Vanatu
Today we travel to Vanatu , a chain of islands east of the northern tip of Australia. There are 13 principal islands, and many smaller islands in a north-south area described as an irregular "y" shape covering 400 miles. They achieved their independence in 1980, and their name means "our land forever" in the local language. These are mountainous islands that include active volcanoes, and are subject to frequent earthquakes. About 3/4 of the population lives in rural areas, and 99% of the population is Melanesian. They have 3 official languages: Bislama, English, and French. Subsistence agriculture makes the base of the economy. Kava is listed as a popular tea. I also found mention of Chinese tea served in Vanatu. I used this as an opportunity to compare 2 Chinese black teas I have been wanting to compare for a while now. I don't know what type of Chinese tea the people of Vanatu drink, but I thank them for the excuse for a comparison post. Both of these teas a...