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Vanuatu is a cluster of around 82 islands and has a population of about 21000. It is estimated that the population before the arrival of Europeans was close to 1million before dropping to 55,000 by World War Two. Now over 55% of the population are under 15 and only 2% over 60. This population explosion is putting a great strain on the medical and education services, but fortunately the islanders can grow most of the food that they need. There is minimal health support in the rural villages and the literacy rate is 74%. Only78% of children complete their primary education for which the government pays only teachers salaries, leaving the villages and parents to fund the remaining school costs.
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