Melanesia

Vanuatu

Absolute number

Prevalence

5.4 thousand

Married by 15: Number of girls and women (left) and percentage of women 20-24 years (right) married before age 15

5%
21.7 thousand

Married by 18: Number of girls and women (left) and percentage of women 20-24 years (right) married before age 18

21%

Prevalence of child marriage

  • Vanuatu
  • Melanesia
Child marriage age

The line chart shows the prevalence of child marriage (before age 18) in Vanuatu and Melanesia from 1998 to 2025.

In Vanuatu, 20% of girls in 1998 married before age 18, compared with 21% in 2023, which is the latest available value.

In Melanesia, the prevalence was 26% in 2000 and was 25% in 2025.

Show data table
YearVanuatuMelanesia
199820.3%
200025.9%
200321.6%
200525.6%
200821.3%
201028.5%
201321.6%
201526.9%
201820.5%
202026.9%
202320.9%
202525.5%
Child marriage age
Compare with other countries

Vanuatu

Child Marriage
Prevalence

Residence

  • Rural
  • Urban
Show Residence data table
YearRuralUrban
202325.7%9.8%

Wealth

  • Poorest
  • Second
  • Middle
  • Fourth
  • Richest
Show Wealth data table
YearPoorestSecondMiddleFourthRichest
202335.8%22.9%21.9%25.9%6.9%

Education

  • No schooling
  • Primary education
  • Secondary or higher
Show Education data table
YearNo schoolingPrimary educationSecondary or higher
202317.1%
Child marriage age

Compare regions of Vanuatu

Understand differences inside the country

Touch the timeline to see how the child marriage affect differently each sub-region of Vanuatu in the last decades.

Levels of child marriage vary across different parts of Vanuatu. See the range of values within the country, and explore the chart for details.

Prevalence of child marriage

Compare regions of Vanuatu

Understand differences
inside the country

Prevalence of child marriage before age 18 years in each region of Vanuatu in 2023.

Child marriage age

Region with no data

2023

Prevalence of child marriage in each region of Vanuatu in 2023

0%100%

The chart shows the prevalence of child marriage (before age 18) across Vanuatu. Data refer to 2023, the latest year with available data.

The practice is most common in Sanma (29%), Penama (27%), Tafea (26%), and Shefa (17%).

Show data table
YearMalampaPenamaSanmaShefaTafeaTorba
202313.1%26.6%28.5%17.0%25.7%15.1%
Child marriage age

Compare countries

How does Vanuatu compare to other countries?

Prevalence of child marriage

  • Vanuatu
Child marriage age

The line chart shows the prevalence of child marriage (before age 18) in Vanuatu from 1998 to 2023.

In Vanuatu, 20% of girls in 1998 married before age 18, compared with 21% in 2023, which is the latest available value.

Show data table
YearVanuatu
199820.3%
200321.6%
200821.3%
201321.6%
201820.5%
202320.9%

Residence

Child marriage prevalence

Review the data to find if girls living in rural areas are more likely to marry in childhood than girls in urban areas

The bubble chart shows the prevalence of child marriage (before age 18) disaggregated by residence in Vanuatu. Data refer to the latest available year.

In Vanuatu, 21% of girls married before age 18. The prevalence is 26% of girls in rural areas, compared with 10% in urban areas.

Show data table
CountryRuralUrbanTotal
Vanuatu25.7%9.8%20.9%
Child marriage age

For more data related to child marriage, please see the child marriage country profiles available on the UNICEF Data website

UNICEF Data

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