In Vanuatu global forces meet: The Pacific island state is situated on the edges of two tectonic plates. Their slow movement causes frequent earthquakes and keeps volcanoes active. But during the past centuries it has also created the beautiful scenery of Vanuatu. The mountains are more than 1,800 metres high. Rainforest and forest, grassland and palm tree beaches cover the islands that are surrounded by extensive underwater scenery.

But also above sea level, Vanuatu has been the meeting point of global powers for a long time. Various immigration waves created an extraordinary variety of languages and cultures within the population. During colonial times British and French plantation owners as well as Catholic and Protestant missionary competed directly with each other. At the beginning of the 20th century two parallel governmental systems were set up in Vanuatu to be combined only when Vanuatu gained its independence in 1980.

The majority of the population works in agriculture and cattle breeding. Copra, wood, meat and Cocoa are the most important export products. Manganese ore is the only industrially exploited mineral. Duty-free ports and shipment registers are another substantial source of national income. Vanuatu is leading in the field of financial services in the South Pacific.

The natural beauty of the country  made it possible to turn tourism into the most important foreign currency earner.