Nayau

Nayau
NASA astronaut image of Nayau island, Lau Archipelago, Fiji
Nayau
Geography
LocationKoro Sea
South Pacific Ocean
Coordinates17°59′S 179°3′W / 17.983°S 179.050°W / -17.983; -179.050
ArchipelagoLau Islands
Administration
DivisionEastern Division
ProvinceLau
Demographics
Population293 (2017)[1]

Nayau is an island in Fiji, a tikina in and member of the Lau archipelago. It was the ancestral island of the Vuanirewa Clan, who were later exiled to the nearby island of Lakeba.

Nayau is located in the Koro Sea, between Cicia and Lakeba islands. There are three villages located on the island: Salia, Narocivo and Liku.[2]

History

Charles Wilkes visited the island in 1840.[2] In 1979 Hurricane Meli struck the island, causing severe damage to two villages and leading to the deaths of several people.[2]

In 2009 the island had around 400 persons.[2]

Economy

The main export of the island is copra, derived from coconut trees.[2]

Geography

The island is ringed by shallow reefs. Its coastal shores are thought to have been formed by storm-wave depositions.[2]

It is located at 17°58'39"S 179°3'13"W, northwest of Lakeba.

References

  1. ^ "Experience". experience.arcgis.com. Retrieved 2026-02-14.
  2. ^ a b c d e f Jones, S. (2009). Food and Gender in Fiji: Ethnoarchaeological Explorations. G - Reference, Information and Interdisciplinary Subjects Series. Lexington Books. p. 23. ISBN 978-0-7391-3480-1. Retrieved 2024-02-23.