万那杜(Vanuatu)

正式名称万那杜共和国（Republic of Vanuatu）

旧称新赫布里底群岛（New Hebrides）

南太平洋由十二座主岛和六十多座小岛组成的共和国。面积12,190平方公里。人口约195,000（2001）。首都︰维拉。当地居民大多数为原住民美拉尼西亚人，另有少数法国人、华人、越南人和太平洋岛屿人民。语言︰比斯拉马语、法语和英语（均为官方语），以及美拉尼西亚语和各种方言。宗教：长老会、圣公会和天主教。货币︰瓦杜（VT）。国土南北延伸650公里，包括圣埃斯皮里图、马拉库拉、埃法特、安布里姆、埃罗芒阿、坦纳、埃皮、安纳托姆、迈沃、彭特科特等群岛。较大的群岛源自火山，岛上多山，还有几座活火山。其中一些岛上有优良港口，尤其是埃法特和马拉库拉岛。全国最高峰是圣埃斯皮里图岛上的塔布韦马萨纳峰，高1,879公尺。属开发中自由市场经济，以农业、饲养牛和渔业为主。旅游业也日益重要。政府形式是共和国，一院制。国家元首是总统，政府首脑为总理。

美拉尼西亚人在岛屿上定居了至少有3,000年。1606年被葡萄牙人发现，1768年该岛再次被法国探险家布干维尔发现，1774年科克船长将其命名为新赫布里底群岛。19世纪中叶檀香木商人和欧洲传教士来到群岛，英国和法国棉花种植园主也接踵而至，英国和法国成立委员会管理该岛，1906年两国同意建立共管政府。第二次世界大战期间，为盟国的重要海军基地（设於圣埃斯皮里图岛），整个群岛未受日本侵占。1980年新赫布里底群岛宣布独立，定国名为万那杜共和国。1987年遭飓风侵袭，大多数房子毁於一旦。

English version：

Vanuatu

formerlyNew HebridesRepublic, consisting of a chain of 12 principal and 60 smaller islands, South Pacific Ocean. Area: 4,707 sq mi (12,190 sq km). Population (1997 est.): 176,000. Capital: Port-Vila. The population is mainly indigenous Melanesian; there are also small numbers of French, Chinese, Vietnamese, and Pacific Islanders. Languages: Bislama, English, French (all official); Melanesian languages and dialects. Religion: Christianity, including Presbyterianism, Anglicanism, and Roman Catholicism. Currency: vatu. Extending for 400 mi (650 km), it includes the islands of Espíritu Santo, Malekula, Efate, Ambrim, Erromango, Tanna, Epi, Aneityum, Maéwo, and the Pentecost Islands. The larger islands are volcanic in origin and mountainous; there are several active volcanoes. Some of them, especially Efate and Malekula, have good harbors. The highest point is Mount Tabwémasana (6,165 ft or 1,879 m) on Espíritu Santo. The developing free-market economy is based mainly on agriculture, cattle raising, and fishing. Tourism is increasingly important. It is a republic with a single legislative house; its head of state is the president, and the head of government is the prime minister. The islands were inhabited for at least 3,000 years by Melanesian peoples before being discovered in 1606 by the Portuguese. They were rediscovered by French navigator L.-A. de Bougainville in 1768, then explored by English mariner Capt. James Cook in 1744 and named New Hebrides. Sandalwood merchants and European missionaries arrived in the mid-19th century; they were followed by British and French cotton planters. Control of the group was sought by both the French and British, who agreed in 1906 to form a condominium government. During World War II a major Allied naval base was on Espíritu Santo; the island group escaped Japanese invasion. New Hebrides became the independent Republic of Vanuatu in 1980. Much of the nation's housing was ravaged by a hurricane in 1987.