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Toga (island)

Coordinates: 13°25′S 166°41′E / 13.417°S 166.683°E / -13.417; 166.683
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Toga
Native name:
Toge
Map of Toga island
Geography
LocationPacific Ocean
Coordinates13°25′S 166°41′E / 13.417°S 166.683°E / -13.417; 166.683
ArchipelagoVanuatu, Torres Islands
Area18.8[1] km2 (7.3 sq mi)
Highest elevation104 m (341 ft)
Highest pointMt Lemeura
Administration
ProvinceTorba Province
Largest settlementSola
Demographics
Population250 (2012)

Toga is an island in the Torres group, within the Torba Province of Vanuatu.[2][3][4]

Geography

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Toga Island is the most southern of the Torres Islands. The island's size is 6 km by 4.5 km. The estimated terrain elevation above sea level is 104 meters.[5] Toga is surrounded by a narrow fringing reef quickly dropping off into deep water. The summit of the island is Mt Lemeura (locally Lēmere [ˈlemərə]) located on the western side of the island.[6] The climate on Toga is humid tropical. The average annual rainfall is about 4000 mm. The island is subject to frequent cyclones and earthquakes.

Population

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Toga is the most populated island in the Torres Islands, with about 250 people. They speak the Toga dialect of the Lo-Toga language. The population lives in two villages: Liqal [liˈkʷal] and Litew [liˈtəw]. An ancient village, now abandoned, was called Qururetaqō [kʷurʉrətakʷo].

Fauna

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Barn owls are known to live in the area. Many samples of the owl's bones were found in a cave in Toga, which were reviewed by scientists. Their prey were geckos and rats.[7]

Name

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The name Toga [toɣa] comes from the Mota language, which was used as the primary language of the Melanesian Mission. Locally, the island is called Toge [ˈtɔɣə] in Lo-Toga and in Hiw. Both these names come from a Proto-Torres-Banks form *Toɣa.

References

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  1. ^ "Vanuatu". Haos Blong Volkeno. Retrieved 8 August 2018.
  2. ^ "Welcome to Torres Islands". Lonely Planet. Retrieved 5 August 2018.
  3. ^ "Torres". Vanuatu Travel. Retrieved 5 August 2018.
  4. ^ "Torres Islands". Encyclopædia Britannica. Retrieved 5 August 2018.
  5. ^ "Toga Island". Geoview. Retrieved 5 August 2018.
  6. ^ Seech, John. "Toga Island, Vanuatu - John Seach". Vanuatu Travel. Retrieved 5 August 2018.
  7. ^ Ineich, Ivan; Pregill, Gregory; Fontaine, Benoit; Olivier, Gargominy (2012-09-01). "Banded geckos, Gekko vittatus (Reptilia, Gekkonidae), as the main prey of barn owls (Tyto alba) on the Torres Islands (northern Vanuatu)". New Zealand Journal of Zoology. 39 (3): 179–185. doi:10.1080/03014223.2011.627565.