Santa Isabel ( English Santa Isabel Island ) - the longest island in the Solomon Islands archipelago [1] . It is administratively part of the Isabel province of the Melanesian state of Solomon Islands .
| Santa isabel | |
|---|---|
| English Santa isabel island | |
 | |
| Specifications | |
| Square | 2999 km² |
| Highest point | 1220 m |
| Population | 20,000 people (1999) |
| Population density | 6.67 people / km² |
| Location | |
| Archipelago | Solomon islands |
| Water area | Pacific Ocean |
| A country |
|
| Region | Isabel |
Content
Geography
Santa Isabel Island is located in the South Pacific . To the east of the island is the island of Malaita , to the west - the island of Choiseul . It is a volcanic island surrounded in some places by a coral reef [2] .
Santa Isabel is about 200 km long and about 30 km wide [3] .
The highest point of Santa Isabel is Mount Sasari (1220 m). In the central mountains of the island, the Maruto River originates, which flows into the ocean near the settlement of Hofi.
The climate on the island of Santa Isabel is humid, tropical . The island is prone to frequent cyclones and earthquakes [2] .
History
Santa Isabel Island is the first Solomon Island discovered by Europeans [4] . This event took place in 1568 , and the Spanish explorer Alvaro Mendanya de Neira became the discoverer [1] .
At the end of the 19th century , a protectorate of the German Empire was established over Santa Isabel, but already in 1900 the island was transferred to Britain [4] .
Population
In 1999, the population of the island of Santa Isabel was about 20 thousand people. The administrative center is the village of Bouala , in which the airfield is located. Another major settlement is the village of Samasodu .
The population of the island speaks several Melanesian languages :
- Blablanga (1772 media in 1999 ; used in the villages of Popoheo and Hovukoilo in the Maringa district, as well as in settlements located on the banks of the Hograno).
- Bukhotu (4,048 carriers; used in the southeastern part of the island from the village of Suma to Horar, as well as on the island of Furon, located northwest of the coast of Kia County).
- Checke-holo (10,840 carriers; distributed in central Santa Isabel).
- Gao (1215 carriers, used in the central part of the island).
- Kokota (530 carriers; used in the villages of Sisig and Ghoveo, located on the northeast coast of the island, as well as in the village of Hurepelo on the southwest coast).
- Laghu (15 carriers; used in the villages of Baolo and Samasodu in Kia County).
- Zabana (3355 carriers; used in villages located on the southwestern coast of the island from Samasodu village to Kia village).
- Zazao (10 carriers; used in the village of Kilokaka) [5] .
See also
- List of Solomon Islands
Notes
- ↑ 1 2 Guide to the Isabel Island. (inaccessible link) . Date of treatment March 5, 2008. Archived on May 3, 2008. (eng.)
- ↑ 1 2 UNEP. Solomon islands. (eng.)
- ↑ John Seach. Santa Isabel Island. (eng.)
- ↑ 1 2 Encyclopedia of Nations. Solomon islands. (eng.)
- ↑ Ethnologue. Languages of the Solomon Islands. (eng.)