Vot Tande Explained

Vot Tande
(Vet Tagde)
Settlement Type:Island
Pushpin Map:Vanuatu
Pushpin Label Position:right
Pushpin Map Caption:Location in Vanuatu
Coordinates:-13.2597°N 167.6422°W
Subdivision Type:Country
Subdivision Name: Vanuatu
Subdivision Type1:Province
Subdivision Name1:Torba Province
Seat Type:Municipality seat
Unit Pref:Metric
Area Total Km2:0.24
Area Note:[1]
Elevation M:64
Population Total:26
Population As Of:2009
Population Density Km2:auto
Timezone:VUT
Utc Offset:+11

Vot Tande pronounced as /βɔt.taˈⁿdɛ/ is an uninhabited islet of the Banks Islands of northern Vanuatu. It is located about 50km (30miles) due north of the island of Mota Lava. The islet of Vot Tande has never been inhabited. It is host to thousands of sea birds—especially frigatebirds, which have given their name to the islet.[2] It consists of two islands. The highest point of either of the islands is 64 meters above sea level.[3]

Geography

The island is 800 m long and 300 m wide; its area is 0.24 km2. At the northern end there is a wave cut platform being exposed at low tide and extends 100 m seawards.[4] The latitude is 13.25º S, and the longitude is 167.65º E.[5] The island frequently has cyclones and earthquakes.

Name

The islet is known under various names, depending on which vernacular language is used. In all languages of the region, the meaning is the same: “the Rock of Frigatebirds”. Its reconstructed Proto-Torres-Banks name, based on the attested names below, is *βatu [ta]ɣaⁿdai, where *βatu means "stone" and *[ta]ɣaⁿdai means "frigatebird".

The spelling Vot Tande is a transcription of the Löyöp form. The variant Vetaoundé, which is found on old French maps, reflects an earlier attempt at spelling the older Mwotlap form. Other misspellings for the same islet include Vet Tande, Vot Ganai.

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Vanuatu . Haos Blong Volkeno . 8 August 2018.
  2. Web site: Vot Tande . Mapcarta . 8 August 2018.
  3. Book: O'Byrne, Denis. Vanuatu. 268.
  4. Web site: Seech . John . Vot Tande Volcano . Volcano Live . 8 August 2018.
  5. Web site: Vot Tande (Vat Ganai). islands.unep.ch. 2020-04-14.