Efate

Efate ( ), originally named Sandwich Island and also known as Île Vate ( ) or just Vate, is an island in the Pacific Ocean. It is part of the Shefa Province in Vanuatu, and the capital city, Port Vila, is located on the island.

Efate ( ), originally named Sandwich Island and also known as Île Vate ( ) or just Vate, is an island in the Pacific Ocean. It is part of the Shefa Province in Vanuatu, and the capital city, Port Vila, is located on the island. ==Demographics== Efate is the most populous island in Vanuatu, with 50,340 persons, representing 17 per cent of the national population, as recorded in the 2020 census. Most inhabitants of Efate live in Port Vila, the national capital. There are roughly half a dozen languages spoken on Efate, including Central Vanuatu languages such as Nakanamanga (Nguna, North Efate), Namakura (Makura, Namakir), Nafsan (Erakor, South Efate), Lelepa (Havannah Harbour), and Eton, as well as the Polynesian outlier language Mele-Fila. The North Efate and South Efate languages are not very closely related, and when missionaries became active on the island, they encouraged the use of a zonal auxiliary language, Efatese, based on various languages of Efate. ==Governance== Efate is governed by both the Port Vila Municipality and the Shefa Provincial Council, whose governance is the town limits of Port Vila only, and rural Efate and the outer Efate Islands, respectively. The island outside of Port Vila is represented in Parliament by the five-seat riding of Efate. Port Vila has its own five-seat riding. These ten MPs are elected through Single non-transferable voting. ==Economy and tourism== The economy of Vanuatu is largely dependent on subsistence agriculture and tourism. Since the 2010s, planting of coconut plantations and the production of coconut products has increased, after falling into neglect in the 1980s. The capital of Port Vila is the hub of tourism in Vanuatu, receiving tourists by air, cruise ships, and the yachts. Due to the British and French influence, both cuisines are readily available in the capital. There are also Chinese eateries across Vila and the Mummas Market downtown. Outside of Port Vila, most people live a traditional lifestyle, cooking island food or aelan kakae, and swimming at the beach. The Mele Cascades and the quieter Lololima Falls and rock pools are popular recreation areas for tourists. Other attractions include Eton Beach and the Tanalilui Road Markets. Port Vila services the domestic carrier Air Vanuatu which goes to the outer islands of Vanuatu. Popular destinations such as Tanna and Santo can be reached daily from Port Vila, while more remote locations can be reached on a less regular basis. The island is served by Bauerfield International Airport. ==Footnotes== ==References== ==External links== Languages of Efate Bibliography of the island's indigenous languages. Paradisec's open access collections includes collections by Arthur Capell and Nicholas Thieberger about Efate

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