Vanua Lava
Encyclopedia
Vanua Lava is the second largest of the Banks Islands
in Torba Province
, Vanuatu
, after slightly larger Gaua
. It is located about 120 km north-northeast of Espiritu Santo
and north of Gaua. It has a land area of 314 km². Its population numbered 2,623 in 2009.
The island measures about 25 km north-to-south and 20 km east-to-west. The island has two natural harbors, Port Patteson in the east and Vureas Bay (Vurës) in the southwest. The island includes Mount Suretamate (also spelled Sure Ama, Sürétimiat, 921 m), an active volcano. The last major eruption was 1965. The highest altitude on the island is 946 m. To the east of the island are the islets of Kwakea
and Ravenga. On the west side is Waterfall Bay.
The capital of Torba province, Sola, is located on the east side of the island, on Port Patteson. There is an airport there (IATA code SLH), to which Air Vanuatu
flies three times a week. There is one road on the island but few vehicles.
Vanua Lava was first explored by New Zealand Bishop George Augustus Selwyn
in 1859. The sulfur deposits of Mt. Suretamate were formerly worked by a French company. Copra
is the chief export.
There are four languages spoken on Vanua Lava: Vurës with about 2000 speakers, Vera'a with 500; and two dying languages, Mwesen with 10 speakers, and Lemerig with only 2 speakers living. All of these languages belong to the group of East Vanuatu languages
.
Banks Islands
The Banks Islands are a group of islands in northern Vanuatu.Together with the Torres Islands to the northwest, they make up the northernmost province of Torba. The group lies about north of Maewo, and includes Gaua and Vanua Lava, two of the 13 largest islands in Vanuatu...
in Torba Province
Torba Province
Torba is the northernmost province of Vanuatu, including the Banks Islands and the Torres Islands. Its capital is Sola.The modern name Torba is derived from the initial letters of Torres and Banks.-Facts:...
, 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...
, after slightly larger Gaua
Gaua
Gaua is the largest of the Banks Islands in Torba Province of northern Vanuatu. It covers 342 km².- Physical geography :...
. It is located about 120 km north-northeast of Espiritu Santo
Espiritu Santo
Espiritu Santo is the largest island in the nation of Vanuatu, with an area of . It belongs to the archipelago of the New Hebrides in the Pacific region of Melanesia. It is in the Sanma Province of Vanuatu....
and north of Gaua. It has a land area of 314 km². Its population numbered 2,623 in 2009.
The island measures about 25 km north-to-south and 20 km east-to-west. The island has two natural harbors, Port Patteson in the east and Vureas Bay (Vurës) in the southwest. The island includes Mount Suretamate (also spelled Sure Ama, Sürétimiat, 921 m), an active volcano. The last major eruption was 1965. The highest altitude on the island is 946 m. To the east of the island are the islets of Kwakea
Kwakea
Kwakéa is an islet located east of Vanua Lava in the Banks Islands, Vanuatu.The island was purchased by English settlers, Frank and Alice Whitford, in the mid 1890s from the native title owners from Vanua Lava. Frank and Alice created palm plantations before a hurricane wiped out the island on...
and Ravenga. On the west side is Waterfall Bay.
The capital of Torba province, Sola, is located on the east side of the island, on Port Patteson. There is an airport there (IATA code SLH), to which Air Vanuatu
Air Vanuatu
Air Vanuatu is an airline with its head office in the Air Vanuatu House, Port Vila, Vanuatu. It is Vanuatu's national flag carrier, operating to Australia, New Zealand and points in the South Pacific...
flies three times a week. There is one road on the island but few vehicles.
Vanua Lava was first explored by New Zealand Bishop George Augustus Selwyn
George Augustus Selwyn
George Augustus Selwyn was the first Anglican Bishop of New Zealand. He was Bishop of New Zealand from 1841 to 1858. His diocese was then subdivided and Selwyn was Primate of New Zealand from 1858 to 1868. He was Bishop of Lichfield from 1868 to 1878...
in 1859. The sulfur deposits of Mt. Suretamate were formerly worked by a French company. Copra
Copra
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:...
is the chief export.
There are four languages spoken on Vanua Lava: Vurës with about 2000 speakers, Vera'a with 500; and two dying languages, Mwesen with 10 speakers, and Lemerig with only 2 speakers living. All of these languages belong to the group of East Vanuatu languages
East Vanuatu languages
-Languages:A 2008 analysis of the Austronesian Basic Vocabulary Database included seven East Vanuatu languages. Three, the Paama–Ambrym languages, were found to form a separate family...
.