Vanuatu,officially the Republic of 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.
The national flag of Vanuatu was adopted on 18 February 1980.
Barak Tame SopéMautamata is a ni-Vanuatu politician. He was the leader of the Melanesian Progressive Party and was,until 2008,a member of the Vanuatu parliament from the island of Efate. He was the Prime Minister of Vanuatu from 1999 until 2001,when he was deposed by Parliament in a no confidence vote.
Ham Lin̄i Vanuaroroa is a ni-Vanuatu politician. He is a former MP from Pentecost Island in Penama Province. He was Prime Minister of Vanuatu from 11 December 2004 until 22 September 2008,and is the current Deputy Prime Minister since 16 May 2014. Lin̄i is the brother of Walter Lin̄i,one of the founders of the modern Republic of Vanuatu. Ham Lin̄i is the current leader of the National United Party (VNUP).
The Parliament of Vanuatu is the unicameral legislative body of the Republic of Vanuatu.
General elections were held in Vanuatu on 2 September 2008. In July the Melanesian Progressive Party requested that they be postponed,contesting the constitutionality of the Peoples Representation Act No. 33 of 2007,which allegedly enabled voters in certain constituencies to vote in two constituencies. The Principal Electoral Officer,Martin Tete,confirmed that the election would take place on 2 September,as scheduled. The day was declared a national holiday,to encourage people to vote.
Iolu Johnson Abil is a Vanuatuan politician. He was elected and sworn in as the president of Vanuatu on 2 September 2009.
The Vanuatu passport is an international travel document issued to Vanuatu citizens.
Willie Edward Jimmy Tapangararua,often just referred to as Willie Jimmy,is a Vanuatuan politician with the National United Party.
Esmon Esai Saimon,also referred to as Esmon Sae,is a Vanuatuan politician. From 11 February 2016 to 6 September 2019 he was Speaker of the Parliament,and in that role from 17 June 2017 to 6 July 2017 served as the acting president of Vanuatu upon the death of Baldwin Lonsdale.
Bob Loughman Weibur is a Vanuatuan politician who served as Prime Minister of the Republic of Vanuatu between April 2020 and November 2022.
Charlot Salwai Tabimasmas is a Vanuatuan politician,former accountant,and political advisor. He was the prime minister of Vanuatu from 2016 to 2020 and is the current prime minister following the ousting of Sato Kilman in a vote of no confidence on 6 October 2023. He is the leader of the Reunification of Movements for Change (RMC),which is part of the Unity for Change bloc.
The Ministry of Justice and Community Services of Vanuatu oversees or provides support to the following law-related agencies:the courts,the tribunals,the correctional centres,child rights,family protection,disability advocacy and services,empowerment of women,and public prosecution and defense services as well as legal advice to the government. The ministry also supports agencies that review and create new laws and safeguard human rights.
Mungau Dain was a ni-Vanuatu actor and villager who starred in the 2015 Australian-Vanuatuan film,Tanna. Dain,who had never acted before,was cast in the film alongside Marie Wawa,another Yakel villager,and other local untrained actors. Tanna,which is based on the true story of a ni-Vanuatu couple in 1987 who committed suicide after their tribes refused to allow them to marry,won the Audience Award Pietro Barzisa at the 72nd Venice International Film Festival in 2015 and was nominated for a Best Foreign Language Film at the 89th Academy Awards in 2017. Dain,who reportedly had never seen a movie before his casting,traveled internationally in support of the film,including to Australia,Los Angeles and Venice.
The Ministry of Finance and Economic Management is a cabinet ministry of the government of Vanuatu responsible for overseeing the nation's public finances.
Seoule Simeon Davidson is a Vanuatuan politician.
Claude Christophe Antonie Emelee is a ni-Vanuatu politician and a member of the Parliament of Vanuatu from Torres Constituency as a member of the Vanuatu National Development Party.
Andrew Solomon Napuat is a Ni-Vanuatu politician and a member of the Parliament of Vanuatu from Tanna Constituency as a member of the Land and Justice Party.
Jothan Napat is a Vanuatuan politician and a member of the Parliament of Vanuatu from Tanna Constituency as a member of the Leaders Party of Vanuatu.
Gaetan Pikinoune is a Vanuatuan politician and a member of the Parliament of Vanuatu from Espiritu Santo. He is from Nagriamel movement. He was Minister of Finance from February 2016 to April 2020.
