Taveuni
Taveuni (pronounced [tāhvéuni]) is the third-largest island in Fiji, after Viti Levu and Vanua Levu, with a total land area of 434 square kilometres (168 square miles). The cigar-shaped island, a massive shield volcano which rises from the floor of the Pacific Ocean, is situated 6.5 kilometres (4.0 miles) east of Vanua Levu, across the Somosomo Strait. It belongs to the Vanua Levu Group of islands and is part of Fiji's Cakaudrove Province within the Northern Division.
NASA Space Shuttle image of Taveuni. Top of image is NW. | |
| Geography | |
|---|---|
| Location | Fiji, Melanesia |
| Coordinates | 16°48′S 180°00′E |
| Archipelago | Vanua Levu Group |
| Adjacent to | Koro Sea |
| Area | 434 km2 (168 sq mi) |
| Area rank | 3rd |
| Length | 42 km (26.1 mi) |
| Width | 10–14 km (6.2–8.7 mi) |
| Highest elevation | 1,241 m (4072 ft) |
| Highest point | Mount Uluigalau |
| Administration | |
Fiji | |
| Division | Northern |
| Province | Cakaudrove |
| Largest settlement | Waiyevo |
The island had a population of around 19,000, some 75 per cent of them indigenous Fijians, at the 2015 census. Taveuni has abundant flora and is known as the 'Garden Island of Fiji'. It is a popular tourist destination. Tourists are attracted by the excellent diving opportunities, prolific bird life, bushwalks and waterfalls. Central parts of the island receive very high rainfall. Being volcanic in origin, Taveuni's soils have supported the island's most historically significant industry, agriculture.