HISTORIC TIMELINE
1606First European Contact
Portuguese navigator Fernandes de Queirós claims Vanuatu for Spain.
1880Colonial Claims
France and the UK claimed parts of Vanuatu, leading to joint colonial management.
1906Anglo-French Condominium
France and the UK establish a framework for jointly managing Vanuatu as the New Hebrides.
1970Independence Movement
An independence movement arises in Vanuatu, leading to calls for sovereignty.
1980Independence Achieved
Vanuatu officially becomes an independent republic.