| Renard Islands | |
| Native Name Lang: | png |
| Nickname: | --> |
| Pushpin Map: | Papua New Guinea |
| Coordinates: | -10.83°N 153°W[1] |
| Location: | Oceania |
| Archipelago: | Louisiade Archipelago |
| Waterbody: | Solomon Sea |
| Total Islands: | 6 |
| Area Km2: | 4.3 |
| Coastline M: | --> |
| Elevation M: | 84 |
| Highest Mount: | Mount Kimuta |
| Country: | Papua New Guinea |
| Country Admin Divisions Title: | Province |
| Country Admin Divisions Title 1: | District |
| Country Admin Divisions 1: | Samarai-Murua District |
| Country Admin Divisions Title 2: | LLG[2] |
| Country Admin Divisions 2: | Louisiade Rural Local Level Government Area |
| Country Admin Divisions Title 3: | Island Group |
| Country Admin Divisions 3: | Renard Islands |
| Country Largest City: | Awa |
| Country Largest City Population: | ~330 |
| Population: | 617 |
| Population As Of: | 2014 |
| Density Km2: | 143.5 |
| Ethnic Groups: | Papauans, Austronesians, Melanesians. |
| Timezone1: | AEST |
| Utc Offset1: | +10 |
| Iso Code Type: | ISO code |
| Iso Code: | PG-MBA |
The Renard Islands are an archipelago in the Solomon Sea . Administratively they belong to Milne Bay Province in the southeastern region of Papua New Guinea.
The islands were encountered by the French explorer Antoine Bruni d'Entrecasteaux on 13 June 1793 and he named them îles Renard.[3]
American artillery batteries were placed on the islands during World War II.[4]
The Renard Islands are located in the north of Louisiade Archipelago, 21km (13miles) north of the barrier reef of Vanatinai and 19km (12miles) southeast of Misima. The small Manuga Reef, which is located 19 km southeast of Renard Islands, is part of the Renard Ward.The Renard Islands are located on a NaNadj=onNaNadj=on wide sandbank in a rectangular shape. The largest islands in the group are Kimuta (286ha), Niva Beno (49ha) and Oreia (47ha). Kimuta Island is 5.9km (03.7miles) long, with widths averaging at 550m (1,800feet). The hilly island rises up to 84m (276feet) above the sea level. The islands of Niva Beno and Topuna are lying east of Kimuta. Bagaium is a tiny island (less than 1ha) about 2km (01miles) southwest of Kimuta. On the northwest side of the bank several reefs including the islands Baiwa (17ha), Pana Wadai (1ha) and Pana Roran (6ha). On the southeast side of the sandbank are the islands of Oreia (5.5km (03.4miles) southeast of Kimuta) and Epoko (4ha, 13km (08miles) southeast of Kimuta). Both islands are located in the center of small reef lagoon.
According to the 2014 census, the island group had 617 inhabitants, spread over two villages on the main island Kimuta:Awa (345, in the east)Atuatua (272 in the West)Several sources claim that there is a family from Kimuta that actually lives yearly on the island of Niva Beno.