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Archipelago

    Pacific OceanFiji

    17°50′S 178°40′E

    Lau Islands

    Lau Group

    Part of Fiji

    The Lau Islands (also called the Lau Group, the Eastern Group, the Eastern Archipelago) of Fiji are situated in the southern Pacific Ocean, just east of the Koro Sea. Of this chain of about sixty islands and islets, about thirty are inhabited.

    Beach on Vanua Balavu
    Beach on Vanua Balavu

    Jaejay77 / CC BY-SA 4.0

    Chart

    325 landforms

    Overview

    The Lau Islands (also called the Lau Group, the Eastern Group, the Eastern Archipelago) of Fiji are situated in the southern Pacific Ocean, just east of the Koro Sea. Of this chain of about sixty islands and islets, about thirty are inhabited. The Lau Group covers a land area of 188 square miles (487 square km), and had a population of 10,683 at the most recent census in 2007. While most of the northern Lau Group are high islands of volcanic origin, those of the south are mostly carbonate low islands. Administratively the islands belong to Lau Province.

    From Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

    Census, cataloged

    • Major islands15
    • Minor islands48
    • Islets188
    • Rocks & skerries74

    Major islands

    15
    • Vanua Balavu

      Vanua Balavu

      Area
      52.5 km²
      High point
      250 m

      Vanua Balavu is the third-largest island in Fiji's Lau archipelago, and the main island of the Northern Lau Group.

    • Totoya

      Totoya

      Area
      30.7 km²
      High point
      340 m

      Totoya is a volcanic island and tikina in the Moala subgroup of Fiji's Lau archipelago. It occupies an area of 28 km2, making it the smallest of the Yasayasa Moala Group. Its maximum elevation is 366 metres (1,201 feet) above sea level. The main economic activity is coconut farming.

    • Matuku Island

      Matuku Island

      Area
      29.7 km²
      High point
      370 m

      Matuku is a volcanic island in the Moala subgroup of Fiji's Lau archipelago. Located at 19.18° South and 179.75° East, Matuku covers an area of 57 square kilometers. It has a maximum elevation of 385 meters. Matuku is part of a group of islands known as Yasayasa Moala.

    • Mago Island

      Mago Island

      Area
      21.9 km²
      High point
      207 m

      Mago Island is a volcanic island that lies in the northwest sector of Fiji's northern Lau Group of islands. One of the largest private islands in the southwestern Pacific Ocean, the island has an area of 22 square kilometres (8.5 sq mi). The island is privately owned by actor and director Mel Gibson.

    • Nayau

      Nayau

      Area
      19.1 km²
      High point
      191 m

      Nayau is an island in Fiji, a tikina in and member of the Lau archipelago. It is the ancestral island of the Vuanirewa Clan, who were moved to the nearby island of Lakeba.

    • Fulaga

      Fulaga

      Area
      16.5 km²
      High point
      240 m

      Fulaga (proper name: Vulaga) is a crescent-shaped reef-limestone island in Fiji's Southern Lau Group.

    • Tuvuca

      Tuvuca

      Area
      13.3 km²
      High point
      180 m

      Tuvuca is a small island off Vanua Balavu in Fiji's Lau archipelago. It is a densely wooded and inhabited island and rises 800 feet (240 metres) above sea level at the highest point. There is only one village on the island, which has a population of around 180 people. There is a primary school.

    • Kanacea

      Kanacea

      Area
      12.6 km²
      High point
      255 m

      Kanacea (Kanathea) is a volcanic island with seven peaks in Fiji's Lau archipelago. It is 15 kilometres (9.3 mi) west of Vanua Balavu. Covering an area of 12.48 square kilometres (3,084 acres), it has a maximum elevation of 259 metres (850 ft).

    • Moce Island

      Moce Island

      Area
      10.9 km²
      High point
      176 m
    • Namuka-i-Lau

      Namuka-i-Lau

      Area
      10.4 km²
      High point
      79 m
    • Ogea Levu

      Ogea Levu

      Area
      10.3 km²
      High point
      84 m

      Ogea Levu is a coral island on a barrier reef in Fiji's Southern Lau archipelago. With an area of 13.3 square kilometres (3,300 acres), it is situated at 19.18° South and 178.47° West, 10 kilometres (6.2 miles) east of Fulaga. It has a maximum altitude of 82 metres (270 ft).

    • Moala Island

      Area
      65.4 km²
      High point
      460 m

      Moala is a volcanic island in the Moala subgroup of Fiji's Lau archipelago. 1 sq mi), making it the ninth largest island of Fiji. The highest point on the island of Moala, at a maximum elevation of 468 meters (1,535 ft), is called Delaimoala which has rich vegetation and consists of dark thick forest.

    • Lakeba

      Area
      58.8 km²
      High point
      214 m

      Lakeba is an island in Fiji’s Southern Lau Archipelago; the provincial capital of Lau is located here. The island is the tenth largest in Fiji, with a land area of nearly 60 square kilometres (23 sq mi). It is fertile and well-watered, and encircled by a 29-kilometre (18 mi) road.

    • Cicia

      Area
      34.8 km²
      High point
      183 m

      Cicia is a Fijian island of the Lau Group. One of the Northern Lau Islands, Cicia is volcanic and is composed of raised coral. Its area is 34.6 square kilometres (13 sq mi).

    • Kabara

      Area
      31.7 km²
      High point
      135 m

      Kabara is an island of Fiji, a member of the Lau archipelago. With a land area of 32.75 km2 (12.64 sq mi), its population of around 660 live in four villages.

    Minor islands

    48

    • Yacata

      Area
      8.4 km²
      High point
      225 m

    • Vuaqava

      Area
      8.4 km²
      High point
      80 m

    • Naitaba

      Area
      7.3 km²
      High point
      159 m

    • Ono-i-Lau

      Area
      7.1 km²
      High point
      104 m

    • Ogea Driki

      Area
      5.1 km²
      High point
      180 m

    • Munia Island

      Area
      4.7 km²
      High point
      240 m

    • Oneata Island

      Area
      4.5 km²
      High point
      46 m

    • Vanua Vatu

      Area
      4.1 km²
      High point
      98 m

    • Vatoa

      Area
      4 km²
      High point
      62 m

    • Susui Island

      Area
      3.5 km²
      High point
      117 m

    • Vatu Vara

      Area
      3.4 km²
      High point
      268 m

    • Thikombia-i-Lau

      Area
      2.7 km²
      High point
      149 m

    • Avea Island

      Area
      2.3 km²
      High point
      150 m

    • Doi

      Area
      1.9 km²
      High point
      78 m

    • Namalata Island

      Area
      1.8 km²
      High point
      121 m

    • Komo

      Area
      1.7 km²
      High point
      70 m

    • Unnamed island

      Area
      1.7 km²
      High point
      66 m

    • Kaibu

      Area
      1.5 km²
      High point
      160 m

    • Navutu-i-Loma

      Area
      1.3 km²
      High point
      59 m

    • Nggilanggila Island

      Area
      0.89 km²
      High point
      152 m

    • Navutu-i-Ra

      Area
      0.8 km²
      High point
      105 m

    • Tuvana-i-Ra

      Area
      0.73 km²
      High point
      19 m

    • Aiwa Island

      Area
      0.68 km²
      High point
      39 m

    • Unnamed island

      Area
      0.61 km²
      High point
      55 m

    • Udui

      Area
      0.57 km²
      High point
      15 m

    • Unnamed island

      Area
      0.48 km²
      High point
      11 m

    • Unnamed island

      Area
      0.44 km²
      High point
      70 m

    • Wailagi Lala

      Area
      0.34 km²
      High point
      16 m

    • Ndavura Island

      Area
      0.31 km²
      High point
      43 m

    • Olorua

      Area
      0.3 km²
      High point
      65 m

    • Nukutagasa Island

      Area
      0.3 km²
      High point
      49 m

    • Karoni Island

      Area
      0.29 km²
      High point
      31 m

    • Unnamed island

      Area
      0.2 km²
      High point
      82 m

    • Yanuca

      Area
      0.15 km²
      High point
      12 m

    • Unnamed island

      Area
      0.14 km²
      High point
      55 m

    • Unnamed island

      Area
      0.13 km²
      High point
      6 m

    • Unnamed island

      Area
      0.12 km²
      High point
      16 m

    • Unnamed island

      Area
      0.11 km²
      High point
      20 m

    • Unnamed island

      Area
      0.11 km²
      High point
      6 m

    • Bacon Island

      Area
      —

      size unknown

    • Komo Ndriti

      Area
      —

      size unknown

    • Late-i-Tonga

      Area
      —

      size unknown

    • Loa Island

      Area
      —

      size unknown

    • Mana Islands

      Area
      —

      size unknown

    • Marambo Island

      Area
      —

      size unknown

    • Ndoi Island

      Area
      —

      size unknown

    • Tavunasithi

      Area
      —

      size unknown

    • Undui Island

      Area
      —

      size unknown

    Rocks & skerries

    74

    On the chart above, at its closest zooms.

    Listing 63 of 325; the rest are on the chart.

    Figures

    Comparative heights

    Sea level200 m400 m600 m460 mMoala370 mMatuku340 mTotoya268 mVatu Vara255 mKanacea250 mVanua Balavu240 mFulaga240 mMunia225 mYacata214 mLakeba207 mMago191 mNayau183 mCicia180 mTuvuca
    High points by island, metres above sea level.

    Islands by area

    0.1110100Moala: 65.4 km²MoalaLakeba: 58.8 km²LakebaVanua Balavu: 52.5 km²Vanua BalavuCicia: 34.8 km²CiciaKabara: 31.7 km²KabaraTotoya: 30.7 km²TotoyaMatuku: 29.7 km²MatukuMago: 21.9 km²MagoNayau: 19.1 km²NayauFulaga: 16.5 km²FulagaTuvuca: 13.3 km²TuvucaKanacea: 12.6 km²KanaceaMoce: 10.9 km²MoceNamuka-i-Lau: 10.4 km²Namuka-i-LauOgea Levu: 10.3 km²Ogea LevuYacata: 8.4 km²YacataVuaqava: 8.4 km²VuaqavaNaitaba: 7.3 km²NaitabaOno-i-Lau: 7.1 km²Ono-i-LauOgea Driki: 5.1 km²Ogea DrikiMunia: 4.7 km²MuniaOneata: 4.5 km²OneataVanua Vatu: 4.1 km²Vanua VatuVatoa: 4 km²VatoaSusui: 3.5 km²SusuiVatu Vara: 3.4 km²Vatu VaraThikombia-i-Lau: 2.7 km²Thikombia-i-LauAvea: 2.3 km²AveaDoi: 1.9 km²DoiNamalata: 1.8 km²NamalataKomo: 1.7 km²KomoUnnamed island: 1.7 km²Unnamed islandKaibu: 1.5 km²KaibuNavutu-i-Loma: 1.3 km²Navutu-i-LomaNggilanggila: 0.89 km²NggilanggilaNavutu-i-Ra: 0.8 km²Navutu-i-RaTuvana-i-Ra: 0.73 km²Tuvana-i-RaAiwa: 0.68 km²AiwaUnnamed island: 0.61 km²Unnamed islandUdui: 0.57 km²Udui
    km², log scale. 9 without a known area.
    Moala Island65.4 km²
    Lakeba58.8 km²
    Vanua Balavu52.5 km²
    Cicia34.8 km²
    Kabara31.7 km²
    Totoya30.7 km²
    Matuku Island29.7 km²
    Mago Island21.9 km²
    Nayau19.1 km²
    Fulaga16.5 km²
    Tuvuca13.3 km²
    Kanacea12.6 km²
    Moce Island10.9 km²
    Namuka-i-Lau10.4 km²
    Ogea Levu10.3 km²
    Yacata8.4 km²
    Vuaqava8.4 km²
    Naitaba7.3 km²
    Ono-i-Lau7.1 km²
    Ogea Driki5.1 km²
    Munia Island4.7 km²
    Oneata Island4.5 km²
    Vanua Vatu4.1 km²
    Vatoa4 km²
    Susui Island3.5 km²
    Vatu Vara3.4 km²
    Thikombia-i-Lau2.7 km²
    Avea Island2.3 km²
    Doi1.9 km²
    Namalata Island1.8 km²
    Komo1.7 km²
    Unnamed island1.7 km²
    Kaibu1.5 km²
    Navutu-i-Loma1.3 km²
    Nggilanggila Island0.89 km²
    Navutu-i-Ra0.8 km²
    Tuvana-i-Ra0.73 km²
    Aiwa Island0.68 km²
    Unnamed island0.61 km²
    Udui0.57 km²
    Unnamed island0.48 km²
    Unnamed island0.44 km²
    Wailagi Lala0.34 km²
    Ndavura Island0.31 km²
    Olorua0.3 km²
    Nukutagasa Island0.3 km²
    Karoni Island0.29 km²
    Unnamed island0.2 km²
    Yanuca0.15 km²
    Unnamed island0.14 km²
    Unnamed island0.13 km²
    Unnamed island0.12 km²
    Unnamed island0.11 km²
    Unnamed island0.11 km²

    Groups within

    5

    Overlapping groups

    Sources

    Facts

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

    Photographs