The Republic of Vanuatu declared independence from France and the UK on 30 July 1980. Vanuatu is an island country located in the South Pacific Ocean 1100.miles from northern Australia. In the 1880s, France and the United Kingdom claimed parts of Vanuatu. Vanuatu was admitted to the United Nations on 15 September 1981. The four mainstays of the economy are agriculture, tourism, offshore financial services, and raising cattle.