Data & Statistics
Province Overview
Location: Southernmost province of Vanuatu, formed from 5 main islands—Tanna, Aneityum, Futuna, Erromango, and Aniwa—which gives its acronym name TAFEA.
Capital / Principal town: Isangel, near Lenakel on Tanna Island.
Land area: Approximately 1,628 km².
Demographics & Population
Population: Latest estimates vary with 37,050 from the 2016 census and 32,540 from the 2009 census with a population density of around 20–23 persons/km². TAFEA's population rose by around 75% from 1975 to 2015, with a 20% increase between 2000 and 2015.
It has young population with a median age roughly 17.1 years, with males younger (15.6) and females older (18.6), with a youth population at 16.8% being under 5 years old and 10–14 year age group comprising 13.8% of population.
| Island | Area (km²) | 2009 Pop. (approx.) | Main Peak |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tanna | 565 | ~28,800 | Mount Tukosmera (1,084 m) |
| Erromango | 975 | ~1,950 | Mount Santop (886 m) |
| Aneityum | 162 | ~915 | Inrerow Atahein (~852 m) |
| Futuna | 11 | ~513 | Tatafou (~666 m) |
| Aniwa | 8 | ~341 | Coral island (42 m high) |
| Total | 1,721 | ~32,540 |
Tanna holds 80% of provincial population and is the centre of commerce and governance.
Culture & Languages
The smaller islands of Aniwa and Futuna have Polynesian cultural traits whilst the the others are predominantly Melanesian with, Tanna Island alone hosts at least 7 local languages, reflecting intense internal diversity, Erromango Island historically having up to four languages with today, Sie is dominant, with only a handful of Ura speakers remaining, and others extinct. Aneityum is home to Anejom̃, spoken by under 1,000 people with Futuna and Aniwa speaking and sharing the Polynesian language Futuna‑Aniwa, indigenous to those islands with around 1,500 speakers overall.
Education & Literacy
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Educational attendance rates (circa 2007):
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Ages 6–8: 23.4%
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Ages 9–11: 79.2%
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Ages 12–14: 77.1%
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Ages 15–17: 65.0%
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Ages 18–20: 20.5%
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Ages 21–23: 1.96%
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Literacy (per 2020 census) for Outer Islands (Aniwa, Futuna, Aneityum, Erromango):
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Bislama literate: ~79%; English: 68%; French: 31%
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Natural Features
Mount Yasur on Tanna (1,084 m) is a well-known active volcano and a major tourist attraction.
Economy
TAFEA's economy is dominated by subsistence agriculture, sandalwood, and forest resources. Tourism thrives on volcanic Tanna and coral-rich islands like Aneityum and Aniwa. Water and food security remain critical concerns, particularly on remote islands.