Tongoa


Tongoa Island is an inhabited island in Shefa Province of Vanuatu in the Pacific Ocean.

Geography

Tongoa is the largest island of Shepherd Islands archipelago. The island is heavily vegetated and shows geothermal activity. Tongoa is of recent volcanic origin but currently has no currently active volcano. There are numerous volcanic cones on the island and some black sand beaches. The interior part of the island is dense rain forest. The island is named after the Tongoa plant which grows in the area. Megapode birds nest on the island. The only non-human mammals on the island are the bats Pteropus anetianus and Tonga leather.
The estimated terrain elevation above the sea level is some 191 metres. There is an airport on the island—Tongoa Airport.

Population

As of 2015, the official local population was 2243 people in 454 households, most of whom moved from Epi, Emae and Makira to Tongoa. There are 14 villages on the island. Some natives speak Makura language and North Efate language.