1 January 1960 (from French-administered UN trusteeship)
Religions
Presbyterian 31.4%, Anglican 13.4%, Roman Catholic 13.1%, Seventh-Day Adventist 10.8%, other Christian 13.8%, indigenous beliefs 5.6% (including Jon Frum cargo cult), other 9.6%, none 1%, unspecified 1.3% (1999 Census)
indigenous beliefs 40%, Christian 40%, Muslim 20%
Languages
local languages (more than 100) 72.6%, pidgin (known as Bislama or Bichelama) 23.1%, English 1.9%, French 1.4%, other 0.3%, unspecified 0.7% (1999 Census)
24 major African language groups, English (official), French (official)
Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XAF) per US dollar 438.77 (2008 est.), 493.51 (2007), 522.59 (2006), 527.47 (2005), 528.29 (2004)
Military Budget as percentage of GDP
1.300%
Beijing Olympics Medal Count
0
1
Location
Oceania, group of islands in the South Pacific Ocean, about three-quarters of the way from Hawaii to Australia
Western Africa, bordering the Bight of Biafra, between Equatorial Guinea and Nigeria
Area
12,189 km sq
475,440 km sq
Coastline
2,528 km
402 km
Climate
tropical; moderated by southeast trade winds from May to October; moderate rainfall from November to April; may be affected by cyclones from December to April
varies with terrain, from tropical along coast to semiarid and hot in north
