Lifou
Encyclopedia
Lifou lifu is a commune
(an overseas territory of France
) in the Loyalty Islands Province
of New Caledonia
in the Pacific Ocean
.
, the largest and most heavily populated of the Loyalty Islands
, its smaller neighbour Tiga Island
, and several uninhabited islet
s in between these two. All these islands lie among the Loyalty Islands, 190 km (118.1 mi) to the northeast of New Caledonia's
mainland. At 1146 square kilometre, Lifou Island is the largest atoll in the world.
The town of Wé
, on Lifou Island, is the administrative centre of the commune of Lifou as well as the provincial seat of the Islands Province.
and Ouvéa
, the other Loyalty islands, Lifou is made of fossil coral. Lifou is a makatea (raised coral atoll
), an ancient lagoon slowly raised by geological processes. Due to the uplift, Lifou consists of a wide, flat center surrounded by cliffs which correspond to the ancient recifal cliffs. The coral rock exhibits high porosity and hence, neither Lifou nor any of the other Loyalty Islands have surface water. It does, however, have a large freshwater reservoir which can be accessed through caves. These caves were used in the past when searching for fresh water, and are very important to the island's mythology.
. The most common port-of-call is Easo; the ships anchor just off the island and tender passengers ashore, being too large for the wharf there. Lifou is known for its snorkeling.
.
, a French footballer who won the 1998 FIFA World Cup
with the French National side, is from Lifou.
Communes of France
The commune is the lowest level of administrative division in the French Republic. French communes are roughly equivalent to incorporated municipalities or villages in the United States or Gemeinden in Germany...
(an overseas territory of France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
) in the Loyalty Islands Province
Loyalty Islands
The Loyalty Islands are an archipelago in the Pacific. They are part of the French territory of New Caledonia, whose mainland is away. They form the Loyalty Islands Province , one of the three provinces of New Caledonia...
of New Caledonia
New Caledonia
New Caledonia is a special collectivity of France located in the southwest Pacific Ocean, east of Australia and about from Metropolitan France. The archipelago, part of the Melanesia subregion, includes the main island of Grande Terre, the Loyalty Islands, the Belep archipelago, the Isle of...
in the Pacific Ocean
Pacific Ocean
The Pacific Ocean is the largest of the Earth's oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic in the north to the Southern Ocean in the south, bounded by Asia and Australia in the west, and the Americas in the east.At 165.2 million square kilometres in area, this largest division of the World...
.
Geography
Lifou is made up of Lifou IslandLifou Island
Lifou Island is the largest and most important island of the Loyalty Islands, in the archipelago of New Caledonia, an overseas territory of France in the Pacific Ocean. It is located at .-Administration:...
, the largest and most heavily populated of the Loyalty Islands
Loyalty Islands
The Loyalty Islands are an archipelago in the Pacific. They are part of the French territory of New Caledonia, whose mainland is away. They form the Loyalty Islands Province , one of the three provinces of New Caledonia...
, its smaller neighbour Tiga Island
Tiga Island
Tiga Island, also called Tokanod, is a small, island in the South Pacific Ocean. Tiga lies from Lifou Island, and from Maré Island in the Loyalty Islands...
, and several uninhabited islet
Islet
An islet is a very small island.- Types :As suggested by its origin as islette, an Old French diminutive of "isle", use of the term implies small size, but little attention is given to drawing an upper limit on its applicability....
s in between these two. All these islands lie among the Loyalty Islands, 190 km (118.1 mi) to the northeast of New Caledonia's
New Caledonia
New Caledonia is a special collectivity of France located in the southwest Pacific Ocean, east of Australia and about from Metropolitan France. The archipelago, part of the Melanesia subregion, includes the main island of Grande Terre, the Loyalty Islands, the Belep archipelago, the Isle of...
mainland. At 1146 square kilometre, Lifou Island is the largest atoll in the world.
The town of Wé
Wé
Wé is a small town in the commune of Lifou, in the Loyalty Islands Province, New Caledonia. It is located on the east coast of Lifou Island. Wé is the administrative centre of the commune of Lifou as well as the location of the provincial assembly of the Loyalty Islands....
, on Lifou Island, is the administrative centre of the commune of Lifou as well as the provincial seat of the Islands Province.
Geology
Like MaréMaré Island
Maré Island is the second-largest of the Loyalty Islands, in the archipelago of New Caledonia, an overseas territory of France in the Pacific Ocean. The island is part of the commune of Maré, in the Loyalty Islands Province of New Caledonia....
and Ouvéa
Ouvéa Island
Ouvéa Island is one of the Loyalty Islands, in the archipelago of New Caledonia, an overseas territory of France in the Pacific Ocean. The island is part of the commune of Ouvéa, in the Islands Province of New Caledonia.-Geography:...
, the other Loyalty islands, Lifou is made of fossil coral. Lifou is a makatea (raised coral atoll
Raised coral atoll
A raised coral atoll is a typical atoll which has been lifted high enough above sea level by tectonic forces to protect it from scouring by storms and enable soils and diverse – often endemic – species of flora and fauna to develop...
), an ancient lagoon slowly raised by geological processes. Due to the uplift, Lifou consists of a wide, flat center surrounded by cliffs which correspond to the ancient recifal cliffs. The coral rock exhibits high porosity and hence, neither Lifou nor any of the other Loyalty Islands have surface water. It does, however, have a large freshwater reservoir which can be accessed through caves. These caves were used in the past when searching for fresh water, and are very important to the island's mythology.
Economic
The first Europeans to have contact with Lifouans were whalers, who had very limited, and certainly not friendly, communications with them. Sandalwood traders also came to New Caledonia around 1841.Religious
By the mid-19th century, there were Anglican missionaries at work on Lifou, although there had been natives and Polynesian immigrants doing religious work before then. In 1843, French Catholic missionaries arrived on Lifou; shortly afterward, the Anglicans and Catholics became involved in a religious war that lasted until the French takeover of Lifou in 1864. The missionaries even established a school on Lifou Island, and from 1840 to the early 20th century taught most of the population to read. They did enough religious work that in 1998 the Lifouans were referred to as "devout Christians."Tourism
Lifou is a popular cruise port, with many cruises coming from AustraliaAustralia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
. The most common port-of-call is Easo; the ships anchor just off the island and tender passengers ashore, being too large for the wharf there. Lifou is known for its snorkeling.
Farming
The Lifouans grow several crops, including yams, taro, and bananas; they also produce copraCopra
Copra is the dried meat, or kernel, of the coconut. Coconut oil extracted from it has made copra an important agricultural commodity for many coconut-producing countries. It also yields coconut cake which is mainly used as feed for livestock.-Production:...
.
Famous residents
Christian KarembeuChristian Karembeu
Christian Karembeu is a retired French international footballer and current scout for Arsenal Football Club...
, a French footballer who won the 1998 FIFA World Cup
1998 FIFA World Cup
The 1998 FIFA World Cup, the 16th FIFA World Cup, was held in France from 10 June to 12 July 1998. France was chosen as host nation by FIFA on 2 July 1992. The tournament was won by France, who beat Brazil 3-0 in the final...
with the French National side, is from Lifou.