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The 80 or so habitable islands of
Vanuatu straddle the Pacific Ring of Fire, giving residents a roller
coaster ride of volcanic activity and tremors as well as occasional
tsunamis. On some islands the land erupts out of the seabed to rise nearly
2000m (6560ft) above sea level, on others coral atolls and rocky islets
lie only a few metres above it. Not quite the size of Northern Ireland,
the dry land is scattered over an area slightly larger than Germany,
France and Switzerland combined. Port Vila is 1900km (1180mi) north-east
of Brisbane, Australia, and Vanuatu's nearer neighbours are all island
states: Fiji to the east, the Solomon Islands to the north and a splash of
haute coûture pacifique marks New Caledonia to the southwest. Unlike the nearby
Solomons, vast tracts of Vanuatu's forests have been preserved from
commercial logging, mainly because the terrain is too rough and the grades
too steep to make it economically viable. The forest is typical of the
western Pacific, and includes giant banyan trees and kauri pines as well
as isolated stands of sandalwood that survived the 19th century obsession
for it. Some of the more mountainous islands are cloaked in almost
impenetrable forest from the shoreline to the highest peaks, and over 150
plant species of the more than 1000 so far identified are endemic. Coconut
trees and plantations are common throughout the archipelago.
The South-East Trade Winds that discouraged early
attempts at European colonisation prevail over the islands and are
responsible for much of their weather. The wet season falls from November
to April and dumps more than 4m (more than 13ft) of rain annually in some
places. Many tour groups from Australia go for their Christmas holidays
during the wet season, but the cool, evening sea breezes generally save
them from taking a long walk off a short pier. During the dry season,
Vanuatu enjoys sunny days and mild, spring-like weather. The cyclone
season is December to March, with possibilities for wild weather a few
months on either side of that. The winds are generally more unruly during
the wet season than the dry, and cyclones can hit any island.
Wildlife |
