This article does not cite any sources. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. Find sources: "Ratua, Vanuatu" – news · newspapers · books · scholar · JSTOR (April 2009) (Learn how and when to remove this message)

Ratua
Island
Ratua Location in Vanuatu
Coordinates: 15°36′44″S 167°10′52″E / 15.61222°S 167.18111°E / -15.61222; 167.18111
Country	Vanuatu
Province	Sanma Province
Area
• Total	0.59 km2 (0.23 sq mi)
Time zone	UTC+11 (VUT)
Website	Official website

Ratua, situated in the Vanuatu archipelago, is a 146-acre (59 ha) island located south of Espiritu Santo, between Aore and Malo islands.

History

In the early 1900s, during the Anglo-French condominium colony, when the Vanuatu archipelago was originally named New Hebrides until its independence in 1980, the island of Ratua was an uninhabited French coconut plantation where copra was produced.

Geography

The island is a rich sanctuary of flora and fauna, from active volcanoes, waterfalls, caves, reefs inhabited by sea tortoises and bright coral reefs, it is still covered by a plethora of flamboyant coconut and fruit trees.

Resort

In 2005, the island of Ratua became the property of a French nature lover who established a private resort which encapsulates the patrimonial association of nature preservation. The resort has adopted an "eco-friendly" philosophy, offering dynamic natural resources as well as employing local inhabitants of the island in order to grow and sustain their economy.

References

This section is empty. You can help by adding to it. (July 2010)

External links

• Official website - Ratua