Geography
The island has an area of 77,5 km² and a circumference of c. 50 km. Its highest point is Mount Lulu Fakahega (131 m). There are also a handful of large lakes such as Lake Lalolalo, a sign of the island's volcanic origin, some of them almost perfect circles and with straight vertical walls, like Lalolalo, Lanu'tavake.
Uvea is located 240 km northeast of Futuna and Alofi islands. Together with some 15 smaller islands surrounding it, on its huge barrier reef, it forms the Wallis archipelago. Wallis has a fertile volcanic soil and sufficient rainfall to allow subsistence farming.
Uvea sub-divides into 3 district (from north to south):
- Hihifo : 5 Villages : Vailala, Tufuone, Vaitupu, Malae, and Alele.
- Hahake : 6 Villages : Liku, Aka'aka, Mata-Utu, Ahoa, Falaleu, and Ha'afuasia.
- Mu'a : 10 Villages : Lavegahau, Tepa, Gahi, Ha’atofo, Mala’efo’ou, Kolopo, Halalo, Utufua, Vaimalau, and Teesi.
| District (meaning) | Capital | Area (km²) |
Population Census 2003 |
Villages |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hihifo (west) | Vaitupu | 23.4 | 2422 | 5 |
| Hahake (east) | Matāʻutu | 27.8 | 3950 | 6 |
| Mu'a (first) | Mala'efo'ou (1) | 26.3 | 3699 | 10 |
| 'Uvea (Wallis) chiefdom | Matāʻutu | 77.5 | 10071 | 21 |
(1) formerly called Mua
Read more about this topic: Wallis (island)
Famous quotes containing the word geography:
“Yet America is a poem in our eyes; its ample geography dazzles the imagination, and it will not wait long for metres.”
—Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803–1882)
“Ktaadn, near which we were to pass the next day, is said to mean “Highest Land.” So much geography is there in their names.”
—Henry David Thoreau (1817–1862)
“The California fever is not likely to take us off.... There is neither romance nor glory in digging for gold after the manner of the pictures in the geography of diamond washing in Brazil.”
—Rutherford Birchard Hayes (1822–1893)