Fongafale
Encyclopedia
Fongafale is the largest of Funafuti's
islets in Tuvalu
. It's a long snake-like sliver of land, 12 kilometres long and between 10 and 400 metres wide, with the South Pacific Ocean
on the east and the protected lagoon on the west.The airstrip runs from northeast to southwest on the widest part of the island with the village and administrative centre of Vaiaku
on the lagoon side. It contains the Tengako
peninsula.
Fongafale is located at 8°31′S 179°12′E (-8.516667, 179.2).
There are four neighbourhoods (officially villages, which appear as one contiguous urban area):
Vaiaku
is the most important, most southern and most western neighbourhood. The official buildings are here.
There are seven small ponds.
On the island there are government offices, Vaiaku Lagi Hotel
(the only hotel of the country, there are also a few guesthouses), telecommunication centre, a jail, a meteorological station, a fuelpump station, a hospital (Princess Margaret Hospital), the governor's house, the Tuvalu House, the Philatelic Bureau, some shops, Tuvalu's only commercial bank
, and the general post office. Seaplane
s can land near the airport. The Fetuao Lima Church, Tausoa Maneapa (city hall), cooperation shop and a primary school are also on the island. There is a hurricane bank and a reef around the island. The bank is on the eastern side, the side of the open Pacific ocean, so the western side is the atoll-side. There is a wreck from WW II
.
There are four taxis, and motorbikes are available for hire. The village has a surface area of more than 0.65 square kilometres and has about 4000 inhabitants.
, is located here. It only offers Air Fiji
flights to Suva
, Fiji
.
Funafuti
Funafuti is an atoll that forms the capital of the island nation of Tuvalu. It has a population of 4,492 , making it the most populated atoll in the country. It is a narrow sweep of land between 20 and 400 metres wide, encircling a large lagoon 18 km long and 14 km wide, with a surface of...
islets in Tuvalu
Tuvalu
Tuvalu , formerly known as the Ellice Islands, is a Polynesian island nation located in the Pacific Ocean, midway between Hawaii and Australia. Its nearest neighbours are Kiribati, Nauru, Samoa and Fiji. It comprises four reef islands and five true atolls...
. It's a long snake-like sliver of land, 12 kilometres long and between 10 and 400 metres wide, with the South Pacific Ocean
Pacific Ocean
The Pacific Ocean is the largest of the Earth's oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic in the north to the Southern Ocean in the south, bounded by Asia and Australia in the west, and the Americas in the east.At 165.2 million square kilometres in area, this largest division of the World...
on the east and the protected lagoon on the west.The airstrip runs from northeast to southwest on the widest part of the island with the village and administrative centre of Vaiaku
Vaiaku
Vaiaku is a village located on the southern coast of the island of Fongafale in Tuvalu. All the administrative buildings and the only hotel of Tuvalu, Vaiaku Langi Hotel, are located in Vaiaku. There are 516 inhabitants in Vaiaku, according to the census of 2002, out of 4492 for the whole atoll of...
on the lagoon side. It contains the Tengako
Tengako
Tengako is a peninsula of the small island of Fongafale of Funafuti, Tuvalu....
peninsula.
Fongafale is located at 8°31′S 179°12′E (-8.516667, 179.2).
There are four neighbourhoods (officially villages, which appear as one contiguous urban area):
- Alapi
- Fakai Fou
- Senala
- VaiakuVaiakuVaiaku is a village located on the southern coast of the island of Fongafale in Tuvalu. All the administrative buildings and the only hotel of Tuvalu, Vaiaku Langi Hotel, are located in Vaiaku. There are 516 inhabitants in Vaiaku, according to the census of 2002, out of 4492 for the whole atoll of...
Vaiaku
Vaiaku
Vaiaku is a village located on the southern coast of the island of Fongafale in Tuvalu. All the administrative buildings and the only hotel of Tuvalu, Vaiaku Langi Hotel, are located in Vaiaku. There are 516 inhabitants in Vaiaku, according to the census of 2002, out of 4492 for the whole atoll of...
is the most important, most southern and most western neighbourhood. The official buildings are here.
There are seven small ponds.
On the island there are government offices, Vaiaku Lagi Hotel
Vaiaku Lagi Hotel
The Vaiaku Langi Hotel, or Vaiaku Lagi Hotel, is situated in Funafuti, in the Pacific island nation of Tuvalu.-Features:It is Tuvalu's only hotel, though there are a few other small lodges without all the hotel amenities...
(the only hotel of the country, there are also a few guesthouses), telecommunication centre, a jail, a meteorological station, a fuelpump station, a hospital (Princess Margaret Hospital), the governor's house, the Tuvalu House, the Philatelic Bureau, some shops, Tuvalu's only commercial bank
Commercial bank
After the implementation of the Glass–Steagall Act, the U.S. Congress required that banks engage only in banking activities, whereas investment banks were limited to capital market activities. As the two no longer have to be under separate ownership under U.S...
, and the general post office. Seaplane
Seaplane
A seaplane is a fixed-wing aircraft capable of taking off and landing on water. Seaplanes that can also take off and land on airfields are a subclass called amphibian aircraft...
s can land near the airport. The Fetuao Lima Church, Tausoa Maneapa (city hall), cooperation shop and a primary school are also on the island. There is a hurricane bank and a reef around the island. The bank is on the eastern side, the side of the open Pacific ocean, so the western side is the atoll-side. There is a wreck from WW II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
.
There are four taxis, and motorbikes are available for hire. The village has a surface area of more than 0.65 square kilometres and has about 4000 inhabitants.
Air
Tuvalu's only (and thus international) airport, Funafuti International AirportFunafuti International Airport
Funafuti International Airport is an airport located in Funafuti, capital of the island nation of Tuvalu.-History:Funafuti Airport was built by United States Navy Seabee construction battalions in 1943 during World War II. The military airfield included an airstrip, control tower, facilities and...
, is located here. It only offers Air Fiji
Air Fiji
Air Fiji was an airline based in Nausori, Fiji. It operated inter-island services to destinations within the Fijian Islands. Its main base was Nausori International Airport, Suva, with a base at Nadi International Airport....
flights to Suva
Suva
Suva features a tropical rainforest climate under the Koppen climate classification. The city sees a copious amount of precipitation during the course of the year. Suva averages 3,000 mm of precipitation annually with its driest month, July averaging 125 mm of rain per year. In fact,...
, Fiji
Fiji
Fiji , officially the Republic of Fiji , is an island nation in Melanesia in the South Pacific Ocean about northeast of New Zealand's North Island...
.