Reef Islands
Encyclopedia
The Reef Islands are a loose collection of 16 islands in the northwestern part of the Solomon Islands
province of Temotu
. These islands have historically also been known by the names of Swallow Islands and Matema Islands.
The islands lie about 80 km (50 mi.) north of Nendo, the largest of the Santa Cruz Islands
. The center of the group is at approximately 10°12'36" S lat
., 166°10'12" E. long
.
The islands or atoll
s of the group are:
Numa Miombilou or "Great Reef" is one continuous shoal, extending about 25 km (15 mi.) west of Nifiloli. About 10 km (6 mi.) to the south of this shoal are 4 small coral reef
s:
Separated from these groups are what are called the "outer islands":
This island group is unusual in that the inhabitants of the most of the islands speak the Äiwoo language, a Melanesian dialect, while on Pileni
, Matema
, Nupani and Nukapu
, they speak Pileni
, a Polynesian outlier language
. The Polynesians are believed to be descendants of people from northern Tuvalu
.
The total population of the Reef Islands is about 5,600 according to 2003 estimates.
Solomon Islands
Solomon Islands is a sovereign state in Oceania, east of Papua New Guinea, consisting of nearly one thousand islands. It covers a land mass of . The capital, Honiara, is located on the island of Guadalcanal...
province of Temotu
Temotu
Temotu can refer to:* Temotu Province, a province of the Solomon Islands* Temotu, Tuvalu, an island in Vaitupu, Tuvalu* Temotu, Kiribati, a village on Marakei, Kiribati...
. These islands have historically also been known by the names of Swallow Islands and Matema Islands.
Santa Cruz Islands
The Santa Cruz Islands are a group of islands in the Pacific Ocean, part of Temotu Province of the Solomon Islands. They lie approximately 250 miles to the southeast of the Solomon Islands Chain...
. The center of the group is at approximately 10°12'36" S lat
Latitude
In geography, the latitude of a location on the Earth is the angular distance of that location south or north of the Equator. The latitude is an angle, and is usually measured in degrees . The equator has a latitude of 0°, the North pole has a latitude of 90° north , and the South pole has a...
., 166°10'12" E. long
Longitude
Longitude is a geographic coordinate that specifies the east-west position of a point on the Earth's surface. It is an angular measurement, usually expressed in degrees, minutes and seconds, and denoted by the Greek letter lambda ....
.
The islands or atoll
Atoll
An atoll is a coral island that encircles a lagoon partially or completely.- Usage :The word atoll comes from the Dhivehi word atholhu OED...
s of the group are:
- LomlomLomlomLomlom is an island in the Solomon Islands; it is located in Temotu Province....
- NifiloliNifiloliNifiloli is an island in the Reef Islands, in the of the Solomon Islands province of Temotu. Despite its location in Melanesia, the population of the islands is Polynesian. The language spoken on Nifiloli is Pileni language-External links:* *...
- FenualoaFenualoaFenualoa is the second largest island in the Reef Islands, administratively located in the Solomon Islands province of Temotu. At low tide, Fenualoa is connected to the neighboring island of Nifiloli to the north. The west side of the island is mainly sandy beaches facing the huge lagoon and the...
- Ngalo
- Ngawa
- Ngandeli
- Grimbanga Temoa
- Grimbanga Nende
- Matema IslandMatema IslandMatema Island or Matema is of one of the Reef Islands, of the independent nation of the Solomon Islands; it is located in Temotu Province.The language spoken on Matema Island is Pileni, which is a member of the Polynesian language family...
- Ngatendo
- Pigeon IslandPigeon Island, Solomon IslandsPigeon Island is an island in the Solomon Islands; it is located in Temotu Province....
Numa Miombilou or "Great Reef" is one continuous shoal, extending about 25 km (15 mi.) west of Nifiloli. About 10 km (6 mi.) to the south of this shoal are 4 small coral reef
Coral reef
Coral reefs are underwater structures made from calcium carbonate secreted by corals. Coral reefs are colonies of tiny living animals found in marine waters that contain few nutrients. Most coral reefs are built from stony corals, which in turn consist of polyps that cluster in groups. The polyps...
s:
- Malani
- Malim
- Manuwa
- Matumbi
Separated from these groups are what are called the "outer islands":
- Nalongo and NupaniNalongo and NupaniNalongo and Nupani is a small atoll in the Southwestern Pacific Ocean. It has a coral reef totally encircling a lagoon.Nupani Island, also called Nimba, is inhabited, while Nalongo has no permanent habitation....
at 10°6'36" S. latLatitudeIn geography, the latitude of a location on the Earth is the angular distance of that location south or north of the Equator. The latitude is an angle, and is usually measured in degrees . The equator has a latitude of 0°, the North pole has a latitude of 90° north , and the South pole has a...
., 165°19'12" E. longLongitudeLongitude is a geographic coordinate that specifies the east-west position of a point on the Earth's surface. It is an angular measurement, usually expressed in degrees, minutes and seconds, and denoted by the Greek letter lambda ....
., located at about 75 km (45 mi.) northwest of the main group - NukapuNukapuNukapu is one of the islands of the nation of Solomon Islands. It is in the Reef Islands group in Temotu Province; the easternmost province of the Solomons.The island contains a memorial to Bishop John Patteson who was murdered on Nukapu in 1871....
located about 35 km (21 mi.) to the northwest of the main group - MakalomMakalomMakalom is a small uninhabited island in the Reef Islands, in the Solomon Islands province of Temotu.-External links:*...
about 17 km (10 mi.) to the northwest of the main group - PileniPileniPileni is a culturally important island in the Reef Islands, in the northern part of the Solomon Islands province of Temotu. Despite its location in Melanesia, the population of the islands is Polynesian.-Language:...
about 9 km (5.5 mi.) to the northwest of the main group - Patteson ShoalPatteson ShoalPatteson Shoal is an outer reef in the Reef Islands, in the Solomon Islands province of Temotu. It is located about 50 km northeast of Nupani. The shoal is named for John Coleridge Patteson.-External links:*...
about 100 km (60 mi.) to the of the main group
This island group is unusual in that the inhabitants of the most of the islands speak the Äiwoo language, a Melanesian dialect, while on Pileni
Pileni
Pileni is a culturally important island in the Reef Islands, in the northern part of the Solomon Islands province of Temotu. Despite its location in Melanesia, the population of the islands is Polynesian.-Language:...
, Matema
Matema
Matema is a town in southwestern Tanzania. The town is primarily a fishing village with some agriculture. It is located on the northern tip of Lake Nyasa and is 90 kilometres south-east of Mbeya....
, Nupani and Nukapu
Nukapu
Nukapu is one of the islands of the nation of Solomon Islands. It is in the Reef Islands group in Temotu Province; the easternmost province of the Solomons.The island contains a memorial to Bishop John Patteson who was murdered on Nukapu in 1871....
, they speak Pileni
Pileni language
Vaeakau-Taumako is a Polynesian language spoken in some of the Reef Islands as well as in the Taumako Islands in the Temotu province of the Solomon Islands....
, a Polynesian outlier language
Samoic languages
The Samoic–Outlier languages, also known as Samoic languages, are a purported group of Polynesian languages, encompassing the Polynesian languages of Samoa, Tuvalu, American Samoa, Tokelau, Wallis and Futuna, and Polynesian outlier languages in New Caledonia, the Solomon Islands, Vanuatu, Papua New...
. The Polynesians are believed to be descendants of people from northern Tuvalu
Tuvalu
Tuvalu , formerly known as the Ellice Islands, is a Polynesian island nation located in the Pacific Ocean, midway between Hawaii and Australia. Its nearest neighbours are Kiribati, Nauru, Samoa and Fiji. It comprises four reef islands and five true atolls...
.
The total population of the Reef Islands is about 5,600 according to 2003 estimates.
See also
- OceaniaOceaniaOceania is a region centered on the islands of the tropical Pacific Ocean. Conceptions of what constitutes Oceania range from the coral atolls and volcanic islands of the South Pacific to the entire insular region between Asia and the Americas, including Australasia and the Malay Archipelago...
- Pacific IslandsPacific IslandsThe Pacific Islands comprise 20,000 to 30,000 islands in the Pacific Ocean. The islands are also sometimes collectively called Oceania, although Oceania is sometimes defined as also including Australasia and the Malay Archipelago....
- Pacific OceanPacific OceanThe 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...