What does Viti Levu mean in Fijian?

What does Viti Levu mean in Fijian?

Great Fiji
Viti Levu, largest island (4,026 square miles [10,429 square km]) of Fiji, west of the Koro Sea in the South Pacific Ocean. Its name means “Great Fiji.” Sighted (1789) by Capt. Suva, the Fijian capital, is situated on the island’s southeastern coast and has an excellent harbour.

What is Viti Levu known for?

Regarded as the “Adventure Capital of Fiji,” activities include zip lining through the rainforest, whitewater rafting and kayaking on the Navua River, surfing, horseback riding, hiking, deep-sea fishing, diving and snorkeling.

How was Viti Levu formed?

The oldest rocks on the island are those formed during the Eocene and Lower Miocene epochs that belong to the Wainimala group. The lower portion of the group is made up of volcanic flows and volcanoclastics, which grade from basalt to trachyte and rhyolite.

Who sighted Viti Levu?

navigator Abel Tasman
Fiji’s oral history goes back some 2,500 years, when the current indigenous residents’ ancestors landed on Viti Levu, but the first European eyes in these parts belonged to Dutch navigator Abel Tasman, who sighted Vanua Levu Island and some others in 1643.

What is the meaning of Viti?

(Viti Pronunciations) Name Viti generally means Light, is of Indian origin, Name Viti is a Feminine (or Girl) name.

What is the meaning of Levu?

[ n ] a volcanic island in the Fijis.

What is the largest lake in Fiji?

Lake Tagimaucia
The largest, Lake Tagimaucia on Taveuni Island, is only 2 3 ha in area. The only significant brackish and saline lakes are Ngalongalo Lake, Ngasauva Salt Lagoon and Lake Ndrano on Vanua Levu, and a small marine lake on uaqava (Vuanggava) Island in the Lau Group.

How was Fiji formed geologically?

Fiji has a complex geologic history. Based on a submerged platform of ancient formation, the Fiji islands are largely the product of volcanic action, sedimentary deposit, and formations of coral. Viti Levu has an area of about 4,000 square miles (10,000 square km) and accounts for more than half of Fiji’s land area.

How were the Fiji islands formed?

The majority of Fiji’s islands were formed by volcanic activity starting around 150 million years ago. Some geothermal activity still occurs today on the islands of Vanua Levu and Taveuni.

Who was the first person to sight Vanua Levu?

Dutch navigator Abel Tasman
The Dutch navigator Abel Tasman was the first known European to sight Vanua Levu, in 1643.

Who discovered Kiribati?

Spanish explorers sighted some of the islands in the 16th century, but most of Kiribati was not charted until the early 19th century, when first whalers and then coconut oil traders reached the islands. From the mid-19th century, Gilbert Islanders were recruited to work on plantations elsewhere in the region.

How big is the island of Viti Levu?

Viti Levu is the largest island in the nation, home to 70% of the population (about 600,000), and is the hub of the entire Fijian archipelago. The island measures 146 kilometres (91 mi) long and 106 kilometres (66 mi) wide, and has an area of 10,389 square kilometres (4,011 sq mi).

What kind of pigeon is the Viti Levu?

The Viti Levu giant pigeon (Natunaornis gigoura) is an extinct flightless pigeon of Viti Levu, the largest island in Fiji. It was only slightly smaller than the dodo (Raphus cucullatus) and Rodrigues solitaire (Pezophaps solitaria) and is the first giant, flightless pigeon to be discovered on a Pacific island.

Which is the capital city of Viti Levu?

Viti Levu hosts the capital city of Suva, and is home to nearly three quarters of the population of the Republic (about 580,000). Other important towns, all around the coast, include Ba, Lautoka, Nadi, Nausori, Rakiraki, and Sigatoka. One major road has been built around the perimeter of Viti Levu.

Which is longer Viti Levu or Vanua Levu?

Viti Levu is believed to have been inhabited longer than the island of Vanua Levu, which lies to its north. According to oral tradition, the first Melanesian settlers landed at Vuda Point and established Viseisei as Fiji’s first oldest settlement. There is archaeological evidence contradicting this account.

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