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]
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.
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.