Vanuatu

Get to know Vanuatu

Vanuatu, officially the Republic of Vanuatu , is an archipelagic country in Melanesia located in the South Pacific Ocean. The archipelago, which is of volcanic origin, is 1,750 km east of northern Australia, 540 km northeast of New Caledonia, east of New Guinea, southeast of Solomon Islands, and west of Fiji. Vanuatu 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 the archipelago, and in 1906, they agreed on a framework for jointly managing the archipelago as the New Hebrides – through an Anglo-French condominium. In the 1970s, an independence movement arose, and the Republic of Vanuatu was founded in 1980.

Explore places in Vanuatu

Port-Vila →

Compare Port-Vila for seasonal weather, housing and everyday journeys. Open its guide for the local introduction, monthly climate and sources.

Planning a move or a longer stay

National averages are a starting point, not a neighbourhood budget. Shortlist specific places in Vanuatu, compare housing for your dates and check the journey to work, school or the activities that matter to you.

For a move, confirm residence and work requirements with the relevant government authority for your nationality. For a holiday, compare transport, accommodation and daily spending separately.

Understanding national conditions

These figures describe Vanuatu as a whole. Check the dates when comparing these national indicators with current local conditions.