An island country of the southern Pacific Ocean east of northern Australia. Inhabited primarily by Melanesian peoples, the islands were sighted by the Portuguese in 1606 and explored by Capt. James Cook, who named them "New Hebrides," in 1774. Under joint French and British control after 1906, New Hebrides achieved independence as Vanuatu in 1980. Port Vila, on Efate Island, is the capital.