Vanua Lava

Vanua Lava

Vanua Lava (coord|13.80|S|167.47|E) is one of the Banks Islands in Torba Province, Vanuatu. It is located about 120 km north-northeast of Espiritu Santo, to the north of the slightly larger Gaua. Its population numbered 909 in 1979, and today is over 1300.

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 [http://alex.francois.free.fr/AF-field.htm] : Vurës with about 1000 speakers, Vera'a with 250; and two dying languages, Mwesen with 15 speakers, and Lemerig with only 2 speakers living. All of these languages belong to the group of East Vanuatu languages.

External links

* [http://www.positiveearth.org/bungalows/TORBA/vanua_lava.htm Tourist page, including map]
* [http://volcano.und.nodak.edu/vwdocs/volc_images/australia/vanuatu/soretimeat.html Basic information about Mt. Suretamati]


Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Нужен реферат?

Look at other dictionaries:

  • Vanua Lava — Karte von Vanua Lava Gewässer Korallenmeer Inselgruppe …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Vanua Lava — Carte de Vanua Lava datant de 1943 Géographie Pays …   Wikipédia en Français

  • Vanua Lava — Vanua Lava, die bedeutendste der Banksinseln (s. d.) mit 2000 Einw …   Meyers Großes Konversations-Lexikon

  • Vanua Lava — Vanua Lava, die größte der Banksinseln im Stillen Ozean, 352 qkm, 2000 E.; auf ihr Port Patterson …   Kleines Konversations-Lexikon

  • Vanua Lava —   [v , va], die größte der Banks Islands, Vanuatu, 352 km2, 900 melanesische Einwohner; erreicht mit dem Vulkan Mount Suretamatai (letzter schwerer Ausbruch 1965) 921 m über dem Meeresspiegel   …   Universal-Lexikon

  • Vanua Lava Airport — IATA: SLH – ICAO: NVSC …   Wikipedia

  • Vanua Lava Island Airport — is an airport in Sola on Vanua Lava in Vanuatu airport codes|SLH|NVSC.Airlines and Destinations*Air Vanuatu (Luganville, Mota Lava, Torres) …   Wikipedia

  • Vanua Lava — ▪ island, Vanuatu       volcanic island in the Banks Islands of Vanuatu, southwestern Pacific Ocean, 75 miles (120 km) north northeast of Espiritu Santo. The island, 15 miles (24 km) long by 12 miles (19 km) wide, was first explored in 1859 by… …   Universalium

  • Vanua — In Fijian and in Fiji English, vanua is an essential concept of indigenous Fijian culture and society. It is generally translated in English as land , but vanua as a concept encompasses a number of inter related meanings. When speaking in English …   Wikipedia

  • Mota Lava — Gewässer Korallenmeer Inselgruppe Banks Inseln …   Deutsch Wikipedia

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”