Matthew and Hunter Islands
Encyclopedia
The Matthew and Hunter Islands are a group of two small and uninhabited volcanic islands in the South Pacific, located 300 km east of New Caledonia
and south-east of Vanuatu
archipelago. Hunter Island and Matthew Island, 70 km apart, are claimed both by Vanuatu
(as part of Tafea province
, and considered by the people of Anatom
Island part of their custom ownership) and France
(as part of New Caledonia).
Small, arid, without fresh water and not easily accessible, the islands had no interest for Britain or France during their colonization of the Pacific in the course of the 18th and 19th centuries. France officially annexed both islands in 1929. In 1965, the United Kingdom
also claimed the two islands, as part of the New Hebrides
. France conducted a symbolic occupation in 1975. In 1980, on its independence, Vanuatu claimed sovereignty, but made no occupation of the islands. In 1979, Météo-France
set up an automatic weather station on one of the islands, and the French Navy
regularly visits both of them.
located at 22°21′S 171°21′E.
Captain Thomas Gilbert of the Royal Navy
on board the Charlotte
discovered Matthew Island on 27 May 1788 and named it after the owner of his ship. The island is in fact two conic islets attached by a rocky 200-metre-wide isthmus. The western part is of lava and slag, with a serrated peak 177 metres high, and the eastern part is of basalt
with a 142 metre peak. There is still some volcanic activity on the island with sulphuric fumaroles rising from craters in the south-east. The conformation of the island seems to have changed over the last century, since it was described as having only one peak before the second world war. The last eruptions of the Matthew Island Volcano happened in 1956.
Captain Jimmy Joe, on board the whaler "Hunter", discovered the island (probably in 1798) and named it after his ship.
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...
and south-east 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...
archipelago. Hunter Island and Matthew Island, 70 km apart, are claimed both by 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...
(as part of Tafea province
Province
A province is a territorial unit, almost always an administrative division, within a country or state.-Etymology:The English word "province" is attested since about 1330 and derives from the 13th-century Old French "province," which itself comes from the Latin word "provincia," which referred to...
, and considered by the people of Anatom
Anatom
Anatom is the southernmost island of Vanuatu. It is in the province of Tafea. The largest village is Anelghowhat , on the south side. The island is 159.2 km² in size...
Island part of their custom ownership) and 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...
(as part of New Caledonia).
Small, arid, without fresh water and not easily accessible, the islands had no interest for Britain or France during their colonization of the Pacific in the course of the 18th and 19th centuries. France officially annexed both islands in 1929. In 1965, the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
also claimed the two islands, as part of 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...
. France conducted a symbolic occupation in 1975. In 1980, on its independence, Vanuatu claimed sovereignty, but made no occupation of the islands. In 1979, Météo-France
Météo-France
Météo-France is the French national meteorological service.The organisation was established by decree in June 1993 and is a department of the Ministry of Transportation. It is headquartered in Paris but many domestic operations have been decentralised to Toulouse...
set up an automatic weather station on one of the islands, and the French Navy
French Navy
The French Navy, officially the Marine nationale and often called La Royale is the maritime arm of the French military. It includes a full range of fighting vessels, from patrol boats to a nuclear powered aircraft carrier and 10 nuclear-powered submarines, four of which are capable of launching...
regularly visits both of them.
Matthew Island
île Matthew in French, the island is 0.7 km² in area, and a 177 meter high stratovolcanoStratovolcano
A stratovolcano, also known as a composite volcano, is a tall, conical volcano built up by many layers of hardened lava, tephra, pumice, and volcanic ash. Unlike shield volcanoes, stratovolcanoes are characterized by a steep profile and periodic, explosive eruptions...
located at 22°21′S 171°21′E.
Captain Thomas Gilbert of the Royal Navy
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
on board the Charlotte
Charlotte (ship)
The Charlotte was a First Fleet transport ship of 335 tons, built on the River Thames in 1787. She was a light sailer, and had to be towed down the English Channel for the first few days of the voyage...
discovered Matthew Island on 27 May 1788 and named it after the owner of his ship. The island is in fact two conic islets attached by a rocky 200-metre-wide isthmus. The western part is of lava and slag, with a serrated peak 177 metres high, and the eastern part is of basalt
Basalt
Basalt is a common extrusive volcanic rock. It is usually grey to black and fine-grained due to rapid cooling of lava at the surface of a planet. It may be porphyritic containing larger crystals in a fine matrix, or vesicular, or frothy scoria. Unweathered basalt is black or grey...
with a 142 metre peak. There is still some volcanic activity on the island with sulphuric fumaroles rising from craters in the south-east. The conformation of the island seems to have changed over the last century, since it was described as having only one peak before the second world war. The last eruptions of the Matthew Island Volcano happened in 1956.
Hunter Island
Hunter Island (île Hunter in French) is also known as Fern or Fearn Island. It lies 70 km east of Matthew Island at 22°24′S 172°5′E. About 0.6 km² in area, the island has a domed shape, and is 242 metres in height.Captain Jimmy Joe, on board the whaler "Hunter", discovered the island (probably in 1798) and named it after his ship.
External links
- Wolfgang Schippke: Île Metthew & Île Hunter (German), (English, but much shorter)
- Bits of info