Merig
| Merig | |
|---|---|
| Island | |
|
Location of Merig in Banks Islands | |
  Merig Location in Vanuatu | |
| Coordinates: 14°19′S 167°48′E / 14.317°S 167.800°ECoordinates: 14°19′S 167°48′E / 14.317°S 167.800°E | |
| Country |
 Vanuatu |
| Province | Torba Province |
| Population (2009) | |
| • Total | 12 |
| Time zone | VUT (UTC+11) |
Merig is a small island located 20 km east of Gaua, in the Banks Islands of northern Vanuatu.
The island is about 800 meters wide, and has a circumference of 2.2 km.
History
The first recorded sighting of Merig Island by Europeans was by the Spanish expedition of Pedro Fernández de Quirós on 25 April 1606.[1] It was then named Île Sainte Claire.
Population
Merig is only inhabited by one household, consisting of 12 individuals.[2]
They speak Mwerlap,[3] the language of the neighbouring island Merelava.
References
- ↑ Sharp, Andrew The discovery of the Pacific Islands Oxford, 1960, p.65.
- ↑ "2009 National Census of Population and Housing: Summary Release" (PDF). Vanuatu National Statistics Office. 2009. Retrieved October 11, 2010.
- ↑ Languages of the Banks & Torres Islands.
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