什麼是萬那杜

正式名稱萬那杜共和國（Republic of Vanuatu）

舊稱新赫布里底羣島（New Hebrides）

南太平洋由十二座主島和六十多座小島組成的共和國。面積12,190平方公里。人口約195,000（2001）。首都︰維拉。當地居民大多數爲原住民美拉尼西亞人，另有少數法國人、華人、越南人和太平洋島嶼人民。語言︰比斯拉馬語、法語和英語（均爲官方語），以及美拉尼西亞語和各種方言。宗教：長老會、聖公會和天主教。貨幣︰瓦杜（VT）。國土南北延伸650公里，包括聖埃斯皮裏圖、馬拉庫拉、埃法特、安布里姆、埃羅芒阿、坦納、埃皮、安納託姆、邁沃、彭特科特等羣島。較大的羣島源自火山，島上多山，還有幾座活火山。其中一些島上有優良港口，尤其是埃法特和馬拉庫拉島。全國最高峯是聖埃斯皮裏圖島上的塔布韋馬薩納峯，高1,879公尺。屬開發中自由市場經濟，以農業、飼養牛和漁業爲主。旅遊業也日益重要。政府形式是共和國，一院制。國家元首是總統，政府首腦爲總理。

美拉尼西亞人在島嶼上定居了至少有3,000年。1606年被葡萄牙人發現，1768年該島再次被法國探險家布干維爾發現，1774年科克船長將其命名爲新赫布里底羣島。19世紀中葉檀香木商人和歐洲傳教士來到羣島，英國和法國棉花種植園主也接踵而至，英國和法國成立委員會管理該島，1906年兩國同意建立共管政府。第二次世界大戰期間，爲盟國的重要海軍基地（設於聖埃斯皮裏圖島），整個羣島未受日本侵佔。1980年新赫布里底羣島宣佈獨立，定國名爲萬那杜共和國。1987年遭颶風侵襲，大多數房子毀於一旦。

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.