Vanuatu, whose full name is the Republic of Vanuatu, is located in the western part of the South Pacific Ocean, consisting of 83 islands with a land area of 12,189 square kilometers, administratively divided into 6 provinces and 2 cities. The population in 2020 was 319,500, 98% of whom are Vanuatuans.
Vanuatu's economic development is backward, mainly tourism and agriculture, and the main daily necessities and manufactured goods need to be imported. The total GDP in 2020 was $855 million, and the per capita GDP was $2,780, less than one-third of the mainland's per capita GDP. In the United Nations Human Development Report 2019, Vanuatu ranks 140th among 189 countries in the Human Development Index, at the level of developing countries. Vanuatu is about the same size as the Weng Niu Te Banner in Chifeng City, and has a slightly smaller population than the Weng Niu Te Banner. In terms of size, population and economic size, Vanuatu is only equivalent to one county on the mainland.
(1) Vanuatu changed the world in 1453
The Kuwae volcano in northern Vanuatu erupted in 1453, causing a generally cold climate around the world. Foxtail pine on the North American continent was frozen; Swedish grain grains were not harvested; when the Ming Dynasty Emperor Zhu Qi Yu Jingtai four years, most of China from north to south have rare heavy snowfall, Hebei, Shandong, Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Guangxi and other places for more than a month, the weather is extremely cold, tens of thousands of people were frozen to death. In the five years from 1453 to 1457, trees in China and Europe largely stopped growing. This eruption even affected the outcome of the Battle of Constantinople.
(2) The birthplace of bungee jumping
Residents of Pentecost Island, north of Vanuatu, hold a "Naghol Land Diving" ceremony every April and May, and those who participate in the "Nagor Jump" risk death because there are no other safety measures except the rattan on the ankle. This ancient ritual dates back more than 1500 years and is considered a precursor to modern bungee jumping. New Zealanders carried forward the original bungee jumping, founded the world's first bungee jumping association, and in 1988 first publicly demonstrated the high-altitude suspension jump to the public, and vigorously promoted the sport.
(3) Countries most vulnerable to natural disasters
Vanuatu is rated as the most dangerous country in the world for natural disasters. In the World Risk Report released in 2015, the Vanuatu Hazard Index was as high as 36.43%. In 2015, Vanuatu experienced earthquakes, volcanic eruptions and hurricanes in just a few weeks. Hurricane Pam destroyed 96 percent of the country's crops and left 75,000 people seeking emergency shelter.
(4) Members of the Commonwealth
Vanuatu is one of the 54 members of the Commonwealth, but is not a member of the Commonwealth Kingdom and therefore does not have the Queen as head of state. Vanuatu is a parliamentary republic, with the President as the fictitious Head of State, the Prime Minister as the Head of Government and executive power vested in the Prime Minister and the Council of Ministers. The Prime Minister is elected by parliament and the Cabinet Ministers are appointed by the Prime Minister. The yokhnan villagers of Tana Island, Vanuatu, worship Prince Philip, the husband of Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom, believing that Prince Philip is the son of their ancestor mountain god.
(5) Former cannibals
In the Vanuatu islands, cannibals are part of the tribal culture. However, this practice has become a thing of the past, thanks to the christianization and the 74-year condominium Westernization of the area by Britain and France. Most anthropologists agree that the last recorded cannibalism in Vanuatu occurred on Malekula Island (Vanuatu's second largest island, in Malamba Province) in 1986. The Vanuatu tourism sector did not shy away from this fact, but embraced Malecula's reputation and promoted it as an island of cannibalism and customs.
(6) Pig teeth are national treasures
Pig teeth are considered a symbol of Vanuatu's wealth and were once used as currency. Although the Vanuatu government has issued the official currency "Vatu" to replace pig teeth, there are still many Vanuatu people who use pig teeth privately. Pig's teeth are considered a national treasure in Vanuatu and are an important element on the flag and emblem of Vanuatu. In the picture, one is thick and one is pointed, and it is the pig's teeth that bend in a circle, not the ivory.
(7) Arranged and changed relatives
Marriages for young people in Vanuatu are generally arranged by family elders, which we think of as "arranged". In some southern islands, the pattern of marriage is "sister swapping", which we are familiar with: after a man marries a woman from another family, a woman must marry in return.
(8) Cava is alcohol-free
Vanuatu is popular as a type of "cava", but "cava" is a drink, not a real liquor, does not contain any alcohol, and is made by grinding the roots of the kava tree into a powder and mixed with water. Vanuatu people pay homage to kava, regarding it as the most honorable gift, the "national gift" and "national wine" of Vanuatu.
(9) Submarine post office
To attract tourists, Vanuatu built the world's only undersea post office. The post office is operated underwater by postmen trained in diving, and the sender wears a respirator and goes down to a depth of three meters to deliver a waterproof postcard, and then the post office person will put a special seal on it. By the way, you can also take a picture.
(10) Diving paradise
Like other Pacific island nations, Vanuatu is rich in marine tourism and is known as a "diving paradise" in addition to its beautiful sandy beaches. Vanuatu is visa-free for Chinese citizens, but there is no direct flight route, and they need to connect to Australia, Fiji or New Zealand or New Caledonia
#Vanuatu##Chifeng Headlines ##太平洋岛国 #
【Related Articles】
Country Talk 33: What kind of country is Tonga? Ten ways to learn about Tonga
Country Talk 32: What kind of country is Fiji? Ten ways to learn about Fiji
Country Talk 31: What kind of country is Samoa? Ten ways to learn about Samoa
Country Talk 30: What kind of country is Kiribati? Ten ways to get to know Kiribati
Country Talk 29: What kind of country is the Solomon Islands? Ten ways to learn about the Solomon Islands