Vasafua is an
islet
An islet is a very small, often unnamed island. Most definitions are not precise, but some suggest that an islet has little or no vegetation and cannot support human habitation. It may be made of rock, sand and/or hard coral; may be permanen ...
of
Funafuti
Funafuti is the capital of the island nation of Tuvalu. It has a population of 6,320 people (2017 census), and so it has more people than the rest of Tuvalu combined, with approximately 60% of the population. It consists of a narrow sweep of lan ...
,
Tuvalu
Tuvalu ( or ; formerly known as the Ellice Islands) is an island country and microstate in the Polynesian subregion of Oceania in the Pacific Ocean. Its islands are situated about midway between Hawaii and Australia. They lie east-nor ...
.
Vasafua is part of the
Funafuti Conservation Area
The Funafuti Conservation Area is a marine conservation area covering 33 square kilometers (12.74 square miles) of reef, lagoon and ''motu'' (islets) on the western side of Funafuti atoll in Tuvalu. The marine environment of the conservation area ...
, established in 1996 with the aim of preserving the natural fauna and flora of the area.
Vasafua was severely damaged by
Cyclone Pam
Severe Tropical Cyclone Pam was the second most intense tropical cyclone of the South Pacific Ocean in terms of sustained winds and is regarded as one of the worst natural disasters in the history of Vanuatu. A total of 15–16 people lost ...
. The coconut palms were washed away, leaving the islet as a sand bar.
, also known as Ava Amelia is a deep and narrow passage on the southwestern side of the atoll, 18.3 metres deep and 160 metres wide, separating the southern part of the atoll in the west, south of passage
Te Ava Papa and the still more northerly islet of
Fuafatu, and north of the islet of Vasafua.
References
Islands of Tuvalu
Pacific islands claimed under the Guano Islands Act
Funafuti
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