Dravuni (pronounced ) is a

volcanic island Geologically, a high island or volcanic island is an island of volcanic origin. The term can be used to distinguish such islands from low islands, which are formed from sedimentation or the uplifting of coral reefs (which have often formed ...

in the

Kadavu Group The Kadavu Group is an archipelago south of Viti Levu, one of Fiji's two main islands. Dominated by Kadavu Island, the fourth largest island in Fiji, the group also includes Ono, Dravuni, Galoa and a number of islets in the Great Astrolabe Reef ...

of islands in

Fiji Fiji ( , ,; fj, Viti, ; Fiji Hindi: फ़िजी, ''Fijī''), officially the Republic of Fiji, is an island country in Melanesia, part of Oceania in the South Pacific Ocean. It lies about north-northeast of New Zealand. Fiji consists ...

. Covering an area of , it is located at 18.78° South and 178.53° East, and reaches a maximum altitude of . The island is inhabited by approximately 125 people and is the most northern of several inhabited islands within the

Great Astrolabe Reef The Great Astrolabe Reef is in Fiji and surrounds the fourth largest island, Kadavu Island, which is approximately 65 km in length. Kadavu Island is approximately 100 km south of Viti Levu, the main island of Fiji. The Great Astrolabe ...

. Just north of the Astrolabe lies Solo Reef, an atoll where according to local legend there used to be a village that sunk into the sea. Villagers who fish there respect this legendary village by not throwing garbage overboard. Dravuni is also home to

The University of the South Pacific The University of the South Pacific (USP) is a public research university with locations spread throughout a dozen countries in Oceania. Established in 1968, the university is organised as an intergovernmental organisation and is owned by the gov ...

(USP) research facility which is currently being used by Coral Cay Conservation as the main base for conducting surveys on the reefs by invitation of the Fijian Ministry of Tourism. The former

Foreign Minister A foreign affairs minister or minister of foreign affairs (less commonly minister for foreign affairs) is generally a cabinet minister in charge of a state's foreign policy and relations. The formal title of the top official varies between cou ...

and diplomat

Kaliopate Tavola Kaliopate Tavola (born 1946) is a Fijian Agricultural economist, diplomat, and politician, who was his country's Minister for Foreign Affairs from 2000 to 2006. He was also Minister for External Trade and Minister for Sugar. Diplomatic caree ...

is a native of Dravuni.

References

External links

Coral Cay homepage

Kaliopate Tavola's website on Dravuni history and culture
Kadavu Group Islands of Fiji {{Fiji-geo-stub