View source for Maewo

{{Short description|Island in Vanuatu}}
{{Redirect-distinguish2|Aurora Island|the phantom [[Aurora Islands]]}}
{{More citations needed|date=September 2014}}
{{Infobox islands
| name = Maewo
| sobriquet  = 
| image_name = 
| map_image = Vanuatu - Maewo.PNG
| map_caption = Map of Maewo
| native_name =
| native_name_link =
| location = [[Pacific Ocean]]
| coordinates             = {{coord|15|10|S|168|10|E|region:VU|display=inline,title}}
| archipelago = [[New Hebrides]]
| total_islands =
| major_islands =
| area_km2 = 269
| highest_mount = 
| elevation_m = 795
| country = Vanuatu
| country_admin_divisions_title = [[Provinces of Vanuatu|Province]]
| country_admin_divisions = [[Penama]]
| country_largest_city = 
| country_largest_city_population = 
| population = 3,569
| population_as_of = 2009
| density_km2 =
| ethnic_groups = [[Ni-Vanuatu]]
}}

[[File:Maéwomap.png|thumb|Maewo Island]]

'''Maewo''' ({{IPA|mrb|ŋʷaewo|local}}, in English as {{IPAc-en|ˈ|m|aɪ|w|oʊ|,_|ˈ|m|eɪ|-}} {{respell|MY|woh|,_|MAY|-}} and formerly ''Aurora Island'') is an island in [[Vanuatu]] in [[Penama]] province, 105&nbsp;km to the east of [[Espiritu Santo]].

It is 47&nbsp;km long, and 6&nbsp;km wide, with an area of 269&nbsp;km<sup>2</sup>. Its highest point is 795&nbsp;m above [[sea level]]. In 2009 the island had a population of almost 3,600.<ref>[http://www.governmentofvanuatu.gov.vu/index.php/publicationdocuments/vanuatu-statistics 2009 Census Summary release final] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131221233814/http://www.governmentofvanuatu.gov.vu/index.php/publicationdocuments/vanuatu-statistics |date=2013-12-21 }} - Government of Vanuatu</ref> Maewo is covered with dense vegetation: tropical forests in which banyan trees grow.

==Name==
The name ''Maewo'' is thought to have come from [[Mota language|Mota]], [[Raga language|Raga]], or Ambae as an attempt to transcribe the pronunciation {{IPA|mtt|ŋ͡mʷaewo|}}. In the local languages it is spelled as ''N̄waewo'' {{IPA|mrb|ŋʷaewo|}}.<ref>{{cite book |last=Henri |first=Agnès |year=2011 |title=Le sungwadia. Éléments de description d'une langue du Vanuatu|publisher=Peeters | series=Collection linguistique de la [[Société de Linguistique de Paris]] |volume=97|location=Leuven |pages=463 |url= http://lacito.vjf.cnrs.fr/vient-de-paraitre/henri_sungwadia.htm|language=fr}}</ref> Other names for the island include [[Mwerlap language|Mwerlap]] ''N̄wēw'' {{IPA|mrm|ŋʷɪw|}} and [[Mwotlap language|Mwotlap]] ''Am̄ew'' {{IPA|mlv|aŋ͡mʷɛw|}} (with the locative prefix ''a-''). All of these terms are thought to have come from Proto-North-Central Vanuatu (and [[Proto-Torres–Banks language|Proto-Torres–Banks]]) ''*mʷaewo''.

==History==
First recorded sighting of Maewo Island by Europeans was by the Spanish expedition of [[Pedro Fernandes de Queirós|Pedro Fernández de Quirós]] at the end of April 1606.<ref>Brand, Donald D. ''The Pacific Basin: A History of its Geographical Explorations'' The American Geographical Society, New York, 1967, p.133.</ref> It was sighted again in 1768 by [[Louis Antoine de Bougainville]] who named it ''Aurora'' from the Latin word for "dawn", the time of day at which it was sighted.

==Geography==
Maewo  is the island with the highest [[rainfall]] in Vanuatu.
The island is covered in green, lush vegetation. The heavy rainfall provides abundant fresh water and waterfalls. There are also hot springs in the centre of Maewo. The largest of these waterfalls is a series of cascades located near [[Maewo-Naone Airport]] on the north end of the island near the village of Naone. This series of cascades is commonly referred to as Big Wota (Big Water in [[Bislama]]).{{citation needed|date=September 2015}}

The climate on Maevo is humid tropical. The average annual rainfall is about 3,500&nbsp;mm of rain. There are two seasons in the year: the rainy season, which lasts from November to April, and the dry season, which lasts from May to October. The island is subject to frequent cyclones and earthquakes.

==References==
{{Reflist}}

{{Provinces and islands of Vanuatu}}

{{authority control}}

[[Category:Islands of Vanuatu]]
[[Category:Penama Province]]


{{Vanuatu-geo-stub}}