Espiritu Santo (UK: /ɛˌspɪrɪtuː ˈsæntoʊ/, US: /- ˈsɑːntuː, - ˈsɑːntoʊ/; French: [ɛspiʁity sɑ̃to]) is the largest island in the nation and archipelago of Vanuatu (formerly the New Hebrides), with an area of 3,955.5 km (1,527.2 sq mi), although Efate, on which the capital city of Port Vila is located, has a larger population. As of 2020, the population of Santo was 37,328. Luganville is the only true town on the island.
Vanuatu (English: /ˌvɑːnuˈɑːtuː/ VAH-noo-AH-too or /vænˈwɑːtuː/ van-WAH-too; Bislama and French pronunciation [vanuatu]), officially the Republic of Vanuatu (French: République de Vanuatu; Bislama: Ripablik blong Vanuatu), is an island country in Melanesia located in the South Pacific Ocean. The archipelago, which is of volcanic origin, is 1,750 km (1,090 mi) east of northern Australia, 540 km (340 mi) northeast of New Caledonia, east of New Guinea, southeast of Solomon Islands, and west of Fiji.
Vanuatu was first inhabited by Melanesian people. The first Europeans to visit the islands were a Spanish expedition led by Portuguese navigator Fernandes de Queirós, who arrived on the largest island, Espíritu Santo, in 1606. Queirós claimed the archipelago for Spain, as part of the colonial Spanish East Indies and named it La Austrialia del Espíritu Santo.