Vanuatu

Interesting Facts About Vanuatu

• Vanuatu is an archipelagic country of volcanic origin located in Melanesia, in the South Pacific Ocean
• The archipelago is positioned 1,750 km east of northern Australia and 540 km northeast of New Caledonia
• Vanuatu experiences relatively frequent earthquakes, with 58 magnitude 7 or greater events recorded between 1909 and 2001
• A severe earthquake in November 1999 caused a tsunami that devastated the northern island of Pentecost, leaving thousands homeless
• A powerful earthquake in January 2002 caused extensive damage to the capital Port Vila and surrounding areas, followed by a tsunami
• Another significant earthquake of magnitude 7.2 struck on 2 August 2007

View Port Vila guide