Nanumanga
Encyclopedia
Nanumanga or Nanumaga is a reef
island and a district of the Oceania
n island nation of Tuvalu
. It has a surface area of about 3 km².
Louis Becke
, who later became a writer, working with the Liverpool
firm of John S. de Wolf and Co. on Nanumanga from about April 1880 until the trading-station was destroyed later that year in a cyclone
. Becke later wrote The Rangers of the Tia Kau that describes a shark attack at the Tia Kau reef between Nanumea
and Nanumanga.
The population of Nanumaga from 1860-1900 is estimated to be between 300 to 335 people.
In 1986 it became a centre of debate by Pacific archaeologists who discovered the submerged Caves of Nanumanga
, which found the remains of fire created by pre-historic inhabitants.
There are mangrove woods and dry vegetation. The island has an oval
outline, with the longer axis oriented north-south. A fringing reef
surrounds the whole island, which makes local fishing and transport into and out of the island difficult.
(population 308) and Tokelau
(pop. 281), at the western side of the island. The junior school is Lotohoni Primary School.
. Following the 2010 general election
, its current representatives are Monise Lafai and Falesa Pitoi
. Pitoi was a successfully re-elected incumbent, while Lafai defeated incumbent Otinielu Tausi.
Reef
In nautical terminology, a reef is a rock, sandbar, or other feature lying beneath the surface of the water ....
island and a district of the Oceania
Oceania
Oceania is a region centered on the islands of the tropical Pacific Ocean. Conceptions of what constitutes Oceania range from the coral atolls and volcanic islands of the South Pacific to the entire insular region between Asia and the Americas, including Australasia and the Malay Archipelago...
n island nation of Tuvalu
Tuvalu
Tuvalu , formerly known as the Ellice Islands, is a Polynesian island nation located in the Pacific Ocean, midway between Hawaii and Australia. Its nearest neighbours are Kiribati, Nauru, Samoa and Fiji. It comprises four reef islands and five true atolls...
. It has a surface area of about 3 km².
History
On May 9, 1824 a French government expedition under Captain Louis Isidor Duprerrey of the ship Coquille sighted Nanumaga.Louis Becke
George Lewis Becke
George Lewis Becke was an Australian short-story writer and novelist.-Early life:Becke was born at Port Macquarie, New South Wales, son of Frederick Becke, Clerk of Petty Sessions and his wife Caroline Matilda, née Beilby. Both parents were born in England...
, who later became a writer, working with the Liverpool
Liverpool
Liverpool is a city and metropolitan borough of Merseyside, England, along the eastern side of the Mersey Estuary. It was founded as a borough in 1207 and was granted city status in 1880...
firm of John S. de Wolf and Co. on Nanumanga from about April 1880 until the trading-station was destroyed later that year in a cyclone
Cyclone
In meteorology, a cyclone is an area of closed, circular fluid motion rotating in the same direction as the Earth. This is usually characterized by inward spiraling winds that rotate anticlockwise in the Northern Hemisphere and clockwise in the Southern Hemisphere of the Earth. Most large-scale...
. Becke later wrote The Rangers of the Tia Kau that describes a shark attack at the Tia Kau reef between Nanumea
Nanumea
Nanumea is the northwesternmost atoll in the Polynesian nation of Tuvalu, a group of nine coral atolls and islands spread over about four hundred miles of Pacific Ocean just south of the equator and west of the International Date Line.-Geography:...
and Nanumanga.
The population of Nanumaga from 1860-1900 is estimated to be between 300 to 335 people.
In 1986 it became a centre of debate by Pacific archaeologists who discovered the submerged Caves of Nanumanga
Caves of Nanumanga
Caves of Nanumanga is underwater cave off the northern shore of Nanumanga, Tuvalu in western Polynesia. Discovered by two scuba divers in 1986.Cave is located - below the sea level, down the wall of a coral cliff...
, which found the remains of fire created by pre-historic inhabitants.
Geography
There are three lagoons, the largest, Vaiatoa, having four islands.There are mangrove woods and dry vegetation. The island has an oval
Oval
An oval is any curve resembling an egg or an ellipse, such as a Cassini oval. The term does not have a precise mathematical definition except in one area oval , but it may also refer to:* A sporting arena of oval shape** a cricket field...
outline, with the longer axis oriented north-south. A fringing reef
Reef
In nautical terminology, a reef is a rock, sandbar, or other feature lying beneath the surface of the water ....
surrounds the whole island, which makes local fishing and transport into and out of the island difficult.
Villages
The two villages are TongaTonga (Tuvalu)
- Population :The population is 358. This makes it the seventh most populous village in Tuvalu. Tonga is the main village of the island of Nanumanga it makes up 52% of the population of the island. The only other village is on the island Tokelau.- See also :...
(population 308) and Tokelau
Tokelau (Tuvalu)
-Linguistic background:For disambiguation purposes, it may be noted that "Tokelau" is also the name of a neighbouring territory administered by New Zealand, with its own language....
(pop. 281), at the western side of the island. The junior school is Lotohoni Primary School.
Politics
Nanumanga is one of the eight constituencies in Tuvalu, and elects two Members of ParliamentParliament of Tuvalu
The Parliament of Tuvalu is the unicameral national legislature in Tuvalu.-History and political culture:...
. Following the 2010 general election
Tuvaluan general election, 2010
A parliamentary election was held in Tuvalu on 16 September 2010.Voters elected fifteen members of the Parliament to a four-year term. All candidates were independents, as there are no political parties in the country. Ten out of the fifteen incumbent members were re-elected. The remaining five...
, its current representatives are Monise Lafai and Falesa Pitoi
Falesa Pitoi
Dr. Falesa Pitoi is a Tuvaluan politician.A dentist by profession, he began his career in national politics when he was elected to Parliament in the August 2006 general election as MP for Nanumaga. He then served for a time as Minister for Education under Prime Minister Apisai Ielemia.He was...
. Pitoi was a successfully re-elected incumbent, while Lafai defeated incumbent Otinielu Tausi.