Fenualoa
{{Short description|Island in Solomon Islands}}
Fenualoa is the second largest island in the Reef Islands, in Temotu Province, in the nation of Solomon Islands.{{cite web |title=Fenualoa: Solomon Islands |url=https://geographic.org/geographic_names/name.php?uni=-2200792&fid=755&c=solomon_islands |publisher=Geographic Names |access-date=2 August 2018}}
Name
The name is of Polynesian origin (fenua loa), meaning "long land".
Geography
The estimated terrain elevation above sea level is some 17 metres.{{cite web |title=Fenualoa Island |url=http://sb.geoview.info/fenualoa,2178820 |publisher=Geoview |access-date=2 August 2018}} 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 Great Reef. The east side is steep rocky cliffs with the deep Forest Passage separating Fenualoa from the largest island of the group Lomlom.
Population
The island is very densely populated with four main villages, each made up of sub-villages and total approximately 1500 inhabitants (2008), all on the west side of the 8 km by 600m long and thin island. The largest villages are Tuo (Tuwo), Maluba, Tanga and Malapu (running south to north).{{cite web |title=Traveling Luck for Fenualoa |url=http://travelingluck.com/Oceania/Solomon+Islands/Solomon+Islands+(general)/_2178820_Fenualoa.html |publisher=Traveling Luck |access-date=2 August 2018}}{{cite web |title=Solomons reef island atoll urgently needs desalination plant |url=http://www.abc.net.au/radio-australia/programs/pacificbeat/solomons-reef-island-atoll-urgently-needs/6906292 |publisher=ABC |access-date=2 August 2018 |date=2 November 2015}} There are three schools on the island and the people are Melanesian. A few yachts (1 or 2 per year) visit the island by entering the huge lagoon through the Great Reef (the lagoon is approximately 25 km east west by 8 km north south). There is no scheduled transport to the island.
Gallery
Image:Fenualoa.jpg|Looking north to Fenualoa from just outside the reef. Tuo village is just visible.
Image:Fenualoa_canoe.jpg| A canoeist off the west side of Fenualoa at sunset.
Image:Fenualoa_lagoon_2.jpg| Looking west from the beach on Fenualoa across the Great Reef to the volcano of Tinakula.
Image:Fenualoa_children.jpg| Children on the beach at Tuo village, Fenualoa with a visiting yacht in the background.
Image:Fenualoa_-_Tuo_school.jpg| The school at Tuo village, Fenualoa completed in 2008 with New Zealand aid.
Image:Fenualoa_Tuo_school_children.jpg| Children at Tuo school at Tuo village, Fenualoa.
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20081203204021/http://solomonislands.com.sb/fenualoa.html Fenualoa on Solomonislands.com.sb]
- [http://birdsofmelanesia.net/solomons8.html/santacruz/reef/fenualoa.pdf Fenualoa Island Bird Checklist ]
{{Islands of the Solomon Islands}}
{{Authority control}}
{{Coord|10|15|S|166|15|E|display=title|region:SB_type:isle_source:GNS-enwiki}}
Category:Islands of the Solomon Islands
{{Solomons-geo-stub}}