Transport in Vanuatu

Vanuatu's undeveloped road system, with fewer than 100 miles of paved roads, consists mostly of dirt tracks suitable only for four-wheel-drive vehicles.^[1] Every island has one or two short airstrips where Air Vanuatu’s Twin Otter planes land two or three times weekly.^[1] In addition, every island has a small port or wharf where small cargo ships and boats regularly dock.^[1]

After arrival on an island, transportation is usually via pickup truck, foot, or small boat.^[1] Bicycles are becoming popular in Vanuatu. Port Vila and Luganville have numerous taxis and mass-transit vans.^[1] There are no railways in Vanuatu, although there was a small rail line on Efate during the colonial era.^[2]

Vanuatu's main harbors are Forari, Port-Vila, Santo (Espiritu Santo).^[2]

Highways:^[2]
total: 1,070 km
paved: 256 km
unpaved: 814 km (1996 est.)

Merchant marine:
total: 78 ships (1,000 GT or over) totaling 1,266,634 GT/1,618,877 tonnes deadweight (DWT)
ships by type: bulk 27, cargo 24, chemical tanker 3, combination bulk 2, container 1, liquified gas 4, petroleum tanker 2, refrigerated cargo 9, vehicle carrier 6 (1999 est.)
note: a flag of convenience registry; includes ships from 15 countries among which are ships of Japan 28, India 10, US 10, Greece 3, Hong Kong 3, Australia 2, Canada 1, China 1, and France 1 (1998 est.)

Airports: 32 (1999 est.) (See Bauerfield International Airport.)

Airports - with paved runways:
total: 3
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 1 (1999 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 29
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 11
under 914 m: 17 (1999 est.)

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