Photo: Phillip Capper derivative work: Jjtkk · CC BY 2.0 · via Wikimedia Commons, shown in greyscale
Topic 05 of 18 · Country Index 2026
Vanuatu: Health & Wellbeing
How long, and how well fed, do people live?
Vanuatu is placed 129th of 200 countries on health & wellbeing in the Country Index 2026, from 2 of its 4 key statistics. Readings behind it: Life Expectancy at Birth 71.48 (2023); Under-Five Mortality Rate 17.14 (2024).
Share
Health & Wellbeing
129th
of 200 countries placed
Placed from 2 of 4 key statistics
- 71.48Life Expectancy at Birth, 2023Years a newborn would live at current death rates
- 17.14Under-Five Mortality Rate, 2024Deaths before age five (per 1,000 live births)
- —Stunting Prevalence in Children Under Five, 2024No reading for this country
- —Prevalence of Severe Food Insecurity, 2024No reading for this country
01The evidence
The 4 key statistics that decide it
Only these place Vanuatu on health & wellbeing — one vote each. Every value is the publisher’s own, read at the edition the Country Index 2026 used — or, for a survey-based key, each country’s latest reading; the grey ticks are every other country it was compared with, lowest on the left.
Key 1 of 4
Life Expectancy at Birth
UN DESA Population Division
2023 edition · data for 2023 · CC BY 3.0 IGO
71.48
Years a newborn would live at current death rates
Higher is better
Vanuatu: 71.48. Across the 222 countries in this edition, values run from 54.46 (Nigeria) to 86.37 (Monaco); the world median is 74.63.
- World median
- 74.63
- Best in Melanesia
- 78.77 New Caledonia
Key 2 of 4
Under-Five Mortality Rate
UN Inter-agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation (UN IGME)
2024 edition · data for 2024 · CC BY 3.0 IGO
17.14
Deaths before age five (per 1,000 live births)
Lower is better
Vanuatu: 17.14. Across the 200 countries in this edition, values run from 1.26 (San Marino) to 115.65 (Nigeria); the world median is 14.54.
- World median
- 14.54
- Best in Melanesia
- 17.14 Vanuatu
Key 3 of 4
Stunting Prevalence in Children Under Five
UNICEF, WHO and World Bank Group (Joint Malnutrition Estimates)
Latest reading per country, 2014–2024 · CC BY 3.0 IGO
No reading
Children under 5 who are stunted (%)
Lower is better
UNICEF, WHO and World Bank Group (Joint Malnutrition Estimates) publishes no reading from 2014–2024 for Vanuatu, so the standing rests on the other keys.
Across the 162 countries at their latest reading, values run from 0.518 (Latvia) to 52.8 (Burundi); the world median is 13.8.
- World median
- 13.8
- Best in Melanesia
- 7.197 Fiji
Key 4 of 4
Prevalence of Severe Food Insecurity
Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)
2024 edition · data for 2024 · CC BY 4.0
No reading
Population in severe food insecurity (%)
Lower is better
FAO publishes no 2024 figure for Vanuatu, so the standing rests on the other keys.
Across the 125 countries in this edition, values run from 0.6 (Brazil) to 62.9 (South Sudan); the world median is 4.9.
- World median
- 4.9
02Over time
Which way Vanuatu is moving
Each key’s published value, edition by edition, beside the world median. The Country Index 2026 is the first edition of the standing, so the standing itself has no history to chart yet.
Life Expectancy at Birth
Years a newborn would live at current death rates · higher is better
VanuatuWorld median
Vanuatu rose from 68.59 in 2000 to 71.48 in 2023; the world median went from 70.68 to 74.63.
Every year’s figures
Year Vanuatu World median 2023 71.48 74.630 2022 71.30 74.313 2021 69.95 72.433 2020 70.38 73.063 2019 70.78 74.196 2018 70.63 74.081 2017 70.50 74.029 2016 70.40 74.013 2015 70.16 73.783 2014 70.04 73.330 2013 69.99 73.386 2012 69.90 73.210 2011 69.73 73.003 2010 69.57 72.827 2009 69.42 72.426 2008 69.30 72.264 2007 69.14 72.113 2006 69.13 72.027 2005 69.17 71.876 2004 68.98 71.477 2003 68.93 71.409 2002 68.84 71.173 2001 68.72 70.926 2000 68.59 70.678 Under-Five Mortality Rate
Deaths before age five (per 1,000 live births) · lower is better
VanuatuWorld median
Vanuatu fell from 26.6 in 2000 to 17.14 in 2024; the world median went from 30.43 to 14.54.
Every year’s figures
Year Vanuatu World median 2024 17.14 14.5 2023 17.50 15.2 2022 17.79 14.7 2021 18.00 15.1 2020 18.08 15.3 2019 18.15 15.7 2018 18.23 16.3 2017 18.30 16.8 2016 18.43 17.5 2015 18.59 17.9 2014 18.85 18.3 2013 19.21 18.7 2012 19.69 18.8 2011 20.35 19.0 2010 21.10 19.2 2009 21.90 20.8 2008 22.70 20.7 2007 23.45 21.8 2006 24.06 22.8 2005 24.55 24.0 2004 24.96 25.9 2003 25.32 26.9 2002 25.73 28.0 2001 26.15 29.1 2000 26.60 30.4 Prevalence of Severe Food Insecurity
Population in severe food insecurity (%) · lower is better
VanuatuWorld median
Vanuatu was at 2.4 in both 2018 and 2020; the world median went from 4.2 to 5.6.
Every year’s figures
Year Vanuatu World median 2024 — 4.9 2023 — 4.7 2022 — 5.4 2021 — 5.7 2020 2 5.6 2019 2 5.0 2018 2 4.2 2017 — 4.0 2016 — 3.4 2015 — 3.4
03In context
Vanuatu beside its neighbours
A position reads best beside the countries around it. Every position below is a place among all 200 countries on health & wellbeing, never a place within the region.
Vanuatu and Melanesia
Vanuatu has no land border, so the table compares it with its sub-region. Standing among all 200; the key columns are the publishers’ own values.
| Country | Standing | Life Expectancy at BirthYears a newborn would live at current death rates | Under-Five Mortality RateDeaths before age five (per 1,000 live births) | Stunting Prevalence in Children Under FiveChildren under 5 who are stunted (%) | Prevalence of Severe Food InsecurityPopulation in severe food insecurity (%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Fiji | 125th | 67.32 | 29.12 | 7.197 | — |
| Vanuatu | 129th | 71.48 | 17.14 | 28.9 | — |
 Solomon Islands | 145th | 70.53 | 20.01 | 31.69 | — |
 Papua New Guinea | 171st | 66.13 | 39.38 | 49.45 | — |
 New Caledonia | not placed | 78.77 | — | — | — |
“—”: no published reading in that edition. What a standing is
Across Melanesia
Every country in the sub-region, by its place among all 200.
Placed either side on health & wellbeing
The countries immediately above and below Vanuatu in the topic’s list.
04Context, no vote
Where Vanuatu is ahead of the world, and behind
47 more statistics filed under health & wellbeing, published in full and deliberately given no vote in the standing. Select a row for the publisher, the rank and the links.
Ahead of the world median9
Statistics on which Vanuatu does better than the middle country measured.
Exclusive Breastfeeding Under Six MonthsUNICEF · 2024 · world median 40.7475.9440.74No earlier reading
Vanuatu: 75.94 · world median 40.74 · Infants under 6 months exclusively breastfed (%). UNICEF, 2024 edition, data for 2024.
Published values in that edition run from 3.497 to 83.3; higher is better.
Position 5th of 136 · derived.
PM2.5 Air Pollution ExposureAtmospheric Composition Analysis Group, Washington University in St. Louis · 2023 · world median 14.454.714.45No real change since 2013
Vanuatu: 4.7 · world median 14.45 · Population-weighted PM2.5 concentration (µg/m³). Atmospheric Composition Analysis Group, Washington University in St. Louis, 2023 edition, data for 2023.
Published values in that edition run from 2.5 to 68.2; lower is better.
Position 203rd of 220 · derived, 1st = worst.
Fruit Supply per PersonFAO · 2023 · world median 84.83138.584.83▲ Improved since 2013
Vanuatu: 138.5 · world median 84.83 · Fruit available as food, excluding wine (kg per person per year). Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), 2023 edition, data for 2023.
Published values in that edition run from 4.27 to 379.63; higher is better.
Days Above 35°CECMWF · 2025 · world median 3.4803.48No real change since 2015
Vanuatu: 0 · world median 3.48 · Days a year with a maximum temperature above 35°C, averaged over the country’s land. World Bank Group (Climate Change Knowledge Portal), from Copernicus ERA5 (ECMWF), 2025 edition, data for 2025.
Published values in that edition run from 0 to 222.89; lower is better.
HPV Vaccination Coverage, GirlsWUENIC · 2025 · world median 65.58065.5▲ Improved since 2023
Vanuatu: 80 · world median 65.5 · Girls in the target group given the final dose of HPV vaccine (%). WHO and UNICEF (WUENIC), 2025 edition, data for 2025.
Published values in that edition run from 1 to 99; higher is better.
Care-Seeking for Children with Symptoms of PneumoniaUNICEF · 2024 · world median 67.775.967.7No earlier reading
Vanuatu: 75.9 · world median 67.7 · Children under 5 with pneumonia symptoms taken to a health provider (%). UNICEF, 2024 edition, data for 2024.
Published values in that edition run from 14 to 99.1; higher is better.
Position 38th of 127 · derived.
Postnatal Care for Newborns Within Two DaysUNICEF · 2025 · world median 82.991.582.9No earlier reading
Vanuatu: 91.5 · world median 82.9 · Newborns with a health check within 2 days of birth (%). UNICEF, 2025 edition, data for 2025.
Published values in that edition run from 7.3 to 99.9; higher is better.
Position 37th of 109 · derived.
Early Initiation of BreastfeedingUNICEF · 2024 · world median 52.9558.8352.95No earlier reading
Vanuatu: 58.83 · world median 52.95 · Newborns put to the breast within one hour of birth (%). UNICEF, 2024 edition, data for 2024.
Published values in that edition run from 7.749 to 93.1; higher is better.
Position 52nd of 136 · derived.
Vegetable Supply per PersonFAO · 2023 · world median 102.69121.19102.69▲ Improved since 2013
Vanuatu: 121.19 · world median 102.69 · Vegetables available as food (kg per person per year). Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), 2023 edition, data for 2023.
Published values in that edition run from 6.89 to 412.72; higher is better.
Behind the world median28
Statistics on which Vanuatu does worse than the middle country measured.
Neonatal Mortality RateUN IGME · 2024 · world median 8.1348.9838.134▼ Worsened since 2014
Vanuatu: 8.983 · world median 8.134 · Deaths in the first 28 days (per 1,000 live births). UN Inter-agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation (UN IGME), 2024 edition, data for 2024.
Published values in that edition run from 0.544 to 39.47; lower is better.
Position 91st of 200 · derived, 1st = worst.
Infant Mortality RateUN IGME · 2024 · world median 12.2614.4312.26▼ Worsened since 2014
Vanuatu: 14.43 · world median 12.26 · Deaths before age one (per 1,000 live births). UN Inter-agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation (UN IGME), 2024 edition, data for 2024.
Published values in that edition run from 1.214 to 71.87; lower is better.
Position 90th of 200 · derived, 1st = worst.
Share of Dietary Energy Supply from Cereals, Roots and TubersFAO · 2022 · world median 414641▼ Worsened since 2012
Vanuatu: 46 · world median 41 · Share of dietary energy supply from cereals, roots and tubers (%). Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), 2022 edition, data for 2022.
Published values in that edition run from 21 to 82; lower is better.
Mortality Rate, Ages 5–14UN IGME · 2024 · world median 2.8583.8112.858▼ Worsened since 2014
Vanuatu: 3.811 · world median 2.858 · Deaths between ages 5 and 14 (per 1,000 children aged 5). UN Inter-agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation (UN IGME), 2024 edition, data for 2024.
Published values in that edition run from 0.392 to 59.04; lower is better.
Position 80th of 200 · derived, 1st = worst.
Prevalence of UndernourishmentFAO · 2023 · world median 5.27.25.2▼ Worsened since 2013
Vanuatu: 7.2 · world median 5.2 · Population undernourished (%). Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), 2023 edition, data for 2023.
Published values in that edition run from 2.5 to 54.2; lower is better.
Position 65th of 104 · derived, 1st = worst.
Wasting Prevalence in Children Under FiveUNICEF, WHO and World Bank Group (Joint Malnutrition Estimates) · 2024 · world median 3.5464.7313.546No earlier reading
Vanuatu: 4.731 · world median 3.546 · Children under 5 who are wasted (%). UNICEF, WHO and World Bank Group (Joint Malnutrition Estimates), 2024 edition, data for 2024.
Published values in that edition run from 0.1 to 22.74; lower is better.
Position 63rd of 163 · derived, 1st = worst.
Adult Mortality (Probability of Dying Between 15 and 60)UN DESA Population Division · 2023 · world median 133.7161.98133.7No real change since 2013
Vanuatu: 161.98 · world median 133.7 · Deaths before age 60 per 1,000 people alive at 15, at that year's death rates. UN DESA Population Division, 2023 edition, data for 2023.
Published values in that edition run from 25.15 to 415.44; lower is better.
Position 85th of 222 · derived, 1st = worst.
Severe Child Food Poverty, Children Aged 6–23 MonthsUNICEF · 2024 · world median 21.2625.4721.26No earlier reading
Vanuatu: 25.47 · world median 21.26 · Children aged 6-23 months fed from at most 2 of 8 food groups (%). UNICEF, 2024 edition, data for 2024.
Published values in that edition run from 1.169 to 63.08; lower is better.
Position 43rd of 113 · derived, 1st = worst.
Global Multidimensional Poverty IndexOPHI · 2025 · world median 0.0390.1170.039▼ Worsened since 2018
Vanuatu: 0.117 · world median 0.039 · MPI (0–1). Oxford Poverty and Human Development Initiative (OPHI), 2025 edition, data for 2025.
Published values in that edition run from 0 to 0.517; lower is better.
Position 39th of 109 · derived, 1st = worst.
Demand for Family Planning Satisfied by Modern MethodsUN DESA Population Division · 2023 · world median 71.2560.771.25▼ Worsened since 2013
Vanuatu: 60.7 · world median 71.25 · Share of women aged 15–49 wanting to avoid pregnancy who use a modern method (%). UN DESA Population Division, 2023 edition, data for 2023.
Published values in that edition run from 8.4 to 92.4; higher is better.
Position 130th of 196 · derived.
Institutional DeliveriesUNICEF · 2025 · world median 96.990.696.9No earlier reading
Vanuatu: 90.6 · world median 96.9 · Live births delivered in a health facility (%). UNICEF, 2025 edition, data for 2025.
Published values in that edition run from 11.5 to 100; higher is better.
Maternal Mortality RatioMMEIG · 2023 · world median 46.65100.0546.65▼ Worsened since 2013
Vanuatu: 100.05 · world median 46.65 · Maternal deaths per 100,000 live births. UN Maternal Mortality Estimation Inter-Agency Group (MMEIG), 2023 edition, data for 2023.
Published values in that edition run from 0.11 to 992.83; lower is better.
Position 66th of 195 · derived, 1st = worst.
Minimum Dietary Diversity, Children Aged 6–23 MonthsUNICEF · 2025 · world median 37.5725.2337.57No earlier reading
Vanuatu: 25.23 · world median 37.57 · Children aged 6-23 months fed from at least 5 of 8 food groups (%). UNICEF, 2025 edition, data for 2025.
Published values in that edition run from 8.089 to 85.88; higher is better.
Position 77th of 115 · derived.
Low Birthweight PrevalenceUNICEF and WHO (Joint Low Birthweight Estimates) · 2020 · world median 10.2113.0610.21No real change since 2010
Vanuatu: 13.06 · world median 10.21 · Live births weighing under 2,500 g (%). UNICEF and WHO (Joint Low Birthweight Estimates), 2020 edition, data for 2020.
Published values in that edition run from 3.993 to 27.44; lower is better.
Position 52nd of 158 · derived, 1st = worst.
Stillbirth RateUN IGME · 2023 · world median 8.16311.498.163No real change since 2013
Vanuatu: 11.49 · world median 8.163 · Stillbirths (per 1,000 total births). UN Inter-agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation (UN IGME), 2023 edition, data for 2023.
Published values in that edition run from 1.18 to 34.9; lower is better.
Position 65th of 200 · derived, 1st = worst.
Life Expectancy at Age 65UN DESA Population Division · 2023 · world median 16.3914.4316.39No real change since 2013
Vanuatu: 14.43 · world median 16.39 · Further years a 65-year-old would live at current death rates. UN DESA Population Division, 2023 edition, data for 2023.
Published values in that edition run from 12.13 to 23.21; higher is better.
Position 161st of 222 · derived.
Human Capital IndexWorld Bank Group · 2020 · world median 0.5640.4550.564▼ Worsened since 2017
Vanuatu: 0.455 · world median 0.564 · HCI score (0–1). World Bank Group, 2020 edition, data for 2020.
Published values in that edition run from 0.292 to 0.879; higher is better.
Position 125th of 172 · derived.
Antenatal Care Coverage, At Least Four VisitsUNICEF · 2025 · world median 816581No earlier reading
Vanuatu: 65 · world median 81 · Women with a live birth who had 4+ antenatal visits (%). UNICEF, 2025 edition, data for 2025.
Published values in that edition run from 22.6 to 100; higher is better.
Position 114th of 153 · derived.
Human Development IndexUNDP Human Development Report Office · 2023 · world median 0.7620.6210.762▼ Worsened since 2013
Vanuatu: 0.621 · world median 0.762 · HDI score (0–1). UNDP Human Development Report Office, 2023 edition, data for 2023.
Published values in that edition run from 0.388 to 0.972; higher is better.
Ranked 146th of 193 by UNDP Human Development Report Office.
Malaria Incidence (P. vivax)MAP · 2025 · world median 1.38213.141.382▼ Worsened since 2015
Vanuatu: 13.14 · world median 1.382 · New P. vivax malaria cases per 1,000 people per year. Malaria Atlas Project (MAP), 2025 edition, data for 2025.
Published values in that edition run from 0.001 to 184.62; lower is better.
Immunisation Coverage, Measles First Dose (MCV1)WUENIC · 2025 · world median 907490▲ Improved since 2015
Vanuatu: 74 · world median 90 · Infants given a first dose of measles vaccine (%). WHO and UNICEF (WUENIC), 2025 edition, data for 2025.
Published values in that edition run from 13 to 99; higher is better.
Adolescent Birth Rate (Ages 15–19)UN DESA Population Division · 2023 · world median 27.4666.2227.46▼ Worsened since 2013
Vanuatu: 66.22 · world median 27.46 · Live births per 1,000 women aged 15–19. UN DESA Population Division, 2023 edition, data for 2023.
Published values in that edition run from 0.465 to 163.09; lower is better.
Position 46th of 222 · derived, 1st = worst.
Immunisation Coverage, DTP3WUENIC · 2025 · world median 917791No real change since 2015
Vanuatu: 77 · world median 91 · Infants given a third dose of DTP vaccine (%). WHO and UNICEF (WUENIC), 2025 edition, data for 2025.
Published values in that edition run from 39 to 99; higher is better.
Coefficient of Variation of Habitual Caloric ConsumptionFAO · 2024 · world median 0.250.320.25▲ Improved since 2014
Vanuatu: 0.32 · world median 0.25 · Coefficient of variation of habitual calorie consumption across the population (standard deviation ÷ mean). Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), 2024 edition, data for 2024.
Published values in that edition run from 0.17 to 0.4; lower is better.
Oral Rehydration Salts for Children with DiarrhoeaUNICEF · 2024 · world median 41.527.541.5No earlier reading
Vanuatu: 27.5 · world median 41.5 · Children under 5 with diarrhoea given oral rehydration salts (%). UNICEF, 2024 edition, data for 2024.
Published values in that edition run from 9.9 to 95.4; higher is better.
Position 107th of 127 · derived.
Gender Inequality IndexUNDP Human Development Report Office · 2023 · world median 0.3510.5560.351▲ Improved since 2013
Vanuatu: 0.556 · world median 0.351 · GII (0 = full equality, 1 = maximum inequality). UNDP Human Development Report Office, 2023 edition, data for 2023.
Published values in that edition run from 0.003 to 0.838; lower is better.
Ranked 147th of 172 by UNDP Human Development Report Office.
Violent Discipline of ChildrenUNICEF · 2025 · world median 75.888.775.8No earlier reading
Vanuatu: 88.7 · world median 75.8 · Children aged 1-14 experiencing violent discipline (%). UNICEF, 2025 edition, data for 2025.
Published values in that edition run from 37.6 to 94; lower is better.
Position 12th of 90 · derived, 1st = worst.
Births Attended by Skilled Health StaffUNICEF and WHO (Joint Database on Skilled Birth Attendance) · 2023 · world median 99.390.999.3▼ Worsened since 2013
Vanuatu: 90.9 · world median 99.3 · Births attended by skilled health staff (%). UNICEF and WHO (Joint Database on Skilled Birth Attendance), 2023 edition, data for 2023.
Published values in that edition run from 60.9 to 100; higher is better.
Position 76th of 84 · derived.
Level with the median, or no median to compare2
Dietary Energy SupplyFAO · 2024 · world median 2,9822,9822,982▼ Worsened since 2014
Vanuatu: 2,982 · world median 2,982 · Dietary energy supply (kcal per person per day). Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), 2024 edition, data for 2024.
Published values in that edition run from 1,757 to 3,962; higher is better.
Position 78th of 155 · derived.
Overweight Prevalence in Children Under FiveUNICEF, WHO and World Bank Group (Joint Malnutrition Estimates) · 2024 · world median 5.55.55.5▼ Worsened since 2014
Vanuatu: 5.5 · world median 5.5 · Children under 5 who are overweight (%). UNICEF, WHO and World Bank Group (Joint Malnutrition Estimates), 2024 edition, data for 2024.
Published values in that edition run from 0.623 to 26.43; lower is better.
Position 82nd of 163 · derived, 1st = worst.
No better end8
These describe the shape of a country — more is not better or worse, only different — so they are never ahead or behind.
Fish and Seafood Supply per PersonFAO · 2023 · world median 16.1730.0416.17Moved since 2013
Vanuatu: 30.04 · world median 16.17 · Fish and seafood available as food (kg per person per year, live-weight equivalent). Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), 2023 edition, data for 2023.
Published values in that edition run from 0.38 to 83.81.
Modern Contraceptive PrevalenceUN DESA Population Division · 2023 · world median 35.432.335.4No real change since 2013
Vanuatu: 32.3 · world median 35.4 · Share of all women aged 15–49 using a modern contraceptive method (%). UN DESA Population Division, 2023 edition, data for 2023.
Published values in that edition run from 2 to 73.8.
Contraceptive Prevalence (Any Method)UN DESA Population Division · 2023 · world median 41.2537.641.25Moved since 2013
Vanuatu: 37.6 · world median 41.25 · Share of all women aged 15–49 using any contraceptive method (%). UN DESA Population Division, 2023 edition, data for 2023.
Published values in that edition run from 6.6 to 78.7.
Meat Supply per PersonFAO · 2023 · world median 57.8340.9957.83Moved since 2013
Vanuatu: 40.99 · world median 57.83 · Meat available as food (kg per person per year, carcass weight). Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), 2023 edition, data for 2023.
Published values in that edition run from 3.49 to 156.95.
Children with Functional DifficultiesUNICEF · 2024 · world median 1310.613No earlier reading
Vanuatu: 10.6 · world median 13 · Children aged 5-17 with a functional difficulty (%). UNICEF, 2024 edition, data for 2024.
Published values in that edition run from 0.9 to 35.2.
Caesarean Section RateUNICEF · 2025 · world median 20.656.120.65No earlier reading
Vanuatu: 6.1 · world median 20.65 · Live births delivered by caesarean section (%). UNICEF, 2025 edition, data for 2025.
Published values in that edition run from 0.6 to 72.2.
Pesticide Use per HectareFAO · 2024 · world median 1.730.131.73No real change since 2014
Vanuatu: 0.13 · world median 1.73 · Pesticide use (kg per hectare of cropland). Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), 2024 edition, data for 2024.
Published values in that edition run from 0 to 37.72.
Position 164th of 178 · derived, counted from the highest value.
Average Weekly Hours WorkedILO · 2025 · world median 38.8928.3238.89No real change since 2015
Vanuatu: 28.32 · world median 38.89 · Average weekly hours actually worked per employed person. International Labour Organization (ILO), 2025 edition, data for 2025.
Published values in that edition run from 23.64 to 54.7.
Position 179th of 182 · derived, counted from the highest value.
No current reading for Vanuatu
Adults Who Have Been Too Anxious or Depressed to Carry On, Agreement That Vaccines Are Safe, Catastrophic Out-of-Pocket Health Spending, Cost of a Healthy Diet, Excess Mortality During the COVID-19 Pandemic, Fatal Occupational Injuries, Female Genital Mutilation Prevalence, Global Report on Food Crises, INFORM Severity Index, Insecticide-Treated Net Use, Malaria Incidence (P. falciparum) (last 2023), Malaria Mortality (P. falciparum) (last 2023), Prevalence of Moderate or Severe Food Insecurity (last 2020), Prevalence of Severe Food Insecurity (last 2020) and Share of Population Unable to Afford a Healthy Diet. Listed rather than hidden, so the page can be checked against it.
“Position · derived” is this site’s ordering of the published values, 1st = best unless the row says otherwise; the publisher ranks no country on it. Rank, position and standing
05Country Index 2026
Health & Wellbeing among Vanuatu’s 15 topics
Health & Wellbeing is Vanuatu’s 10th best-placed topic of 15. Strongest first, each marker at its share of that topic’s field.
- Peace & Security17th of 1772/4 keys
- Environment & Sustainabilityjoint 18th of 1862/4 keys
- Democracy & Civil Libertiesjoint 57th of 1984/4 keys
- Work & Labour88th of 1824/4 keys
- Governance & Institutions98th of 1944/4 keys
- Education & Knowledge106th of 1984/4 keys
- Poverty & Inequality87th of 1592/3 keys
- Gender & Equality105th of 1833/4 keys
- Development & Human Capital123rd of 1963/3 keys
- Health & Wellbeing129th of 2002/4 keys
- Digital & Technologyjoint 133rd of 1984/4 keys
- Economy & Innovationjoint 132nd of 1762/4 keys
- Food & Agriculture153rd of 1844/4 keys
- Risk & Resilience163rd of 1933/4 keys
- Mobility & Trade154th of 1772/4 keys
No standing on Energy: too few of those topics’ key statistics are published for this country.
06The top of the list
Who leads on health & wellbeing
The three countries placed highest of 200, and the leaders Vanuatu can most readily be measured against.
1
San MarinoSouthern Europe
1st of 200 · 2 of 4 keys
Photo: Matl derivative work: Jjtkk · CC BY-SA 3.0, greyscale
2
MonacoWestern Europe
2nd of 200 · 2 of 4 keys
Photo: Martin Weber derivative work: Jjtkk · CC BY-SA 3.0, greyscale
3
AndorraSouthern Europe
3rd of 200 · 2 of 4 keys
Photo: Tiia Monto derivative work: Jjtkk · CC BY-SA 3.0, greyscale
Placed highest nearby
Highest placed on all 4 keys
South Korea5th4/4 keysHighest in Oceania
Australia38th3/4 keysHighest in Melanesia
Fiji125th3/4 keysThis page
Vanuatu129th2/4 keys
Positions out of 200 placed on the topic. A country needs readings on enough keys to be placed, and the top of the list is often held on fewer of them.
07Analysis
Charts and analysis about Vanuatu and health & wellbeing
On health & wellbeing
Global Hunger Index 2025: Countries with the Most Alarming Hunger Crisis
Thirteen countries scored across four editions — 2000, 2008, 2016 and 2025 — and five the report could not score at all. DR Congo and South Sudan share 121st place on 37.5.
On health & wellbeing
World Happiness Report 2025: Finland Leads Again as the US and UK Face Major Declines
The ten highest life evaluations of 2025, drawn on a world map, and the six things the report uses to explain them. Costa Rica and Mexico are the only two outside Europe and the Middle East.
08Questions
Vanuatu on health & wellbeing: questions answered
Every answer is built from the numbers on this page, so none can say something the page does not.
How does Vanuatu rank on health & wellbeing?
Vanuatu is placed 129th of 200 countries on Health & Wellbeing in the Country Index 2026, from 2 of its 4 key statistics (Life Expectancy at Birth and Under-Five Mortality Rate). The position is this site’s ordering of published statistics, not a rank any publisher printed.
What is the latest Life Expectancy at Birth figure for Vanuatu?
71.48 in 2023 (years a newborn would live at current death rates), according to UN DESA Population Division. The world median in the same edition was 74.63.
What is the latest Under-Five Mortality Rate figure for Vanuatu?
17.14 in 2024 (deaths before age five (per 1,000 live births)), according to UN Inter-agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation (UN IGME). The world median in the same edition was 14.54.
How have Vanuatu’s health & wellbeing figures changed?
Life Expectancy at Birth rose from 68.59 in 2000 to 71.48 in 2023; Under-Five Mortality Rate fell from 26.6 in 2000 to 17.14 in 2024; Prevalence of Severe Food Insecurity was 2.4 in both 2018 and 2020.
Which health & wellbeing statistics are missing for Vanuatu?
No current reading is published for Vanuatu on Adults Who Have Been Too Anxious or Depressed to Carry On, Agreement That Vaccines Are Safe, Catastrophic Out-of-Pocket Health Spending, Cost of a Healthy Diet, Excess Mortality During the COVID-19 Pandemic, Fatal Occupational Injuries, Female Genital Mutilation Prevalence, Global Report on Food Crises, INFORM Severity Index, Insecticide-Treated Net Use, Malaria Incidence (P. falciparum), Malaria Mortality (P. falciparum), Prevalence of Moderate or Severe Food Insecurity, Prevalence of Severe Food Insecurity and Share of Population Unable to Afford a Healthy Diet. They are listed rather than hidden, so the evidence on the page can be checked against it.
09Method
Method, sources and how to cite
What this topic does not measure
Health spending, hospital beds and doctors per person are not measured, because more of any of them does not guarantee better outcomes. Mental health and self-reported happiness are not part of this topic. Food supply per person is measured under Food & Agriculture. Maternal mortality and many other indicators are published here as context; maternal mortality is a key in Development & Human Capital instead.
How the Health & Wellbeing standing is decided
A standing is this site’s ordering, named with its edition — never a publisher’s rank. 4 key statistics vote, one vote each; every country’s published value becomes a place within that key’s own field, the places are averaged, and the average is never published. A country needs 2 of the 4 keys to be placed.
The health & wellbeing method, step by stepHow every standing on this site is built
The key statistics and their licences
- Life Expectancy at Birth — UN DESA Population Division, CC BY 3.0 IGO
- Under-Five Mortality Rate — UN Inter-agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation (UN IGME), CC BY 3.0 IGO
- Stunting Prevalence in Children Under Five — UNICEF, WHO and World Bank Group (Joint Malnutrition Estimates), CC BY 3.0 IGO
- Prevalence of Severe Food Insecurity — Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), CC BY 4.0
The other 47 statistics on this page come from 16 publishers, each named beside its numbers, with every edition and licence on the datasets pages.
The standing itself is part of the Country Index 2026, published under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Photographs
Vanuatu’s banner and the countries placed highest, from their profiles: Wikimedia Commons, shown in greyscale, each used under the licence named.
- Vanuatu (banner) — Phillip Capper derivative work: Jjtkk, CC BY 2.0
- San Marino — Matl derivative work: Jjtkk, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Monaco — Martin Weber derivative work: Jjtkk, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Andorra — Tiia Monto derivative work: Jjtkk, CC BY-SA 3.0
Cite this page
Nations Inquiry (2026). Vanuatu: Health & Wellbeing — standing and statistics, Country Index 2026. https://nationsinquiry.com/countries/vanuatu/health