Vanuatu Geography - 2004

Location:
Oceania, group of islands in the South Pacific Ocean, about three-quarters of the way from Hawaii to Australia

Geographic coordinates:
16 00 S, 167 00 E

Map references:
Oceania

Area:
total: 12,200 sq km
land: 12,200 sq km
note: includes more than 80 islands, about 65 of which are inhabited
water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative:
slightly larger than Connecticut

Land boundaries:
0 km

Coastline:
2,528 km

Maritime claims - as described in UNCLOS 1982 (see Notes and Definitions):
measured from claimed archipelagic baselines
exclusive economic zone: 200 NM
continental shelf: 200 NM or to the edge of the continental margin
contiguous zone: 24 NM
territorial sea: 12 NM

Climate:
tropical; moderated by southeast trade winds from May to October; moderate rainfall from November to April; may be affected by cyclones from December to April

Terrain:
mostly mountainous islands of volcanic origin; narrow coastal plains

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: Tabwemasana 1,877 m

Natural resources:
manganese, hardwood forests, fish

Land use:
arable land: 2.46%
permanent crops: 7.38%
other: 90.16% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land:
NA sq km

Natural hazards:
tropical cyclones or typhoons (January to April); volcanism causes minor earthquakes; tsunamis

Environment - current issues:
a majority of the population does not have access to a potable and reliable supply of water; deforestation

Environment - international agreements:
party to: Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 94
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements