Ambrym
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| Ambrym | |
|---|---|
 Ash plume from Ambrym Volcano, October 4, 2004 |
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| Elevation | 1,334 metres (4,380 ft)[1] |
| Location | Vanuatu |
| Coordinates | 16°15′S 168°7′E / 16.25°S 168.117°E[1] |
| Type | Pyroclastic shield[1] |
| Volcanic arc/belt | New Hebrides arc[1] |
| Last eruption | 2009 (ongoing)[1] |
Ambrym is an island in the archipelago of Vanuatu (formerly known as the New Hebrides). It is well known for its highly active volcanic activity that includes lava lake formation. With 677.7 square kilometres (261.7 sq mi) of surface area, it is the fifth largest island in the country. Several times per century, Ambrym volcano has destructive eruptions. The summit of the volcano contains a desert-like caldera which covers an area of 100 square kilometres (39 sq mi).
With the neighbour island of Malakula and a few smaller islands, it forms Malampa Province. Its largest settlement is the village of Eas. The population of 10,000 inhabitants lives mainly off coconut plantations.
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[edit] Mountains and volcanoes
Ambrym is the site of two active volcanic cones[1], Benbow and Marum (also spelled Maroum). The center of the island is dominated by a massive 1900-year-old 12 kilometres (7.5 mi) × 8 kilometres (5.0 mi) caldera that hosts multiple craters, and the rest of the caldera floor is ash plain, barren because of natural acid rain. Mt Benbow last erupted in 1913, causing the evacuation of the population to Mele, near Port Vila on Efate. Benbow is mooted to erupt in the coming years; in 2005 the side of the cone collapsed into itself and pressure is mounting. When the volcano inevitably erupts, the whole island will be wiped out and the formation of a number of small islands is a likely outcome for Ambrym.[citation needed]
[edit] Nearby small islands to the south
- Paama with villages of Liro and Loulep
- Lopevi with villages of Holen and Halos (now abandoned)
[edit] Towns and cities
[edit] Languages
Like many islands in Vanuatu, Ambrym has its own Austronesian languages. In the north is the North Ambrym language, in the southeast is the Southeast Ambrym language, in the south Dakaka language, in the west Lonwolwol language, and in the southwest Port-Vato language. These are all spoken by a few hundred to a few thousand speakers each.
[edit] References
- ^ a b c d e f "Ambrym". Global Volcanism Program, Smithsonian Institution. http://www.volcano.si.edu/world/volcano.cfm?vnum=0507-04=.
[edit] External links
- North Ambrym language sample
- South-East Ambrym Wordlist at the Austronesian Basic Vocabulary Database
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