Efate

Vanuatu island

Efate is an island that belongs to the country of Vanuatu in the Pacific Ocean. It belongs to Vanuatu's Shefa Province. The island is also called Île Vate. Port Vila, the capital of Vanuatu, is in Efate.

Efate
Map of Efate
Geography
LocationPacific Ocean
Coordinates17°40′S 168°25′E / 17.667°S 168.417°E / -17.667; 168.417
ArchipelagoVanuatu
Area899.5 km2 (347.3 sq mi)
Highest elevation647 m (2123 ft)
Highest pointMount McDonald
Administration
Vanuatu
ProvinceShefa Province
Largest settlementPort Vila (pop. 44,040)
Demographics
Population65,829 (2009)
Pop. density55.6/km2 (144/sq mi)

Geography

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Efate has the most people out of every other island in Vanuatu (about 66000 people live here). The island is 899.5 square kilometers, which makes it Vanuatu's third largest island. Most people on this island live in Port Vila, which is Vanuatu's capital. The highest place on this island is Mount McDonald. The mountain is 647 meters tall (or 2123 feet).

History

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In 1774, Captain James Cook discovered the island and named it Sandwich Island.

During World War II, the island was an important United States military base. On March 13, 2015, Cyclone Pam strongly damaged Port Vila.