Misima Island

Misima Island
Nickname: St. Aignan Island

Misima Island photo
Geography
Location Oceania
Coordinates 10°41′S 152°43′E / 10.683°S 152.717°E / -10.683; 152.717Coordinates: 10°41′S 152°43′E / 10.683°S 152.717°E / -10.683; 152.717
Archipelago Louisiade Archipelago
Adjacent bodies of water Solomon Sea
Total islands 3
Major islands
Area 215 km2 (83 sq mi)
Length 40 km (25 mi)
Width 10 km (6 mi)
Highest elevation 1,036 m (3,399 ft)
Highest point Mount Koia Tau
Administration
Province  Milne Bay
District Samarai-Murua District
LLG [1] Louisiade Rural Local Level Government Area
Island Group Misima Islands
Largest settlement
Bwagaoia
(population 2680)
Demographics
Demonym Papuan people
Population 19,330 (as of 2014)
Density 89.9 /km2 (232.8 /sq mi)
Ethnic groups Papauans, Austronesians, Melanesians.
Additional information
Time zone
Official website www.ncdc.gov.pg
ISO Code = PG-MBA
Location within Louisiade Archipelago
Misima Island from space
Misima Mine and Bwagaoia from space

Misima (formerly called St. Aignan) is a volcanic island in the northwest of Louisiade Archipelago within Milne Bay Province of Papua New Guinea.

History

Misima Island was inhabited by Polynesians since about 1500 BC. The island was sighted in 1768 by French captain Louis Antoine de Bougainville and explored 1793 by French explorer Antoine Bruni d'Entrecasteaux. Misima island owes its name to Élisabeth-Paul-Édouard de Rossel, which was a lieutenant of the Counter admiral Antoine Bruny d'Entrecasteaux during his journey of scientific exploration. In 1888 the British Empire annexed Misima Island, and it became part of British New Guinea (since 1904 - the Territory of Papua administered by Australia).

At the end of the 1890s gold was discovered on Misima. Their actual mining began early in th XX century. Since 1975, Misima belongs to the independent state of Papua New Guinea. A gold and silver mine was opened on the island in 1990, by an international corporation. The mines provided plenty of work for the islanders. however, that mine was officially closed in 2004, because of excessive load on the environment and public health hazards.[2]

Politics

The island is within the Samarai Murua District.

Geography

The island measures 40 km by 10 km and has an area of 214,5 km². It is located some 20 km north of the northwest extreme of the barrier reef of Vanatinai at Isu Raua Raua Island, and 80 km northwest of Vanatinai Island itself. Misima is mountainous and densely forested. Mt. Koia Tau, at a height of 1,036 meters, is the highest peak of the Louisiade Archipelago. The island itself is of Volcanic Origin and covered with thick vegetation.

Climate

The local climate is tropical, moderated by northeast trade winds, with a dry season from 1 December to 31 May, and a wet season from 1 June to 30 November. it is usually very humid. Since it is fairly close to the equator, the temperature does not fluctuate much between winter and summer.

Economy

Misima island is known as a mining island. A huge mine operated many years on the island. The mine was a joint venture by Placer Dome Inc (owning 80%) and the state-owned Orogen Minerals Ltd. In March 2012 Barrick closed its post closure monitoring office in Bwagaoia having successfully rehabilitated the mine and mill sites.

Since 2004 when the mine closed, artisanal mining has become a major source of income in the island, with an association Misima Alluvial Gold Mining Association (MAGMA) starting in 2007. Other sources of income, especially for people living on the north coast, are cash crops of coconuts, copra, and cacao. A commercial fisheries project has been proposed, but has not been developed yet.

Demographics

The island has a populatioin of 19,330, spread across 78 villages, Misima is the most heavily populated island in the Louisiade Archipelago. By area, it is the third largest, after Vanatinai and Rossel Island. Since the mines have closed, there are signs of population decrease. people are moving to Alotau for jobs.

Urbanization

The main town of the island and the seat of the district is Bwagaoia, located on the southeast corner of the island. Other villages are Hinauta, Boiou, Gulewa, Bagilina, Liak, Siagara, Eiaus (on the eastern north coast, reachable by road from Bwagaoia), Gulewa and Ewena (on the western north coast), and Bwagabwaga, Gaibobo and Alhoga (on the south coast).[3]

Cities

1.305728181572548

Village Name Ward Population Coordinates
Bwagaoia 03 Bwagaoia 268010°40′45″S 152°50′47″E / 10.679228°S 152.846404°E / -10.679228; 152.846404
Balmatana 30 Baimatana 32310°40′25″S 152°51′59″E / 10.673647°S 152.866527°E / -10.673647; 152.866527
Hinauta 04 Hinauta 50910°39′49″S 152°51′38″E / 10.663595°S 152.860578°E / -10.663595; 152.860578
Lobwa 31 Lobwa 28510°39′09″S 152°51′10″E / 10.652514°S 152.852762°E / -10.652514; 152.852762
Gigig 05 Kaubwaga 62710°38′53″S 152°51′04″E / 10.64805°S 152.851101°E / -10.64805; 152.851101
Kaubwaga 05 Kaubwaga 50410°38′47″S 152°50′53″E / 10.646257°S 152.848137°E / -10.646257; 152.848137
Boiou 06 Boiou 64010°37′39″S 152°48′54″E / 10.627445°S 152.814962°E / -10.627445; 152.814962
Ginul 06 Boiou 26210°37′34″S 152°48′17″E / 10.62614°S 152.804615°E / -10.62614; 152.804615
Hopitkahin 07 Siagara East 86210°36′39″S 152°47′30″E / 10.610698°S 152.791768°E / -10.610698; 152.791768
Kalotawa 08 Siagara West 102410°37′44″S 152°45′59″E / 10.629022°S 152.766261°E / -10.629022; 152.766261
Gulewa 09 Gulewa 76810°38′16″S 152°44′17″E / 10.6379°S 152.738°E / -10.6379; 152.738
Kakamwa 09 Gulewa 32910°38′24″S 152°43′22″E / 10.64°S 152.7227°E / -10.64; 152.7227
Liak 10 Liak 152310°39′00″S 152°42′11″E / 10.65°S 152.703°E / -10.65; 152.703
Bagilina 12 Bagilina 63610°39′18″S 152°40′29″E / 10.655126°S 152.674738°E / -10.655126; 152.674738
Lalama 12 Bagilina 57810°38′58″S 152°39′23″E / 10.649457°S 152.656382°E / -10.649457; 152.656382
Ewena 13 Ewena 51610°37′19″S 152°33′36″E / 10.622°S 152.56°E / -10.622; 152.56
Ebora 14 Ebora 67910°37′46″S 152°31′30″E / 10.62956°S 152.524873°E / -10.62956; 152.524873
Bwana 32 Bwana 13810°39′40″S 152°35′18″E / 10.661051°S 152.588471°E / -10.661051; 152.588471
Bwagabwaga 15 Bwagabwaga 53510°41′10″S 152°42′39″E / 10.686105°S 152.710968°E / -10.686105; 152.710968
Gigimwani 16 Awaibi 50110°41′54″S 152°41′42″E / 10.698386°S 152.695093°E / -10.698386; 152.695093
Awaibi 16 Awaibi 25210°42′08″S 152°42′08″E / 10.702186°S 152.70222°E / -10.702186; 152.70222
Bwaeyam 16 Awaibi 26410°42′26″S 152°42′54″E / 10.707154°S 152.71499°E / -10.707154; 152.71499
Alhoga 17 Alhoga 37910°42′49″S 152°44′31″E / 10.713743°S 152.741871°E / -10.713743; 152.741871
Lohola 17 Alhoga 30010°42′59″S 152°45′19″E / 10.716368°S 152.75533°E / -10.716368; 152.75533
Mwana (Tribes of Eaus River) 18 Eaus North 88810°40′30″S 152°45′11″E / 10.675°S 152.753°E / -10.675; 152.753
Eaus (Palapa) 19 Eaus South 98010°41′46″S 152°45′56″E / 10.696203°S 152.765643°E / -10.696203; 152.765643
Abalouna 19 Eaus South 56410°41′48″S 152°46′41″E / 10.696653°S 152.777925°E / -10.696653; 152.777925
Quartz Mountain (Misima mines) 02 Narian 22210°41′S 152°47′E / 10.69°S 152.79°E / -10.69; 152.79
Narian 02 Narian 83610°41′25″S 152°48′44″E / 10.690259°S 152.812086°E / -10.690259; 152.812086
Gaibobo 20 Gaibobo 73110°41′31″S 152°49′13″E / 10.691979°S 152.820156°E / -10.691979; 152.820156

Religion

About half the population identified themselves as members of a Christian church. see Religion in Papua New Guinea for more info.

Language

The main language of the island is also called Misiman, though many residents speak English and also Tok Pisin as a third language.

Transportation

Misima has a working airport (IATA: MIS, ICAO: AYMM) (four flights weekly to the mainland (POM via Alotau) through Airlines of Papua New Guinea, and one charter run by Porgera Joint Venture, a high school (grades 7-10), a small market, a few small stores and a clinic/hospital, a post office,--all of which are located in Bwagaoia. There are ferries from Alotau which service Misima Island, costing around K100 and taking 17 hours.

Flora and Fauna

The following mammals are there for:

References

External links


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