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'Wallis' (Polynesian: 'Uvea') is an island in the Pacific Ocean belonging to the French overseas collectivity (''collectivité d'outre-mer'', or ''COM'') of Wallis and Futuna.

Contents

Geography

History

Demographics

Administration

Transportation

See also

Reference

External links

Geography

The island has an area of 77,5 km² and a circumference of c. 50 km. Its highest point is Mount Loka (131 m). There are also a handful of large lakes, sign of the volcanic origin, some of them almost perfect circles and with straight vertical walls, like Lano Lalolalo.

Wallis is located 240 km notheast of Futuna and Alofi islands. Together with some 15 smaller islands surrounding it, on its huge barrier reef, it forms the Wallis archipelago. Wallis has a fertile volcanic soil and sufficient rainfall to allow subsistence farming.

History

Archaeological excavations have identified sites on Wallis dating from circa 1400 BC.
It was part of the Tongan maritime empire from around the 13th to 16th century. By that time the influence of the Tui Tonga had declined so much that Uvea became important in itself. Several current, high ranking Tongan titles, like Halaevalu, trace their descent from Uvea. A legendary large canoe, the Lomipeau was built on the island as a donation to the Tui Tonga. The big fortress of Talietumu close to Lotoalahi in Mua was the last holdout of the Tongans until they were defeated. The ruins of the place are still a tourist attraction:

The island was renamed Wallis after an Cornish navigator, Captain Samuel Wallis, who discovered it while sailing the HMS ''Dolphin'' on August 16 1767, following his discovery of Tahiti.

Demographics

The population of the island was 10,071 in 2003 (67% of the territory's population). Most of the inhabitants speak Uvean (or Wallisian) as their mother tongue. Almost all are Roman Catholic, and the number of churches, chapels, oratories, etc. is overwhelming.

Administration

Uvea (Wallis) is one of the three traditional chiefdoms of Wallis and Futuna, the other two being Alo and Sigave in the Hoorn Islands (Futuna Islands). Its capital, Matāutu, located on the east coast, is also the capital of the whole territory, Wallis and Futuna. The chiefdom is divided into three districts, which are listed from north to south:

District (''meaning'')	Capital	Area (km²)	Population Census 2003	Villages
Hihifo (''west'')	Vaitupu	23.4	2422	5
Hahake (''east'')	Matāutu	27.8	3950	6
Mua (''first'')	Te'esi (1)	26.3	3699	12
'Ueva (Wallis) chiefdom	Matāutu	77.5	10071	23

⁽¹⁾ formerly called Mua

Transportation

The only commercial flights that go to Wallis are operated by the New Caledonia based Aircalin. There is an Aircalin office in Matāutu in Hahake.

See also

★ Hihifo Airport

Reference

★ E.G. Burrows; Ethnology of Uvea; BPB 1937

★

External links

★ French world linguistics site

★ 'Uvea mo Futuna (Wallis and Futuna online magazine)

★ Map showing details of Wallis Island

★ Pictures of Wallis

★ Flag of `Ueva chiefdom