Formerly known as the New Hebrides, Vanuatu was jointly ruled by France and Britain until independence in 1980. It is among the world's poorest countries and is highly prone to natural disasters, including earthquakes, tsunamis and storms
Pam has brought winds of up to 270km/h (170mph) and torrential rain
Located about a quarter of the way from Australia to Hawaii, Vanuatu has a population of 267,000 spread over 65 islands. About 47,000 people live in the capital, Port Vila.
Pam, a category five tropical storm, had already caused major damage on other Pacific islands, including Kiribati and the Solomon Islands.
Tuvalu, a group of nine tiny islands north-east of Vanuatu, has also declared a state of emergency after the cyclone caused flash floods there.
Tom Skirrow, of Save the Children, said houses in the capital Port Vila were destroyed and "people are wandering the streets looking for help".
The UN agencies say dozens may have been killed and the disaster could be one of the worst in Pacific history.
Communications are down across much of the country with the total extent of the devastation unlikely to be known for several days
UNICEF spokeswoman Alice Clements described the cyclone as "15-30 minutes of absolute terror" as it passed over Port Vila
The cyclone whipped up huge waves to batter the coasts of the archipelago
Many houses were destroyed around the capital Port Vila
Many boats moored in Port Vila bore the brunt of the storm
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