World Factbook
Vanuatu
Ripablik blong Vanuatu
Last updated: 2026-03-28 (today)
Budget
note
note: central government revenues and expenses (excluding grants/extrabudgetary units/social security funds) converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated
revenues
$386.577 million (2023 est.)
expenditures
$378.659 million (2023 est.)
Exports
note
note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars
Exports 2020
$132.943 million (2020 est.)
Exports 2021
$82.08 million (2021 est.)
Exports 2022
$152.087 million (2022 est.)
Imports
note
note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars
Imports 2020
$438.373 million (2020 est.)
Imports 2021
$520.391 million (2021 est.)
Imports 2022
$579.347 million (2022 est.)
Industries
food and fish freezing, wood processing, meat canning
Labor force
118,100 (2024 est.)
note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work
Public debt
note
note: central government debt as a % of GDP
Public debt 2023
71.7% of GDP (2023 est.)
Remittances
note
note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities
Remittances 2021
20.3% of GDP (2021 est.)
Remittances 2022
19.2% of GDP (2022 est.)
Remittances 2023
12.9% of GDP (2023 est.)
Exchange rates
Currency
vatu (VUV) per US dollar -
Exchange rates 2020
115.38 (2020 est.)
Exchange rates 2021
109.452 (2021 est.)
Exchange rates 2022
115.354 (2022 est.)
Exchange rates 2023
119.112 (2023 est.)
Exchange rates 2024
119.167 (2024 est.)
Debt - external
note
note: present value of external debt in current US dollars
Debt - external 2023
$299.746 million (2023 est.)
Economic overview
lower-middle income Pacific island economy; extremely reliant on subsistence agriculture and tourism; environmentally fragile; struggling post-pandemic and Tropical Cyclone Harold rebound; sizeable inflation; road infrastructure aid from Australia
Unemployment rate
note
note: % of labor force seeking employment
Unemployment rate 2022
5.2% (2022 est.)
Unemployment rate 2023
5.1% (2023 est.)
Unemployment rate 2024
5.1% (2024 est.)
Exports - partners
Thailand 49%, Japan 19%, Cote d'Ivoire 10%, China 7%, USA 3% (2023)
note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports
Imports - partners
China 26%, Australia 15%, Angola 11%, Fiji 9%, NZ 8% (2023)
note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports
Real GDP per capita
note
note: data in 2021 dollars
Real GDP per capita 2022
$3,200 (2022 est.)
Real GDP per capita 2023
$3,100 (2023 est.)
Real GDP per capita 2024
$3,200 (2024 est.)
Real GDP growth rate
note
note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency
Real GDP growth rate 2022
5.2% (2022 est.)
Real GDP growth rate 2023
-1% (2023 est.)
Real GDP growth rate 2024
4% (2024 est.)
Agricultural products
coconuts, oranges, yams, cabbages, taro, bananas, chillies/peppers, chestnuts, sweet potatoes, cassava (2023)
note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage
Exports - commodities
fish, ships, perfume plants, wood, copra (2023)
note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars
Imports - commodities
refined petroleum, ships, plastic products, poultry, trucks (2023)
note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars
Current account balance
note
note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars
Current account balance 2020
-$57.858 million (2020 est.)
Current account balance 2021
-$75.451 million (2021 est.)
Current account balance 2022
-$127.432 million (2022 est.)
Taxes and other revenues
17.4% (of GDP) (2023 est.)
note: central government tax revenue as a % of GDP
GDP (official exchange rate)
$1.161 billion (2024 est.)
note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate
GDP - composition, by end use
note
note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection
household consumption
77.2% (2022 est.)
government consumption
23.9% (2022 est.)
investment in inventories
0.4% (2022 est.)
investment in fixed capital
38.8% (2022 est.)
exports of goods and services
9.6% (2022 est.)
imports of goods and services
-55.5% (2022 est.)
Population below poverty line
15.9% (2019 est.)
note: % of population with income below national poverty line
Inflation rate (consumer prices)
note
note: annual % change based on consumer prices
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2021
2.3% (2021 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2022
6.7% (2022 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2023
11.2% (2023 est.)
Industrial production growth rate
-19.7% (2022 est.)
note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency
Real GDP (purchasing power parity)
note
note: data in 2021 dollars
Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2022
$1.009 billion (2022 est.)
Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2023
$999.162 million (2023 est.)
Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2024
$1.039 billion (2024 est.)
Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24)
male
9.6% (2024 est.)
note
note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment
total
11.6% (2024 est.)
female
14% (2024 est.)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold
note
note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2022
$638.537 million (2022 est.)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2023
$643.768 million (2023 est.)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2024
$614.65 million (2024 est.)
GDP - composition, by sector of origin
note
note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data
industry
7.5% (2022 est.)
services
60.4% (2022 est.)
agriculture
24.9% (2022 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share
note
note: % share of income accruing to lowest and highest 10% of population
lowest 10%
3% (2019 est.)
highest 10%
24.7% (2019 est.)
Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income
note
note: index (0-100) of income distribution; higher values represent greater inequality
Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income 2019
32.3 (2019 est.)