People

Population: 185 204 (July 1998 est.)

Age structure:

0-14 years: 39% (male 36 865; female 35 576)

15-64 years: 58% (male 55 066; female 52 142)

65 years and over: 3% (male 3 013; female 2 542) (July 1998 est.)

Population growth rate: 2.07% (1998 est.)

Birth rate: 29.18 births/1 000 population (1998 est.)

Death rate: 8.44 deaths/1 000 population (1998 est.)

Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1 000 population (1998 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1.06 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 1.19 male(s)/female (1998 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 61.27 deaths/1 000 live births (1998 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 61 years

male: 59.02 years

female: 63.07 years (1998 est.)

Total fertility rate: 3.74 children born/woman (1998 est.)

Nationality:

noun: Ni-Vanuatu (singular and plural)

adjective: Ni-Vanuatu

Ethnic groups: indigenous Melanesian 94% French 4% Vietnamese Chinese Pacific Islanders

Religions: Presbyterian 36.7% Anglican 15% Catholic 15% indigenous beliefs 7.6% Seventh-Day Adventist 6.2% Church of Christ 3.8% other 15.7%

Languages: English (official) French (official) pidgin (known as Bislama or Bichelama)

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 53%

male: 57%

female: 48% (1979 est.)