Dravuni

Dravuni
—  Island  —
Dravuni Location in Fiji
Coordinates: 18°46′S 178°32′E / 18.767°S 178.533°E / -18.767; 178.533Coordinates: 18°46′S 178°32′E / 18.767°S 178.533°E / -18.767; 178.533
Country	Fiji
Island group	Kadavu Group
Area
- Total	0.8 km2 (0.3 sq mi)
Elevation	40 m (131 ft)
Population
- Total	125
- Density	156.3/km2 (404.7/sq mi)

Dravuni (pronounced [ndraˈβuni]) is a volcanic island in the Kadavu Group of islands in Fiji. Covering an area of 0.8 square kilometers, it is located at 18.78° South and 178.53° East, and reaches a maximum altitude of 40 meters.

The island is inhabited by approximately 125 people and is the most northern of several inhabited islands within the Great Astrolabe Reef.

Just north of the Astrolabe lies Solo Reef, an atoll where according to local legend there used to be a village that sunk into the sea. Villagers who fish there respect this legendary village by not throwing garbage overboard.

Dravuni is also home to a University of the South Pacific (USP) research facility which is currently being used by Coral Cay Conservation (CCC) as the main base for conducting surveys on the reefs by invitation of the Fijian Ministry of Tourism.

Foreign Minister and former diplomat Kaliopate Tavola is a native of Dravuni.

References

External links

• Coral Cay homepage
• USP Dravuni Page