6 Amazing Facts About Vanuatu That You Probably Didn’t Know Originally claimed by the United Kingdom and France in the 1880s, the archipelago was named New Hebrides and jointly managed through Anglo–French cooperation until the 1970s when an independence movement began and on 30 July 1980, the Republic of Vanuatu was founded. Celebrating 37 years of independence this week, Vanuatu has an incredible...