Lau Group

islands, Fiji
verifiedCite
While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions.
Select Citation Style
Share
Share to social media
URL
https://mainten.top/place/Lau-Group
Feedback
Corrections? Updates? Omissions? Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login).
Thank you for your feedback

Our editors will review what you’ve submitted and determine whether to revise the article.

Also known as: Eastern Group, Lau Islands
Also called:
Eastern Group

Lau Group, island cluster of Fiji in the South Pacific Ocean, east of the Koro Sea. Mainly composed of limestone, the 57 islands and islets cover a land area of 188 square miles (487 square km) and are scattered over 44,000 square miles (114,000 square km) of the South Pacific. The chief island is Vanua Balavu, site of Lomaloma, now a copra port. Lomaloma was the base for the Tongan chief Maʿafu in his unsuccessful 1855 bid for domination of the islands of Fiji. The second most important island is Lakeba (Lakemba), site of the first Wesleyan missionary venture in Fiji (1835). The village of Tubou, the main settlement of the Lau Group, is on Lakeba. Because of the Lau Group’s proximity and historical connections to Tonga, the people and their culture combine Polynesian and Melanesian characteristics to a greater extent than is found in Fiji’s more westerly groups.

This article was most recently revised and updated by Lorraine Murray.