We'd never heard of Vanuatu until we were actually sailing to it on a recent cruise across the Pacific. The place figured prominently in the Pacific theater during World War II. Actually, it was called New Hebrides until 1980 when this small island nation earned its independence.

Vanuatu is actually 83 islands in the South Pacific, a bit west of Fiji. Vanuatu had what is called a condominium government. It was jointly ruled by two different nations, France and Great ... (more)