There is a strong push for a national identity in Vanuatu, which has been adopted by some people, especially those in the larger cities. However, many people still identify on a smaller scale as they identify with their local island, island group, their language group (there are over 100 languages), or their local culture, which is often tied to the ethnicity, island, and language as well. Today it is truly up the individual as to whether he or she first identifies with their nation or local island; most people in island villages still primarily identify with that island, village, or language, while many people in the cities are a mix of ethnicities and speak a single language so tend to identify more on a national scale.
The national identity of Vanuatu has a significant following as it is very inclusive of all the people of the islands. This identity is primarily political in nature as it is not defined in cultural terms. A part of this identity is a pride in the country's diversity so the identity remains vague intentionally to remain inclusive; the greatest exception to this is the heavy use of the Bislama language among the greatest supporters of this identity.
Many people today do identify on this national scale, but they also tend to identify on a more localized level with their local island, language, and culture. As over one hundred languages and islands are present in Vanuatu this diversity in local identities is substantial and the definition of each of these identities is distinct from the next.