Skip to content
Archipelago

    Coral SeaVanuatu

    13°50′S 167°35′E

    Banks Islands

    Part of New Hebrides

    The Banks Islands (in Bislama Bankis) are a group of islands in northern Vanuatu. Together with the Torres Islands to their northwest, they make up the northernmost province of Torba. The island group lies about 40 km (25 mi) north of Maewo, and includes Gaua and Vanua Lava, two of the 13 largest islands in Vanuatu.

    Mbaravit Beach on east coast of Gaua Island, Vanautu
    Mbaravit Beach on east coast of Gaua Island, Vanautu

    Brad Warden / CC BY-SA 3.0

    Chart

    38 landforms

    Overview

    The Banks Islands (in Bislama Bankis) are a group of islands in northern Vanuatu. Together with the Torres Islands to their northwest, they make up the northernmost province of Torba. The island group lies about 40 km (25 mi) north of Maewo, and includes Gaua and Vanua Lava, two of the 13 largest islands in Vanuatu. In 2009, the islands had a population of 8,533. The island group's combined land area is 780 km2 (300 sq mi).

    From Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

    Census, cataloged

    • Major islands2
    • Minor islands16
    • Islets14
    • Rocks & skerries6

    Major islands

    2
    • Vanua Lava

      Vanua Lava

      Area
      332 km²
      High point
      958 m

      Vanua Lava is the second largest of the Banks Islands in Torba Province, Vanuatu, after slightly larger Gaua.

    • Gaua

      Gaua

      Area
      308 km²
      High point
      797 m

      Gaua [gawa] (formerly known as Santa Maria Island) is the largest and second most populous of the Banks Islands in Torba Province in northern Vanuatu. It covers 342 km2.

    Minor islands

    16

    • Ureparapara

      Area
      39 km²
      High point
      684 m

    • Mota Lava

      Area
      32.2 km²
      High point
      428 m

    • Merelava

      Area
      17.6 km²
      High point
      1,009 m

    • Mota

      Area
      10.1 km²
      High point
      411 m

    • Qaké

      Area
      1.2 km²
      High point
      23 m

    • Ra

      Area
      0.55 km²
      High point
      49 m

    • Merig

      Area
      0.45 km²
      High point
      119 m

    • Raven̄a

      Area
      0.42 km²
      High point
      23 m

    • Nawila

      Area
      0.37 km²
      High point
      20 m

    • Anouit

      Area
      0.28 km²
      High point
      21 m

    • Unnamed island

      Area
      0.17 km²
      High point
      12 m

    • Unnamed island

      Area
      0.13 km²
      High point
      17 m

    • Vot Tande

      Area
      0.12 km²
      High point
      43 m

    • Kwakéa

      Area
      —
      High point
      13 m

      size unknown

    • Ravenga

      Area
      —

      size unknown

    • Rowa

      Area
      —
      High point
      6 m

      size unknown

    Islets

    14
    • Unnamed island24 m · 0.09 km²
    • Île Wosou19 m · 0.08 km²
    • Unnamed island0.07 km²
    • Unnamed island4 m · 0.04 km²
    • Qötunwöl16 m · 0.04 km²
    • Ngere Newet12 m · 0.02 km²
    • Unnamed island9 m · 0.01 km²
    • Unnamed island26 m · 0.01 km²
    • Unnamed island0.7 ha
    • Unnamed island9 m · 0.7 ha
    • Unnamed island6 m · 0.6 ha
    • Unnamed island0.3 ha

    Rocks & skerries

    6
    • Unnamed island<0.1 ha
    • Unnamed island<0.1 ha
    • Unnamed island<0.1 ha
    • Unnamed island<0.1 ha
    • Unnamed island<0.1 ha
    • Unnamed island<0.1 ha

    Figures

    Comparative heights

    Sea level500 m1,000 m1,500 m1,009 mMerelava958 mVanua Lava797 mGaua684 mUreparapara428 mMota Lava411 mMota119 mMerig49 mRa43 mVot Tande23 mQaké23 mRaven̄a21 mAnouit20 mNawila19 mÎle Wosou
    High points by island, metres above sea level.

    Islands by area

    0.00010.0010.010.11101001,000Vanua Lava: 332 km²Vanua LavaGaua: 308 km²GauaUreparapara: 39 km²UreparaparaMota Lava: 32.2 km²Mota LavaMerelava: 17.6 km²MerelavaMota: 10.1 km²MotaQaké: 1.2 km²QakéRa: 0.55 km²RaMerig: 0.45 km²MerigRaven̄a: 0.42 km²Raven̄aNawila: 0.37 km²NawilaAnouit: 0.28 km²AnouitUnnamed island: 0.17 km²Unnamed islandUnnamed island: 0.13 km²Unnamed islandVot Tande: 0.12 km²Vot TandeUnnamed island: 0.09 km²Unnamed islandÎle Wosou: 0.08 km²Île WosouUnnamed island: 0.07 km²Unnamed islandUnnamed island: 0.04 km²Unnamed islandQötunwöl: 0.04 km²QötunwölNgere Newet: 0.02 km²Ngere NewetUnnamed island: 0.01 km²Unnamed islandUnnamed island: 0.01 km²Unnamed islandUnnamed island: 0.7 haUnnamed islandUnnamed island: 0.7 haUnnamed islandUnnamed island: 0.6 haUnnamed islandUnnamed island: 0.3 haUnnamed islandUnnamed island: 0.3 haUnnamed islandUnnamed island: 0.1 haUnnamed islandUnnamed island: <0.1 haUnnamed islandUnnamed island: <0.1 haUnnamed islandUnnamed island: <0.1 haUnnamed islandUnnamed island: <0.1 haUnnamed islandUnnamed island: <0.1 haUnnamed islandUnnamed island: <0.1 haUnnamed island
    km², log scale. 3 without a known area.
    Vanua Lava332 km²
    Gaua308 km²
    Ureparapara39 km²
    Mota Lava32.2 km²
    Merelava17.6 km²
    Mota10.1 km²
    Qaké1.2 km²
    Ra0.55 km²
    Merig0.45 km²
    Raven̄a0.42 km²
    Nawila0.37 km²
    Anouit0.28 km²
    Unnamed island0.17 km²
    Unnamed island0.13 km²
    Vot Tande0.12 km²
    Unnamed island0.09 km²
    Île Wosou0.08 km²
    Unnamed island0.07 km²
    Unnamed island0.04 km²
    Qötunwöl0.04 km²
    Ngere Newet0.02 km²
    Unnamed island0.01 km²
    Unnamed island0.01 km²
    Unnamed island0.7 ha
    Unnamed island0.7 ha
    Unnamed island0.6 ha
    Unnamed island0.3 ha
    Unnamed island0.3 ha
    Unnamed island0.1 ha
    Unnamed island<0.1 ha
    Unnamed island<0.1 ha
    Unnamed island<0.1 ha
    Unnamed island<0.1 ha
    Unnamed island<0.1 ha
    Unnamed island<0.1 ha

    Groups within

    1

    Sources

    Facts

    • Geometry, areas and high points: OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL), Copernicus GLO-30, via Talus.
    • Wikidata
    • Talus
    • Wikipedia

    Photographs