Edward Natapei
Prime Minister

(pronounced "ed-WAHRD naht-ah-PIE")

"Being prime minister is not an easy position. You are always having to look over your shoulder to see who is behind you."

The Republic of Vanuatu is the name that these South Pacific islands adopted when they became an independent nation in 1980. Formerly, the archipelago was known as the New Hebrides, the name given to them by the English explorer James Cook in 1774. The country is located 2,172 km (1,347 mi) northeast of Sydney, Australia. It lies within the geographic region known as Melanesia. Its closest neighbors are Fiji to the east, New Caledonia to the south, and the Solomon Islands to the northwest. There are some 80 islands in the archipelago, with a land area totaling 14,763 sq km (5,700 sq mi). The major islands are Efate, Espiritu Santo, Malekula, and Tanna, where 70% of the population lives.

The...