Tuvalu: Outer Island Maritime Infrastructure Project

Total Page:16

File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb

Tuvalu: Outer Island Maritime Infrastructure Project Initial Environmental Examination July 2016 Tuvalu: Outer Island Maritime Infrastructure Project Prepared by the Ministry of Communication and Transport for the Asian Development Bank. TA 8923 TUV: Outer Island Maritime Infrastructure Project - IEE ABBREVIATIONS ADB – Asian Development Bank AP – affected persons DOE – Department of Environment EA – executing agency EIA – environmental impact assessment EMP – environmental management plan GPS – global positioning system GRM – grievance redress mechanism HIV/AIDS – Human Immunodeficiency Virus/Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome IA – implementing agency IEE – initial environmental examination IUCN – International Union for Conservation of Nature MCT – Ministry of Communication and Transport NEMS – National Environmental Strategy PDA – project design advance PEAR – preliminary environmental assessment report PIU – project implementation unit PMU – project management unit PPTA – project preparatory technical assistance PSC – project supervision consultant SPREP – South Pacific Regional Environmental Program SPS – Safeguard Policy Statement (ADB) This initial environmental examination is a document of the borrower. The views expressed herein do not necessarily represent those of ADB's Board of Directors, Management, or staff, and may be preliminary in nature. Your attention is directed to the “terms of use” section on ADB’s website. In preparing any country program or strategy, financing any project, or by making any designation of or reference to a particular territory or geographic area in this document, the Asian Development Bank does not intend to make any judgments as to the legal or other status of any territory or area. i TA 8923 TUV: Outer Island Maritime Infrastructure Project - IEE CONTENTS 1. Introduction ......................................................................................................................... 1 1.1 Objectives and Scope of the IEE ..................................................................................... 1 2. Description of the Project .................................................................................................... 2 2.1 Project Rationale ............................................................................................................. 2 2.2 The Proposed Project ...................................................................................................... 3 3. Policy, Legal and Administrative Framework ....................................................................... 7 3.1 Legal and Policy Framework of Tuvalu ............................................................................ 7 3.2 Environmental conventions, treaties and other instruments ............................................10 3.3 ADB Safeguard Policy Statement ...................................................................................12 4. Baseline Information ..........................................................................................................13 4.1 Physical Environment .....................................................................................................13 4.1.1 Site Description ....................................................................................................13 4.1.2 Topography, Geology and Soils ...........................................................................15 4.1.3 Climate ................................................................................................................15 4.1.4 Issues of Climate Change ....................................................................................16 4.1.5 Water Resources .................................................................................................17 4.1.6 Unexploded Ordinance ........................................................................................18 4.1.7 Items of Historical and Archaeological Significance .............................................18 4.2 Biological Environment ...................................................................................................18 4.2.1 Flora ....................................................................................................................18 4.2.2 Fauna ..................................................................................................................19 4.2.3 Rare and Endangered Species ............................................................................19 4.2.4 Protected Areas and Critical Habitat ....................................................................20 4.2.5 Coastal Resources...............................................................................................20 4.3 Socio-Economic Environment .........................................................................................22 4.3.1 Population ............................................................................................................22 4.3.2 Local Economy ....................................................................................................23 5. Anticipated Environmental Impacts and Mitigation Measures .............................................25 5.1 Design and Pre-Construction Activities ...........................................................................25 5.2 Construction Activities ....................................................................................................26 5.3 Design and Pre-Construction Phase ...............................................................................27 5.3.1 Impacts on Physical Environment ........................................................................27 5.3.2 Impacts on Biological Environment ......................................................................28 5.3.3 Impacts on Socio-Economic Environment ............................................................28 5.4 Construction Phase ........................................................................................................29 5.4.1 Impacts on Physical Environment ........................................................................29 5.4.2 Impacts on Biological Environment ......................................................................36 5.4.3 Impacts on Socio-Economic Environment ............................................................38 5.5 Operation and Maintenance Phase ................................................................................40 ii TA 8923 TUV: Outer Island Maritime Infrastructure Project - IEE 5.5.1 Impacts on Physical Environment ........................................................................40 5.5.2 Impacts on Biological Environment ......................................................................40 5.5.3 Impacts on Socio-Economic Environment ............................................................41 6. Analysis of Alternatives ......................................................................................................42 7. Information Disclosure, Consultation and Participation.......................................................43 7.1 Consultation and Participation ........................................................................................43 7.2 Grievance Redress Mechanism ......................................................................................44 8. Environmental Management plan .......................................................................................47 8.1 Institutional Arrangements for Environmental Management ............................................47 8.2 Mitigation Plan ................................................................................................................50 8.3 Monitoring and Reporting ...............................................................................................50 9. Conclusion and Recommendation .....................................................................................64 iii TA 8923 TUV: Outer Island Maritime Infrastructure Project - IEE EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 1. The project . The Tuvalu Outer Island Maritime Infrastructure Project (the project) will rehabilitate and improve maritime infrastructure on the island of Nukulaelae, Nanumaga and Niutao in Tuvalu which was damaged by Tropical Cyclone Pam in March 2015, and improve safety, efficiency and sustainability of maritime transportation between Funafuti, the capital. 2. The small workboat harbour project will involve the design and construction of a new channel and turning bay for the workboats located south of the current site which has proved to be an unsatisfactory approach for passengers and cargo. At present it passes through an existing channel through the outer reef and then uses a natural channel through the reef platform where the current is fast especially at low tide to the beach at the village. The construction of breakwaters involve using precast concrete elements, with wharf and jetty raised on piles to reduce the impact on coastal processes within the reef environment. There will be ancillary buildings for cargo near the jetty to assist in the safe movement of passengers and cargo from the land to the ship. 3. There are no docking facilities on Nukulaelae, Nanumaga or Niutao for either of the three government-owned ships or the small workboats used to transfer people and cargo from the ship to the shore. Passenger transfers between vessels are often dangerous while movement of cargo is very labour intensive and carried in manageable pieces though the water to the
Recommended publications
  • High Resolution Met-Ocean Modelling for Storm Surge Risk Analysis in Apia, Samoa – Final Report
    The Centre for Australian Weather and Climate Research A partnership between CSIRO and the Bureau of Meteorology High Resolution Met-Ocean Modelling for Storm Surge Risk Analysis in Apia, Samoa – Final Report Ron Hoeke, Kathy McInnes, Julian O’Grady, Felix Lipkin and Frank Colberg CAWCR Technical Report No. 071 June 2014 High Resolution Met-Ocean Modelling for Storm Surge Risk Analysis in Apia, Samoa – Final Report Ron Hoeke, Kathy McInnes, Julian O’Grady, Felix Lipkin and Frank Colberg Centre for Australian Weather and Climate Research (CAWCR), Bureau of Meteorology, Melbourne, Australia, 3008 CAWCR Technical Report No. 071 June 2014 ISSN: 1835-9884 National Library of Australia Cataloguing-in-Publication entry Authors: Ron Hoeke, Kathy McInnes, Julian O’Grady, Felix Lipkin and Frank Colberg Title: High resolution met-ocean modelling for storm surge risk analysis in Apia, Samoa. ISBN: 9781486303212 Notes: Includes bibliographical references and index. Subjects: Storm surges--Samoa--Apia--Mathematical models. Storm winds--Samoa--Apia--Mathematical models. Wind waves--Samoa--Apia--Mathematical models. Sea level--Samoa--Apia--Mathematical models. Cyclones--Samoa--Apia. Dewey Number 551.463099614 Enquiries should be addressed to: Ron Hoeke Centre for Australian Weather and Climate Research: A partnership between the Bureau of Meteorology and CSIRO GPO Box 1289, Melbourne Victoria 3001, Australia [email protected] Copyright and Disclaimer © 2013 CSIRO and the Bureau of Meteorology. To the extent permitted by law, all rights are reserved and no part of this publication covered by copyright may be reproduced or copied in any form or by any means except with the written permission of CSIRO and the Bureau of Meteorology.
    [Show full text]
  • Faleata East - Upolu
    Community Integrated Management Plan Faleata East - Upolu Implementation Guidelines 2018 COMMUNITY INTEGRATED MANAGEMENT PLAN IMPLEMENTATION GUIDELINES Foreword It is with great pleasure that I present the new Community Integrated Management (CIM) Plans, formerly known as Coastal Infrastructure Management (CIM) Plans. The revised CIM Plans recognizes the change in approach since the first set of fifteen CIM Plans were developed from 2002-2003 under the World Bank funded Infrastructure Asset Management Project (IAMP) , and from 2004-2007 for the remaining 26 districts, under the Samoa Infrastructure Asset Management (SIAM) Project. With a broader geographic scope well beyond the coastal environment, the revised CIM Plans now cover all areas from the ridge-to-reef, and includes the thematic areas of not only infrastructure, but also the environment and biological resources, as well as livelihood sources and governance. The CIM Strategy, from which the CIM Plans were derived from, was revised in August 2015 to reflect the new expanded approach and it emphasizes the whole of government approach for planning and implementation, taking into consideration an integrated ecosystem based adaptation approach and the ridge to reef concept. The timeframe for implementation and review has also expanded from five years to ten years as most of the solutions proposed in the CIM Plan may take several years to realize. The CIM Plans is envisaged as the blueprint for climate change interventions across all development sectors – reflecting the programmatic approach to climate resilience adaptation taken by the Government of Samoa. The proposed interventions outlined in the CIM Plans are also linked to the Strategy for the Development of Samoa 2016/17 – 2019/20 and the relevant ministry sector plans.
    [Show full text]
  • Hell & High Water
    Niku III was the expedition that couldn’t happen, but we made it happen anyway, and for a while we wished we hadn’t, but then we were awfully glad we did. Making It Happen In the spring of 1996, prospects for another a willingness to pay their share of the ship charter major expedition to Nikumaroro looked promising. and to give TIGHAR a share in videotape sales of We had just concluded a short preliminary trip to the documentary. They also wanted to cover the the island (our first since 1991) which had turned expedition live on their internet website. We weren’t up some interesting new artifacts–the plexiglas and at all comfortable with that idea, but everyone the radio cables (see TIGHAR Tracks Vol.12, 2&3). agreed that such issues could be worked out in Two project supporters had made pledges totalling negotiations toward a mutually acceptable written nearly $200,000 which gave us an excellent start contract. toward putting together the estimated $1,000,000 Then both of our financial supporters backed budget for a major operation in the fall of that out of their pledges. No hard feelings, but no money. year. For media coverage, the PBS science series Contributions from the TIGHAR membership made NOVA had indicated a strong interest in doing a it possible for us to continue to look for major documentary about the expedition. The coming year, funding, but it ultimately turned out to be a fruitless 1997, was to mark the 60th anniversary of Earhart’s search. Dozens of proposals to corporations met disappearance and the 100th of her birth.
    [Show full text]
  • Mainstreaming Adaptation to Climate Change Sofia Bettencourt, World Bank
    Mainstreaming Adaptation to Climate Change in Pacific Island Economies Sofia Bettencourt, World Bank Pacific Islands Vulnerability is Rising... Event Year Country Losses ( US$ million) Cyclone Ofa 1990 Samoa 140 Cyclone Val 1991 Samoa 300 Typhoon Omar 1992 Guam 300 Cyclone Kina 1993 Fiji 140 Cyclone Martin 1997 Cook Islands 7.5 Cyclone Hina 1997 Tonga 14.5 Drought 1997 Regional >175 Cyclone Cora 1998 Tonga 56 Cyclone Dani 1999 Fiji 3.5 Sources: Campbell (1999) and World Bank (2000) The costs of extreme weather events in the 1990s exceeded US$1 billion Support Projects 2003 Adaptation Projects 2002 Donor Commitments are also rising… 2001 $4,000 Risk/Disaster Years $3,500 2000 Manag ement $3,000 $2,500 $2,000 1999 $1,500 $1,000 daptation Consultation, Fiji 2003 $500 $0 Commitments (US$’000) Commitments Source: Second High Level A Emerging Key Principles Merge adaptation and hazard management Treat adaptation as a major economic, social and environmental risk Mainstream adaptation into national economic planning House adaptation in a high-level coordinating Ministry Treat adaptation as a long-term process Involve communities and private sector Disseminate information to high-level decision makers and the public Strengthen regulations affecting vulnerability An Example of Mainstreaming The Kiribati Adaptation Program Kiribati Source: http://www.infoplease.com/atlas/country/kiribati.html Kiribati is one of the Most Vulnerable Countries in the World in its Physical Environment… The 33 atolls of Kiribati are less than 500-1,000 meters
    [Show full text]
  • Tokelau the Last Colony?
    Tokelau The last colony? TONY ANGELO (Taupulega) is, and long has been, the governing body. The chairman (Faipule) of the council and a village head ITUATED WELL NORTH OF NEW ZEALAND and (Pulenuku) are elected by universal suffrage in the village SWestern Samoa and close to the equator, the small every three years. The three councils send representatives atolls of Tokelau, with their combined population of about to form the General Fono which is the Tokelau national 1600 people, may well be the last colony of New Zealand. authority; it originally met only once or twice a year and Whether, when and in what way that colonial status of advised the New Zealand Government of Tokelau's Tokelau will end, is a mat- wishes. ter of considerable specula- The General Fono fre- lion. quently repeated advice, r - Kirlb•ll ·::- (Gifb•rr I•) The recently passed lbn•b'a ' ......... both to the New Zealand (Oc: ..n I} Tokelau Amendment Act . :_.. PMtnb 11 Government and to the UN 1996- it received the royal Committee on Decoloni­ • •• roltfl•u assent on 10 June 1996, and 0/tlh.g• sation, that Tokelau did not 1- •, Aotum•- Uu.t (Sw•ln•J · came into force on 1 August 1 f .. • Tllloplol ~~~~~ !•J.. ·-~~~oa wish to change its status ~ ~ 1996 - is but one piece in ' \, vis-a-vis New Zealand. the colourful mosaic of •l . However, in an unexpected Tokelau's constitutional de­ change of position (stimu- velopment. lated no doubt by external The colonialism that factors such as the UN pro­ Tokelau has known has posal to complete its been the British version, and decolonisation business by it has lasted so far for little the year 2000), the Ulu of over a century.
    [Show full text]
  • Wave Climate of Tuvalu
    WAVE CLIMATE OF TUVALU Stephen F. Barstow and Ola Haug OCEANOR' November 1994 SOPAC Technical Report 203 'OCEANOR Oceanographic Company of Norway AS Pir-Senteret N-7005 Trondheim Norway The Wave Climate of Tuvalu Table of Contents 1. INTRODUCTION .................................................................................................... 1 2. SOME BASICS ....................................................................................................... 2 3 . OCEANIC WINDS ................................................................................................... 3 3.1 General Description ............................................................................................................... 3 3.2 Representativity of the measurement period ........................................................................ 5 3.3 Winds in the source region for swell ..................................................................................... 5 4 . OCEAN WAVES ..................................................................................................... 7 4.1 Buoy Measurements .............................................................................................................. 7 4.2 Ocean Wave Statistics .......................................................................................................... 8 5 . SPECIAL EVENTS ................................................................................................ 13 5.1 Tropical Cyclone Uma ........................................................................................................
    [Show full text]
  • When Risk Management of Natural Hazards
    Public Disclosure Authorized Public Disclosure Authorized Public Disclosure Authorized Not if but when Adapting to natural hazards in the Pacific Islands Region A policy note Public Disclosure Authorized 2006 Sofia Bettencourt | Richard Croad | Paul Freeman | John Hay | Roger Jones Peter King | Padma Lal | Alan Mearns | Geoff Miller | Idah Pswarayi-Riddihough Alf Simpson | Nakibae Teuatabo | Ulric Trotz | Maarten Van Aalst The World Bank East Asia and Pacific Region Pacific Islands Country Management Unit Adapting to Natural Hazards in the Pacific Islands Region 1 This Policy Note is dedicated to the memory of Savenaca Siwatibau for his efforts and vision in mainstreaming hazard risk management into economic planning in the Pacific. Note: The findings, interpretations and conclusions expressed in this Policy Note are entirely those of the authors and should not be attributed in any manner to the World Bank, to its affiliated organizations, or to members of its Board of Executive Directors or the countries they represent nor to the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat, SOPAC or AusAID. Contents List of Acronyms iii Prologue iv Contributors vi Executive summary viii 1 High vulnerability 1 1.1 Fifty years of disasters 1 1.2 Recent trends 4 1.3 The future climate 6 2 Key lessons learned 9 2.1 Early action pays 9 2.2 Some action but too little impact 11 3. Future directions 17 3. 1 Strengthening the enabling national environment 18 3.2 Supporting decision-making 20 3.3 Mainstreaming 24 3.4 Implementation 28 3.5 Monitoring and evaluation 30 3.6
    [Show full text]
  • South Pacific Ocean – Tropical Cyclone ULA Ï
    Emergency Response Coordination Centre (ERCC) – ECHO Daily Map | 08/01/2016 South Pacific Ocean Legend– Tropical Cyclone ULA Week rainfall (TRMM) TROPICAL CYCLONE LastValue 7 days acc. 30 Dec, 6.00 UTC SITUATION Legend(max. sustained winds) rainfall< 100 (NASA) mm 83 km/h sust. winds Cyclones> 118 Trackkm/h points 100 - 200 mm • Tropical Cyclone ULA formed over WIND_SPEED 63-118 km/h 200 - 300 mm (Pop. 187 800) the South Pacific Ocean on 30 Ï <0.000000 63 km/h - 17.000000 300 - 400 mm December 2015 and moved south- WIND BUFFER > 400 mm southwest, strengthening. It passed Ï 17.000001 - 32.500000 (Pop. 55 500) close to Vava'u islands (Tonga) on 1 >118 km/h Floods 92-118 km/h (Pop. 12 200) January 2016, with max. sustained 32.500001 - 69.000000 Ï 64-92 km/h Track uncertainty winds of 140 km/h and close to Lau Islands (Fiji) on 2-3 January, with Ï 69.000001 - 100.000000 max. sust. winds of 160-170 km/h. • Heavy rainfall and strong winds (Pop. 880 000) affected Fiji and Tonga during its 1 Jan, 18.00 UTC passage. Media reported minor 140 km/h sust. winds damage and evacuations in Tonga, 2 Jan, 18.00 UTC 167 km/h sust. winds as well as floods and damage in 8 Jan, 6.00 UTC 31 Dec, 18.00 UTC 102 km/h sust. winds some areas of Fiji. 9 Jan 18.00 UTC 167 km/h sust. winds (Pop. 283 000) • In the morning of 8 January, TC ULA 120 km/h sust.
    [Show full text]
  • Launching the International Decade for Natural Disaster Reduction
    210 91NA ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COMMISSION FOR ASIA AND THE PACIFIC BANGKOK, THAILAND NATURAL DISASTER REDUCTION IN ASIA AND THE PACIFIC: LAUNCHING THE INTERNATIONAL DECADE FOR NATURAL DISASTER REDUCTION VOLUME I WATER-RELATED NATURAL DISASTERS UNITED NATIONS December 1991 FLOOD CONTROL SERIES 1* FLOOD DAMAGE AND FLOOD CONTROL ACnVITlHS IN ASIA AND THE FAR EAST United Nations publication, Sales No. 1951.II.F.2, Price $US 1,50. Availably in separate English and French editions. 2* MKTUODS AND PROBLEMS OF FLOOD CONTROL IN ASIA AND THIS FAR EAST United Nations publication, Sales No, 1951.ILF.5, Price SUS 1.15. 3.* PROCEEDINGS OF THF. REGIONAL TECHNICAL CONFERENCE ON FLOOD CONTROL IN ASIA AND THE FAR EAST United Nations publication, Sales No. 1953.U.F.I. Price SUS 3.00. 4.* RIVER TRAINING AND BANK PROTECTION • United Nations publication, Sate No. 1953,TI.I;,6. Price SUS 0.80. Available in separate English and French editions : 1* THE SKDLMENT PROBLEM United Nations publication, Sales No. 1953.TI.F.7. Price $US 0.80. Available in separate English and French editions 6.* STANDARDS FOR METHODS AND RECORDS OF HYDROLOGIC MEASUREMENTS United Nations publication, Sales No. 1954.ILF.3. Price SUS 0.80. Available, in separate. English and French editions. 7.* MULTIPLE-PURPOSE RIVER DEVELOPMENT, PARTI, MANUAL OF RIVER BASIN PLANNING United Nations publication. Sales No. 1955.II.I'M. Price SUS 0.80. Available in separate English and French editions. 8.* MULTI-PURPOSE RIVER DEVELOPMENT, PART2A. WATER RESOURCES DEVELOPMENT IN CF.YLON, CHINA. TAIWAN, JAPAN AND THE PHILIPPINES |;_ United Nations publication, Sales No.
    [Show full text]
  • Shelter and Settlements Risk Profile NATURAL DISASTERS from 1980
    Shelter and Settlements Risk Profile ShelterCluster.org Coordinating Humanitarian Shelter HISTORIC EVENTS (ReliefWeb) Dec 2012 1. Tropical Cyclone Evan KEY DEVELOPMENT INDICATORS Tropical Cyclone Evan (TC Evan) − a Category 4 cyclone, wind Full Name: Republic Of The Fiji Islands speeds of 210 km/h (130 mph), impacted Northern Vanua Population: 862,333 (UN, 2012) Levu and Western Viti Levu on 17 December 2012,is Annual Growth Rate: 0.5% considered one of the worst to ever hit Fiji in recent history. Capital: Suva Approximately 60% of the total population were affected in Population In Urban Areas: 52.90% the post-disaster period. The Northern division recorded the Area: 18,376 Sq Km(7,095 Sq.mile) highest percentage of affected population (52%) as a Major Languages: English, Fijian, Hindi proportion of their total population, followed by the Western Division (38%) and the Central and Eastern divisions (23%). Major Religions: Christianity, Hinduism, Islam March 2. Fiji: Floods Life Expectancy: (UN) 67 Years (M)/72 Years (W) 2012 Monetary Unit: 1 Fijian Dollar = 100 Cents Severe flooding in the areas of Ra, Tavua, Ba, Lautoka, Nadi, Main Exports: Sugar, Clothing, Gold, Processed Nadroga, Sigatoka, and Rewa in January 2012 The Fish, Timber Government of Fiji estimated that damage from the 2012 GNI Per Capita: US $3,720 (WB) 5,390 (FS) floods was at approximately F$71 million. This suggests that Human Development Index: 0.6881 Fiji experienced damage of F$146 million in 2012 alone. Rainfall In Capital (Mm): 3040 Jan 3. Fiji: Floods Temperature In Capital City ° C: 22.2/28.7 2012 Average Family Size: 5 March 4.
    [Show full text]
  • FIJI Cyclone Gavin
    FIJI- Cyclone Gavin 07 March 1996 Information Bulletin The context As of 1500 Fiji time on Friday, Cyclone Gavin was directly over the Yasawa Group of islands in the South Pacific. The path expected is southward to within 50 kilometres of Nadi, the major international airport for Fiji. The intensity continues with winds up to 240 kilometres per hour. Severe wind and storm surge damage is expected along the west coast of Viti Levu island. Red Cross/Red Crescent action The Fiji Red Cross is on alert and has reported that, in Suva, power poles and lines are down, with some streets impassable because of fallen trees. Flooding has occurred in low lying areas. Wind gusts are expected to be over 100 kms/hour. As of this morning, Rotuma island had not suffered too badly with some roofs blown off but it is now safe. The second largest island, Vanua Levu, appears to have suffered a lot with wind damage and severe flooding. The Red Cross branch is out of contact but reports indicate that they are distributing relief goods. A total of 41 evacuation centres have been opened on Vanua Levu but the power is out. The Fiji Red Cross will keep the Federation informed of further developments. The Federation Regional Delegation in Sydney has been in touch with the New Zealand Red Cross who have an experienced delegate on stand-by to conduct a possible assessment mission. Hiroshi Higashiura Nina de Rochefort Director Desk Officer Asia and Pacific Department Asia and Pacific Department.
    [Show full text]
  • Abstract Tuvalu's Weather and Climate
    lli. TUVALU'S WEATHER AND CLIMATE: AN ANNOTATED BIBLIOGRAPHY LA. Rodgers Department of Geology University of Auckland and Carol Cantrell Library Australian Museum ABSTRACT Published, systematic, meteorological data for the nine atolls of Tuvalu, central Pacific, are both incomplete and widely scattered through the literature. In part this is a result of the administrative responsibility for the stations having changed over the years. Over one hundred annotated references spanning 1829 to the present are cited which contain data or oth~r material relevant to Tuvalu's weather and climate. Included are several recent su mm aries of the general environment of the atolls as well as accounts of the effects and aftermath of hurrica nes. INTRODUCTION Tuvalu consists of a chain of nine small islands and atolls scattered o 0 over some 600 km along a roughly NNW-SSE bearing between 5 and 10.5 S o 0 latitude and 176 and 179.5 E longitude. Apart from the similar island chain of Kiribati to the nort h and east, the nearest land is Rotuma 400km to the SW with the main islands of Fiji a further 200 km south. The Phoenix and Tokelau Groups are about 700 km east while t he Santa Cruz islands are the first landfall 1500 km west. From north to south the islands are Nanumea, Niutao, Nanumanga, Nui, Vaitupu, Nukefetau, Funafuti, Nukuiaelae, Niulakita. S. Pac. J. Nat. Sci., 1987, Vol. 9 111-142 112. The position of Tuvalu's islands due so u th of the equator and o immediately west of the 180 meridian, in an otherwise empty expanse of 2 over 2,000,000 km of the central Pacific, makes them important meteorological stations.
    [Show full text]