visit was by the Rose in February 1804, and the last known visit by the New Bedford ship John and Winthrop in 1887. In 1825,

2059-614: The Condominium government. A compromise was eventually brokered, a Government of National Unity formed under a new constitution, and fresh elections held in November 1979, which the VP won with a comfortable majority. Independence was now scheduled for 30 July 1980. Performing less well than expected, the Moderates disputed the results. Tensions continued throughout 1980. Violent confrontations occurred between VP and Moderate supporters on several islands. On Espiritu Santo Nagriamel and Moderate activists under Jimmy Stevens, funded by

2130-474: The French collectivity of New Caledonia. The country lies between latitudes 13°S and 21°S and longitudes 166°E and 171°E. The fourteen of Vanuatu's islands that have surface areas of more than 100 square kilometres (39 sq mi) are, from largest to smallest: Espiritu Santo , Malakula , Efate , Erromango , Ambrym , Tanna , Pentecost , Epi , Ambae or Aoba, Gaua , Vanua Lava , Maewo , Malo and Aneityum or Anatom. The nation's largest towns are

2201-961: The French presence in New Caledonia and their nuclear testing in French Polynesia . Opposition to Lini's tight grip on power grew and in 1987, after he had suffered a stroke whilst on a visit to the United States, a section of the Vanua'aku Pati (VP) under Barak Sopé broke off to form a new party (the Melanesian Progressive Party , MPP), and an attempt was made by President Ati George Sokomanu to unseat Lini. This failed, and Lini became increasingly distrustful of his VP colleagues, firing anyone he deemed to be disloyal. One such person, Donald Kalpokas , subsequently declared himself to be VP leader, splitting

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2272-653: The Lapita lie to the northwest, in the Solomon Islands archipelago and the Bismarck Archipelago of Papua New Guinea , though DNA studies of a 3,000-year-old skeleton found near Port Vila in 2016 indicates that some may have arrived directly from the Philippines and/or Taiwan , pausing only briefly en route. They brought with them crops such as yam , taro , and banana, as well as domesticated animals such as pigs and chickens. Their arrival

2343-531: The MANH, UCNH, Nagriamel and others (collectively known as the 'Moderates') represented Catholic Francophone interests, and a more gradual path to independence. France backed these groups as they were keen to maintain their influence in the region, most especially in their mineral-rich colony of New Caledonia where they were attempting to suppress an independence movement. Meanwhile, economic development continued, with numerous banks and financial centres opening up in

2414-611: The New Hebrides Cultural Association, later renamed the New Hebrides National Party (NHNP), which also focused on achieving independence and opposition to land expropriation. The NNDP first came to prominence in 1971, when the Condominium government was forced to intervene after a rash of land speculation by foreign nationals. Meanwhile, French settlers, and Francophone and mixed-race Ni-Vanuatu, established two separate parties on

2485-703: The South Pacific . With the successful reoccupation of the Solomons in 1943 the New Hebrides lost their strategic importance, and the Americans withdrew in 1945, selling much of their equipment at bargain prices and dumping the rest in the sea, at a place now called Million Dollar Point on Espiritu Santo . The rapid American deployment and withdrawal led to growth in ' cargo cults ', most notably that of John Frum , whereby Ni-Vanuatu hoped that by returning to traditional values whilst mimicking aspects of

2556-592: The archipelago, and in 1906, they agreed on a framework for jointly managing the archipelago as the New Hebrides through an Anglo-French condominium . An independence movement arose in the 1970s, and the Republic of Vanuatu was founded in 1980. Since independence, the country has become a member of the United Nations , Commonwealth of Nations , Organisation internationale de la Francophonie , and

2627-549: The archipelago. The fall of France to Nazi Germany in 1940 allowed Britain to gain a greater level of authority on the islands. The Australian military stationed a 2,000-strong force on Malakula in a bid to protect Australia from a possible Japanese invasion. Following the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor on 7 December 1941, the United States joined the war on the Allied side; Japan soon advanced rapidly throughout Melanesia and

2698-632: The brief ' Coconut War ' against Jimmy Stevens 's Vemarana separatists. The PNG forces quickly quelled the Vemarana revolt and Stevens surrendered on 1 September; he was later jailed. Lini remained in office until 1991, running an Anglophone-dominated government and winning both the 1983 and 1987 elections. In foreign affairs, Lini joined the Non Aligned Movement , opposed Apartheid in South Africa and all forms of colonialism, established links with Libya and Cuba , and opposed

2769-537: The capital Port Vila , on Efate, and Luganville on Espiritu Santo. The highest point in Vanuatu is Mount Tabwemasana , at 1,879 metres (6,165 ft), on the island of Espiritu Santo. Aneityum Aneityum (also known as Anatom or Keamu ) is the southernmost island of Vanuatu , in the province of Tafea . Aneityum is the southernmost island of Vanuatu (not counting the Matthew and Hunter Islands , which are disputed with New Caledonia , but considered by

2840-640: The centuries, pottery, settlement and burial practices in Vanuatu all evolved in a more localised direction, with long-distance trade and migration patterns contracting. Nevertheless, some limited long-distance trade did continue, with similar cultural practices and late-period items also being found in Fiji , New Caledonia , the Bismarcks and the Solomons. Finds in central and southern Vanuatu, such as distinctive adzes, also indicate some trade connections with, and possibly population movements of, Polynesian peoples to

2911-471: The colony, based partly on universal suffrage and partly on appointed persons representing various interest groups. The first election took place in November 1975, resulting in an overall victory for the NHNP. The Moderates disputed the results, with Jimmy Stevens threatening to secede and declare independence. The Condominium's Resident Commissioners decided to postpone the opening of the Assembly, though

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2982-550: The creation of the Compagnie Caledonienne des Nouvelles-Hébrides (CCNH) I. 1882 by John Higginson (a fiercely pro-French Irishman), which soon tipped the balance in favour of French subjects. The French government took over the CCNH in 1894 and actively encouraged French settlement. By 1906, French settlers (at 401) outnumbered the British (228), almost two to one. The jumbling of French and British interests in

3053-465: The early 1970s to take advantage of the territory's tax haven status. A mini-building boom took off in Port Vila and, following the building of a deep-sea wharf, cruise ship tourism grew rapidly, with annual arrivals reaching 40,000 by 1977. The boom encouraged increasing urbanisation and the populations of Port Vila and Luganville grew rapidly. In November 1974, the British and French met and agreed to create New Hebrides Representative Assembly in

3124-542: The east. Over time, it is thought that the Lapita either mixed with, or acted as pioneers for, migrants coming from the Bismarks and elsewhere in Melanesia, ultimately producing the darker-skinned physiognomy that is typical of modern Ni-Vanuatu. Linguistically, the Lapita peoples' Austronesian languages were maintained, with all of the numerous 100+ autochthonous languages of Vanuatu being classified as belonging to

3195-469: The economy and the church. Despite this, the British and French still dominated the politics of the colony, with an Advisory Council set up in 1957 containing some Ni-Vanuatu representation having little power. The economic development had unintended consequences. In the 1960s, many planters began fencing off and clearing large areas of bushland for cattle ranching, which were often deemed to be communally-held kastom lands by Ni-Vanuatu. On Espiritu Santo,

3266-480: The introduction of common diseases to which native Ni-Vanuatu had no immunity, the population of Vanuatu declined severely, with the current population being greatly reduced compared to pre-contact times. Greater oversight of the trade saw it gradually wind down, with Australia barring any further 'blackbird' labourers in 1906, followed by Fiji and Samoa in 1910 and 1913 respectively. From 1839 onwards, missionaries , both Roman Catholic and Protestant , arrived on

3337-406: The island by locals throughout the 1840s–60s. The waves of illnesses and deaths the missionaries brought with them may have been partly to blame for the hostile response. Other European settlers also came, looking for land for cotton plantations , the first of these being Henry Ross Lewin on Tanna in 1865 (which he later abandoned). When international cotton prices collapsed after the ending of

3408-435: The island. Despite Queirós's intention, relations with the Ni-Vanuatu turned violent within days. The Spanish subsequent attempts to make contact were met with the islanders fleeing or leading the explorers into an ambush. Many of the crew, including Queirós, were also suffering from ill health, with Queirós's mental state also deteriorating. The settlement was abandoned after a month, with Queirós continuing his search for

3479-485: The islands and the near lawlessness prevalent there brought petitions for one or both of the two powers to annex the territory. The Convention of 16 October 1887 established a joint naval commission for the sole purpose of protecting French and British citizens, with no claim to jurisdiction over internal native affairs. Hostilities between settlers and Ni-Vanuatu were commonplace, often centring on disputes over land which had been purchased in dubious circumstances. There

3550-532: The islands were explored extensively by British explorer Captain James Cook , who named them the New Hebrides, after the Hebrides off the west coast of Scotland , a name that lasted until independence in 1980. Cook managed to maintain generally cordial relations with the Ni-Vanuatu by giving them presents and refraining from violence. In 1789, William Bligh and the remainder of his crew sailed through

3621-741: The islands. At first, they faced hostility, most notably with the killings of John Williams and James Harris of the London Missionary Society on Erromango in 1839. Despite this, they pressed on, resulting in many conversions. To the consternation of the Europeans, Ni-Vanuatu syncretised Christianity with traditional kastom beliefs. The Anglican Melanesian Mission also took young converts for further training in New Zealand and Norfolk Island . Presbyterian missionaries are particularly successful on Aneityum, though less so on Tanna, with missionaries being repeatedly chased off

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3692-547: The mid-1860s, and the trade largely ceased. During the 1860s, planters in Australia, Fiji, New Caledonia, and the Samoan islands, in need of labourers, encouraged a long-term indentured labour trade called " blackbirding ". At the height of the labour trade, more than one-half the adult male population of several of the islands worked abroad. Because of this, and the poor conditions and abuse often faced by workers, as well

3763-475: The party in two. On 6 September 1991 a vote of no confidence removed Lini from power; Kalpokas became prime minister, and Lini formed a new party, the National United Party (NUP). Meanwhile, the economy had entered a downturn, with foreign investors and foreign aid put off by Lini's flirtation with Communist states and tourist numbers down due to the political turmoil, compounded by a crash in

3834-609: The people of Aneityum Island part of their custom ownership). Its southeastern cape Nétchan Néganneaing is the southernmost point of land in Vanuatu, more southerly than the southern satellite islet Inyeug . The latter, however, is surrounded by Intao Reef , that extends even further south, albeit submerged, thus being the southernmost feature of Vanuatu. The island is 159.2 km (61.5 sq mi) in size. It rises to an elevation of 852 m (2,795 feet) in Mount Inrerow Atamein. The larger of its two villages

3905-489: The plantations in the New Hebrides. By 1929, there were some 6,000 Vietnamese people in the New Hebrides. There was some social and political unrest among them in the 1940s due to the poor working conditions and the social effects of Allied troops, who were generally more sympathetic to their plight than the planters. Most Vietnamese were repatriated in 1946 and 1963, though a small Vietnamese community remains in Vanuatu today. The Second World War brought immense change to

3976-414: The price of copra , Vanuatu's main export. As a result, the Francophone Union of Moderate Parties (UMP) won the 1991 election , but not with enough seats to form a majority. A coalition was thus formed with Lini's NUP, with the UMP's Maxime Carlot Korman becoming prime minister. Since the 1991 general election, Vanuatuan politics have been unstable with a series of fractious coalition governments and

4047-485: The public sector, improving opportunities for Francophone Ni-Vanuatu and renewing ties with France. The government struggled with splits in their NUP coalition partner and a series of strikes within the Civil Service in 1993–1994, the latter dealt with by a wave of firings. Financial scandals dogged both Korman and Vohor, with the latter implicated in a scheme to sell Vanuatu passports to foreigners. In 1996, Vohor and President Jean-Marie Léyé were briefly abducted by

4118-552: The southern continent. Europeans did not return until 1768, when the French explorer Louis Antoine de Bougainville sailed by the islands on 22 May, naming them the Great Cyclades . Of the various French toponyms Bougainville devised, only Pentecost Island has stuck. The French landed on Ambae , trading with the native people in a peaceful manner, though Bougainville stated that they were later attacked, necessitating him to fire warning shots with his muskets, before his crew left and continued their voyage. In July–September 1774

4189-444: The trader Peter Dillon 's discovery of sandalwood on the island of Erromango , highly valued as an incense in China where it could be traded for tea, resulted in rush of incomers that ended in 1830 after a clash between immigrant Polynesian workers and indigenous Ni-Vanuatu. Further sandalwood trees were found on Efate, Espiritu Santo, and Aneityum, prompting a series of boom and busts, though supplies were essentially exhausted by

4260-427: The two military bases, outnumbering the native population of roughly 40,000, with thousands more Allied troops passing through the islands at some point. A small Ni-Vanuatu force of some 200 men (the New Hebrides Defence Force) was established to support the Americans, and thousands more were engaged in the construction and maintenance work as part of the Vanuatu Labor Corps . The American presence effectively sidelined

4331-443: The two sides proved unable to agree on a solution, prompting protests and counter-protests, some of which turned violent. After discussions and some fresh elections in disputed areas, the Assembly finally convened in November 1976. The NHNP renamed itself the Vanua'aku Pati (VP) in 1977, and now supported immediate independence under a strong central government and an Anglicisation of the islands. The Moderates meanwhile supported

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4402-405: The use of no confidence votes resulting in frequent changes of prime ministers. The democratic system as a whole has been maintained and Vanuatu remains a peaceful and reasonably prosperous state. Throughout most of the 1990s the UMP were in power, the prime ministership switching between UMP rivals Korman and Serge Vohor , and the UMP instituting a more free market approach to the economy, cutting

4473-432: Was first inhabited by Melanesian people. The first Europeans to visit the islands were a Spanish expedition led by Portuguese navigator Fernandes de Queirós , who arrived on the largest island, Espíritu Santo , in 1606. Queirós claimed the archipelago for Spain, as part of the colonial Spanish East Indies and named it La Austrialia del Espíritu Santo . In the 1880s, France and the United Kingdom claimed parts of

4544-438: Was in possession of much of what is now Papua New Guinea and the Solomon Islands by April 1942, leaving the New Hebrides on the frontline of any further advance. To forestall this, from May 1942 US troops were stationed on the islands, where they built airstrips, roads, military bases and an array of other supporting infrastructure on Efate and Espiritu Santo. At the peak of the deployment, some 50,000 Americans were stationed on

4615-464: Was in power, and the new prime minister, Moana Carcasses Kalosil , was the first non-Ni-Vanuatu to hold the position (Kalosil is of mixed French-Tahitian ancestry and a naturalised Vanuatu citizen). Kalosil took steps to institute a review of diplomatic passport sales in his country. He also expressed his support for the West Papuan independence movement. Support for this move was also expressed by former Prime Ministers Kilman and Carlot Korman. Kalosil

4686-463: Was ousted in another confidence vote in 2014, with the VP returning under Joe Natuman , who himself was ousted the following year in a confidence vote led by Kilman. Meanwhile, the country was devastated by Cyclone Pam in 2015, which resulted in 16 deaths and enormous destruction. A corruption investigation in 2015 resulted in the conviction of numerous MPs in Kilman's government for bribery, including former PM Moana Carcasses Kalosil. His authority

4757-411: Was pressure from French settlers in New Caledonia to annex the islands, though Britain was unwilling to relinquish their influence completely. As a result, in 1906, France and the United Kingdom agreed to administer the islands jointly; called the Anglo-French Condominium , it was a unique form of government with two separate governmental, legal, judicial and financial systems that came together only in

4828-404: Was removed in the same manner by Vohor's UMP in April 2011. This was invalidated on a technical point and he returned as PM. The Chief Justice then overturned his victory. Natapei returned to power for ten days, until Parliament voted in Kilman again. Kilman managed to remain in office for two years, before being ousted in March 2013. The new government was the first time the Green Confederation

4899-413: Was rendered obsolete by the evidence uncovered in recent decades at numerous sites on most of the islands in the archipelago, ranging from the Banks Islands in the north to Aneityum in the south. Notable Lapita sites include Teouma on Éfaté , Uripiv , and Vao off the coast of Malakula , and Makue on Aore . Several ancient burial sites have been excavated, most notably Teouma on Éfaté, which has

4970-427: Was severely weakened, and Kilman lost the 2016 Vanuatuan general election to Charlot Salwai 's Reunification Movement for Change (RMC). Salwai in turn lost the 2020 Vanuatuan general election amidst allegations of perjury, bringing back in the VP under Bob Loughman as the country dealt with the aftermath of Cyclone Harold and the global COVID-19 pandemic . Vanuatu was one of the last places on Earth to suffer

5041-423: Was taken over and improved, with primary enrollment greatly increasing to be near-universal by 1970. There was greater oversight of the plantations, with worker exploitation being clamped down on and Ni-Vanuatu paid higher wages. New industries, such as cattle ranching , commercial fishing and manganese mining were established. Ni-Vanuatu began gradually to take over more positions of power and influence within

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