Ambrym
Encyclopedia
Ambrym is a volcanic island
in the archipelago
of Vanuatu
(formerly known as the New Hebrides
). It is well known for its highly active volcanic activity that includes lava lake
formation.
The summit at the center of the island is dominated by a desert-like caldera
, which covers an area of 100 square kilometre.
With the exception of human settlements, the rest of the island is covered by thick jungle.
volcanic arc.
The caldera is the result of a huge plinian explosion, which took place around 50 AD. Its explosive force is rated 6, the second highest in the Smithsonian Institution
's Volcanic Explosivity Index
ranks of the largest volcanic explosions in recent geological history.
The massive, 1900-year-old, 12 kilometres (7.5 mi) × 8 kilometres (5 mi) caldera is the site of two active volcanic cones, Benbow and Marum (also spelled Maroum).
While at higher elevations cinder cones predominate, the western tip of the island is characterized by a series of basaltic tuff
rings, of which the largest is about 1 kilometre (0.621372736649807 mi) in diameter. These were produced by phreatic eruptions when magma
contacted the water table
and water-saturated sediments along the coast.
Several times per century, Ambrym volcano had destructive eruptions.
Mt Benbow last erupted in 1913, causing the evacuation of the population to Mele, near Port Vila
on Efate
.
and a few smaller islands, Ambrym forms Malampa Province
. Its largest settlement is the village of Eas. The population of 8,000 inhabitants lives mainly off coconut
plantations.
. In the north is the North Ambrym language, in the southeast is the Southeast Ambrym language, in the south Dakaka language, in the west Lonwolwol language, and in the southwest Port-Vato language. These are all spoken by a few hundred to a few thousand speakers each.
The kinship system used by natives of Ambrym can be modeled by a non-commutative group.
Island
An island or isle is any piece of sub-continental land that is surrounded by water. Very small islands such as emergent land features on atolls can be called islets, cays or keys. An island in a river or lake may be called an eyot , or holm...
in the archipelago
Archipelago
An archipelago , sometimes called an island group, is a chain or cluster of islands. The word archipelago is derived from the Greek ἄρχι- – arkhi- and πέλαγος – pélagos through the Italian arcipelago...
of Vanuatu
Vanuatu
Vanuatu , officially the Republic of Vanuatu , is an island nation located in the South Pacific Ocean. The archipelago, which is of volcanic origin, is some east of northern Australia, northeast of New Caledonia, west of Fiji, and southeast of the Solomon Islands, near New Guinea.Vanuatu was...
(formerly known as the New Hebrides
New Hebrides
New Hebrides was the colonial name for an island group in the South Pacific that now forms the nation of Vanuatu. The New Hebrides were colonized by both the British and French in the 18th century shortly after Captain James Cook visited the islands...
). It is well known for its highly active volcanic activity that includes lava lake
Lava lake
Lava lakes are large volumes of molten lava, usually basaltic, contained in a volcanic vent, crater, or broad depression. The term is used to describe both lava lakes that are wholly or partly molten and those that are solidified...
formation.
Etymology
Ambrym (aka Ambrin) was so named by Captain Cook, who anchored off there in 1774. It means "here are yams" ("ham rim" in the Ranon language).Geography
Located near the center of the long Vanuatuan archipelago, Ambryn is roughly triangular in shape, about 50 km (31.1 mi) wide. With 677.7 square kilometre of surface area, it is the fifth largest island in the country.The summit at the center of the island is dominated by a desert-like caldera
Caldera
A caldera is a cauldron-like volcanic feature usually formed by the collapse of land following a volcanic eruption, such as the one at Yellowstone National Park in the US. They are sometimes confused with volcanic craters...
, which covers an area of 100 square kilometre.
With the exception of human settlements, the rest of the island is covered by thick jungle.
Volcanology
Ambrym is a large basaltic volcano with a 12-km-wide caldera, and one of the most active volcanoes of the New HebridesNew Hebrides
New Hebrides was the colonial name for an island group in the South Pacific that now forms the nation of Vanuatu. The New Hebrides were colonized by both the British and French in the 18th century shortly after Captain James Cook visited the islands...
volcanic arc.
The caldera is the result of a huge plinian explosion, which took place around 50 AD. Its explosive force is rated 6, the second highest in the Smithsonian Institution
Smithsonian Institution
The Smithsonian Institution is an educational and research institute and associated museum complex, administered and funded by the government of the United States and by funds from its endowment, contributions, and profits from its retail operations, concessions, licensing activities, and magazines...
's Volcanic Explosivity Index
Volcanic Explosivity Index
The Volcanic Explosivity Index was devised by Chris Newhall of the U.S. Geological Survey and Stephen Self at the University of Hawaii in 1982 to provide a relative measure of the explosiveness of volcanic eruptions....
ranks of the largest volcanic explosions in recent geological history.
The massive, 1900-year-old, 12 kilometres (7.5 mi) × 8 kilometres (5 mi) caldera is the site of two active volcanic cones, Benbow and Marum (also spelled Maroum).
While at higher elevations cinder cones predominate, the western tip of the island is characterized by a series of basaltic tuff
Tuff
Tuff is a type of rock consisting of consolidated volcanic ash ejected from vents during a volcanic eruption. Tuff is sometimes called tufa, particularly when used as construction material, although tufa also refers to a quite different rock. Rock that contains greater than 50% tuff is considered...
rings, of which the largest is about 1 kilometre (0.621372736649807 mi) in diameter. These were produced by phreatic eruptions when magma
Magma
Magma is a mixture of molten rock, volatiles and solids that is found beneath the surface of the Earth, and is expected to exist on other terrestrial planets. Besides molten rock, magma may also contain suspended crystals and dissolved gas and sometimes also gas bubbles. Magma often collects in...
contacted the water table
Water table
The water table is the level at which the submarine pressure is far from atmospheric pressure. It may be conveniently visualized as the 'surface' of the subsurface materials that are saturated with groundwater in a given vicinity. However, saturated conditions may extend above the water table as...
and water-saturated sediments along the coast.
Several times per century, Ambrym volcano had destructive eruptions.
Mt Benbow last erupted in 1913, causing the evacuation of the population to Mele, near Port Vila
Port Vila
Port Vila is the capital and largest city of Vanuatu. Situated on the south coast of the island of Efate, in Shefa Province, the city population at last was 29,356, an increase of 55% on the previous census result . This suggests a 2007 population of about 40,000 or around 65% of the province's...
on Efate
Éfaté
Efate is an island in the Agean Ocean which is part of the Shefa Province in The Republic of Maliki. It is also known as Île Vate. It is the most populous island in Vanuatu. Efate's land area of makes it Vanuatu's third largest island. Most inhabitants of Efate live in Port Vila, the national...
.
Demographics
With the neighbour island of MalakulaMalakula
Malakula Island , also spelled Malekula, is the second-largest island in the nation of Vanuatu, in the Pacific Ocean region of Melanesia...
and a few smaller islands, Ambrym forms Malampa Province
Malampa Province
Malampa is a province of Vanuatu, made up of three main islands, Malakula, Ambrym and Paama, from which the province's name is derived. It includes a number of other islands – the small islands of Uripiv, Norsup, Rano, Wala, Atchin and Vao off the coast of Malakula, and the volcanic island of...
. Its largest settlement is the village of Eas. The population of 8,000 inhabitants lives mainly off coconut
Coconut
The coconut palm, Cocos nucifera, is a member of the family Arecaceae . It is the only accepted species in the genus Cocos. The term coconut can refer to the entire coconut palm, the seed, or the fruit, which is not a botanical nut. The spelling cocoanut is an old-fashioned form of the word...
plantations.
Languages
Like many islands in Vanuatu, Ambrym has its own Austronesian languagesAustronesian languages
The Austronesian languages are a language family widely dispersed throughout the islands of Southeast Asia and the Pacific, with a few members spoken on continental Asia that are spoken by about 386 million people. It is on par with Indo-European, Niger-Congo, Afroasiatic and Uralic as one of the...
. In the north is the North Ambrym language, in the southeast is the Southeast Ambrym language, in the south Dakaka language, in the west Lonwolwol language, and in the southwest Port-Vato language. These are all spoken by a few hundred to a few thousand speakers each.
The kinship system used by natives of Ambrym can be modeled by a non-commutative group.
Nearby small islands to the south
- PaamaPaamaPaama is a small island in the Malampa Province, Vanuatu. The island is about 8 km from north to south and only 5 km or so at its widest point. The island is dominated by hills, rising to a height of around 550 m in the north...
with villages of Liro and Loulep - LopeviLopeviLopevi is an uninhabited island in Malampa Province, Vanuatu. It lies to the southeast of Ambrym and east of Paama. It consists of the 7-km-wide cone of the active stratovolcano by the same name. It reaches a peak of 1413 m above sea level, the tallest point in central Vanuatu. It has erupted...
with villages of Holen and Halos (now abandoned)
Towns and cities
- Fali - Craig Cove - Baiap - Sesivi - EmiotunganEmiotunganEmiotungan, also Meltungon, is an inland village of about 70 inhabitants in the southwestern part of the island of Ambrym in Vanuatu. Connected to the airfield of Craig Cove by dirt road, it has an access road to the caldera with the two active vulcanoes, Mt. Benbow and Mt. Marum...
- Polibetakever - Lolibulo - Linboul - Liro - Loulep - Olal - Ranuetlam - Ranon - Port VatoPort VatoPort Vato is a village at the south coast of the island of Ambrym in Vanuatu with about 250 inhabitants.The village has a Presbyterian church and a primary school , which is shared with the neighboring villages of Lonmei and Lalinda. It can be reached by dirt road from the airfield in Craig Cove....
- Lalinda - Toak - FanlaFanlaFanla is a small village situated in the north of Ambrym Island, in the archipelago of Vanuatu in Melanesia, in the province of Malampa. The original name of this place was Saanembur Lonbato....
Tourism
Tourists are attracted by Ambrym's unique features: the active volcanoes, the tropical vegetation, and the customs of the local villagers. They stay in traditional style bungalows, as there are no hotels on the island.External links
- North Ambrym language sample
- South-East Ambrym Wordlist at the Austronesian Basic Vocabulary Database
- Video Shot Inside Marum Volcano