Port Resolution - Noumea
14.10.2011 - 02.11.2011
Vanuatu and New Caledonia
At the end of our Pacific crossing we are shortly visiting the island archipelagos Vanuatu and New Caledonia
Vanuatu is an island archipelago consisting of approximately 83 relatively small, geologically newer islands. In 1980 it became independent. Today it counts a little more than 242,000 inhabitants. The 83 most volcanic islands stretch over 800 miles (1,300 km) north to south distance between the outermost islands. The capital Port Vila is located on the island Efate.
New Caledonia is made up of a main island, the Grande Terre, and several smaller islands, the Belep archipelago to the north of the Grande Terre, the Loyalty Islands to the east of the Grande Terre, the Ile des Pins (Isle of Pines) to the south of the Grande Terre, the Chesterfield Islands and Bellona Reefs further to the west. A territorial dispute exists with regard to the uninhabited Matthew and Hunter Islands, which are claimed by both France (as part of New Caledonia) and Vanuatu.
The Grande Terre is by far the largest of the islands, and the only mountainous island. It has an area of 16,372 square kilometres (6,321 sq mi), and is elongated northwest-southeast, 350 kilometres (220 mi) in length and 50 to 70 kilometres (31 to 43 mi) wide.
Vanuatu is an island archipelago consisting of approximately 83 relatively small, geologically newer islands. In 1980 it became independent. Today it counts a little more than 242,000 inhabitants. The 83 most volcanic islands stretch over 800 miles (1,300 km) north to south distance between the outermost islands. The capital Port Vila is located on the island Efate.
New Caledonia is made up of a main island, the Grande Terre, and several smaller islands, the Belep archipelago to the north of the Grande Terre, the Loyalty Islands to the east of the Grande Terre, the Ile des Pins (Isle of Pines) to the south of the Grande Terre, the Chesterfield Islands and Bellona Reefs further to the west. A territorial dispute exists with regard to the uninhabited Matthew and Hunter Islands, which are claimed by both France (as part of New Caledonia) and Vanuatu.
The Grande Terre is by far the largest of the islands, and the only mountainous island. It has an area of 16,372 square kilometres (6,321 sq mi), and is elongated northwest-southeast, 350 kilometres (220 mi) in length and 50 to 70 kilometres (31 to 43 mi) wide.
