Ouvéa Island
Ouvea is an atoll. It is one of the Loyalty Islands east of New Caledonia in the Pacific Ocean.
Geography
Ouvea Atoll is an upscale, with only the eastern edge is raised and steep on the east side, has up to 46 meter high cliffs. This basically consists of the main island and by far the largest island of Ouvea, and three other islands, which together with Ouvea a virtually closed country bow on the eastern side of the atoll, with an arc length of more than 50 km. These are Unyee in the north and Faiava ( Fayawa, Wasau ) and Mouli in the south. These smaller islands are separated from the main island only by narrow passages, which are suitable only for small boats.
The main island extends over 37 km from north to south, taking into account the bulged eastward arc over 42 km. It is in the north up to 7.7 km wide. In the middle but narrowed it down through the windward Baie de Fayaoue to 420 meters and can therefore be referred to as a double island.
The north side of the atoll is formed by about 18 small islands about 30 km west of Unyee extend and which are known as the Pleiades du Nord or Motu Oo Weneki. Largest island in this chain is Angeü ( Degouala, Ile Agnéhu ).
On the southwest side of the atoll are the Pleiades du Sud or Motu Oo Muli, about nine islands, which extend over approximately 25 km. The largest island in the Pleiades du Sud is Bagaat (Long Iceland ) in the west of the chain.
The Pleiades Pleiades du Sud du Nord and converge to the open west side of the atoll, where the five -kilometer-wide Passe d ' Anémata ( Ngutu Kaiava Efa ) is the largest arcade in the lagoon.
A very small vegetation-free Cay ( Oüdetr or Uadi ) lies south of the Pleiades du Nord, 1.7 southeast of Motu Veiloa, within the lagoon. The lagoon has an area of 850 sq. km and is up to 44 meters deep. The total area of the atoll is 1050 km ².
- Unyee ( Ueneti )
- Ouvea
- Faiava ( Fayawa, Wasau )
- Mouli ( Muli )
- Oüdetr ( Uadi )
- Weibiny (North )
- Motu Niu ( Whale )
- Motu Fatu ( Tortoise )
- Motu Awa ( Fatuba )
- Motu Waaünyi
- Motu Veiloa
- Hnyeekon Puu
- Wenyöök ( Pine )
- Hoo Loom ( Lizard )
- Île de la Table ( Hoo )
- Waadeü
- Angeü ( Degouala, Ile Agnéhu )
- Jehuten
- Les Jumeaux ( Laupuka, The Twins )
- Dolmen rock
- Île Haute (High)
- Anemëëc ( Anemata )
- Gece ( gueti )
- Gee ( Gue)
- Motu Waaünyi ( Motua Ini )
- Angemëëc ( Styx )
- Su
- Üjeeteetr
- Bagaat ( Long)
- Banya North (Round)
Management
Ouvea is the small uninhabited neighboring atoll Beautemps -Beaupré Atoll (15 kilometers northwest ) of the same French commune in New Caledonia. The municipality has 3392 inhabitants (2009 ) on an area of 132.1 km ². In Wadrilla, the main town of the island, is the seat of local government ( Mairie ). Originally Fayaoué administrative center of the island. Today is in Fayaoué the police station ( gendarmerie ).
Traditional outline
Ouvea is traditionally divided into five districts coutumiers ( chiefdoms ):
History
In 1988, a hostage situation on Ouvea occurred, with 27 police officers and a judge were detained for several days by separatists in a cave. To the 19 people killed in the liberation of the hostages separatists a memorial in Wadrilla.
Economy
3000 ha of the main island of Ouvea island is covered by coconut plantations, which form a significant economic factor. On Ouvea ropes are made from coconut fibers, and the ferry terminal north of Wadrilla coconut oil can be recovered and made soap in a distillery. Near Fayaoué vanilla is grown in the village of Saint Paul. The plantation and the operation Vanilleraie, various products are made in the vanilla, can be visited.
Ouvea is committed to the sustainable tourism opened in the form of smaller guest houses and campsites, where the guests will be accommodated in huts which are built in the traditional style. The price level is higher than on the main island of New Caledonia and the neighboring islands.
Apart from the coconut plantations, agriculture is on Ouvea only of minor importance, since the soil is sandy and not very fertile. In addition to coconut trees thrive on crops most likely bananas. Until the completion of the seawater desalination plant in 1994 fresh water was scarce on Ouvea. Fields or fields were not created. The livestock is of secondary importance to Ouvea, there are only a few cows. Fishing is operated only in small boats for their own use.
Traffic
The ferry dock is located about 5 km north of Wadrilla. From the airport of the island, which is located 6 km east of Fayaoué, there is a twice daily flight to Noumea. Public transport is available on Ouvea not, however, the accommodation establishments can provide shuttle services to the airport or island tours. Also car rentals and some taxis are available. The road network on Ouvea is well developed and paved. Most houses are, however, not directly to the asphalt streets, but at branching off smaller, non-upgraded access roads. Street names or house numbers are not available.
Languages
The indigenous languages are IAAI and Faga Uvea.
Attractions
Ouvea is for its 25 km long sandy beach, which extends from Mouli in the south to the north Anawa, a popular tourist destination. In the south of the island of Ouvea worth in the vicinity of the village Lékiny the cliff Falaises de Lékiny with its caves to visit. The lake Trou Bleu d' Anawa on the outskirts of the village Anawa has an underground inflow from the sea. In the lake, whose name means " Blue Hole of Anawa " means and which is approximately 30 meters deep with a diameter of 30 m, live sea turtles.
Aside from the stunning natural beauty Ouvéas worth several monuments and churches to visit, the witness to the unbroken, strong religiosity of the local certificate.
The built of stone or coral, highly visible churches form a striking contrast to the traditional architecture of flat, single-storey houses. The Catholic Church in Fayaoué, the main town Ouvéas, with its two towers and the red corrugated iron roof was built in 1903. Before the Protestant Church in Fayaoué a memorial in several languages to the centenary of the Protestant Mission ( 1856-1956 ). In Mouli in the south Ouvéas the Catholic Church from 1896 rises at the end of an avenue of Araucaria trees, next to the church is a Marian shrine, reminiscent of the Grotto of Lourdes.
In Banoutr in the middle Ouvéas is a new evangelical church under construction in the vicinity nor become too small chapel is located in the traditional style: walls and roof are made of plaited palm leaves.