Pele (island)
Island in Shefa, Vanuatu
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Pélé, sometimes spelled Pele in English,[1][2] is a volcanic island located 11,2 miles north of the island of Éfaté in the Shefa Province of the Republic of Vanuatu.[3][4][5] It has a total area of 1.7 square miles,[6][7] Pélé is inhabited by about 200-220 Ni-Vanuatu villagers[8][9][10] residing in the four villages: Worsiviu, Worearu, Piliura, and Launamoa.[11][12]
Beach by Worearu Village with Nguna Island in the background. | |
 Interactive map of Pélé | |
| Geography | |
|---|---|
| Location | Pacific Ocean |
| Archipelago | Vanuatu |
| Area | 4.3 km2 (1.7 sq mi) |
| Highest elevation | 198 m (650 ft) |
| Administration | |
Vanuatu | |
| Province | Shefa Province |
| Demographics | |
| Population | 220 (2015) |
| Ethnic groups | Ni-Vanuatu |
Geography
The Nguna-Pele Marine Protected Area
Pélé Island is a part of the MPA Nguna-Pele Marine Protected Area, which was established in 2003,[15][16] and is a popular Vanuatuan diving location.[17]
The Nguna-Pele Marine Protected Area covers a total area of 11.5 sq. mi., including numerous reefs, sea grass beds, mangrove forests and intertidal lagoons.[18] The Nguna-Pele Marine Protection Agency is located in the village of Piliura, and mounts an exhibition and sells T-shirts.
Tourism
Income from tourism is distributed by the Village Tourism Committee and supports aims as village water supply projects.[19] The island can be visited daily by boat from the Paonangisu area by the town of Emua on Éfaté's north coast.[20][21] There are also yachts available both from Emua and Nguna for day and overnight charters to the island.[22] The island is nearly adjacent to the island of Nguna, with a small passage no deeper than 33 yards separating the two. It has a tropical climate and has a maximum elevation of 650 feet at its highest.[23]
