Makira

Makira

Makira and nearby islands
Location of Makira in Solomon Islands
Geography
Location	Solomon Islands
Coordinates	10°33′04″S 161°49′41″E / 10.55111°S 161.82806°ECoordinates: 10°33′04″S 161°49′41″E / 10.55111°S 161.82806°E
Area	3,190 km^2 (1,230 sq mi)
Country
Solomon Islands
Province	Makira-Ulawa Province
Largest settlement	Kirakira
Demographics
Population	~10,000 (as of 1999)

The island of Makira (also known as San Cristóbal) is the largest island of Makira-Ulawa Province in the Solomon Islands. The island is located east of Guadalcanal and south of Malaita. The largest and capital city is Kirakira.

The first recorded sighting by Europeans of Makira was by the Spanish expedition of Álvaro de Mendaña in June 1568. More precisely the sighting and also landing in Makira was due to a local voyage that set out from Guadalcanal in a small boat, in the accounts the brigantine Santiago, commanded by Álferez Hernando Énriquez and having Hernán Gallego as pilot. They charted it as San Cristóbal.^[1][2]

Pole for a ceremonial house (detail). Wood, Magura village (Makira, Solomon Islands), 17th century

Topographical map of Makira

References

1. Sharp, Andrew The discovery of the Pacific Islands Oxford, 1960, pp.46,47.
2. Brand, Donald D. The Pacific Basin: A History of its Geographical Explorations The American Geographical Society, New York, 1967, p.133.