The Republic of Vanuatu is an archipelago situated east of northern Australia, east of New Guinea, northeast of New Caledonia, southeast of the Solomon Islands, and west of Fiji n the South Pacific Ocean. Its name is from the term “vanua” which means “home” and “tu” which means “to stand” in Proto Oceanic language. When combined, it implies the country’s independent status. Read along to learn about the history of the local currency called the Vatu.
The island country was initially occupied by Melanesians even before the first Europeans led by Portuguese explorer Fernandes de Quiros came to visit Vanuatu in 1606. In the 1880s, some parts of the islands fell to French and British colonists. In 1906, the two powers came to terms with managing the nation jointly and named the country New Hebrides.
The First Vanuatu Vatu Banknotes
In the 1970s, a revolutionary uprising took place, leading to the establishment of the Republic of Vanuatu as well as the formation of the Central Bank of Vanuatu in 1980. The New Hebrides franc was then replaced with the Vanuatu vatu. The first series of banknotes was introduced in 1982 in the denominations of 100, 500, 1,000 vatu. These banknotes share the same design on their obverse, bearing the coat of arms of Vanuatu, a Melanesian chief with a spear, and a banner.
A 5,000 Vatu banknote which also shows a Melanesian chief standing holding a spear begins to circulate in 1989. This note carries microprinting of BANQUE CENTRALE DE VANUATU and a registration device in the form of an arrowhead. In 1995, a 200-vatu banknote from Thomas De La Rue begins to circulate.
Between 2010 and 2017, the Reserve Bank of Vanuatu introduced a new family of notes printed on polymer starting with the largest denomination, the 10,000 vatu. The note begins to circulate on July 28, 2010, just in time for the 30th anniversary of independence.
The 1,000 Vatu Commemorative Banknote
In 2020, the bank introduced a 1,000 banknote to commemorate the 40th year of independence of the country. The banknote comes in a combination of brown, purple, blue, and also green. In addition to the Melanesian chief design, the note also bears the 40th year of independence overprint, a conch shell, a waterway, and the map of the islands on the obverse. The reverse depicts farmers with crops, a rancher on horseback, cattle, and also palm trees.
