Gau (pronounced ) is an

island An island (or isle) is an isolated piece of habitat that is surrounded by a dramatically different habitat, such as water. Very small islands such as emergent land features on atolls can be called islets, skerries, cays or keys. An island ...

belonging to Fiji's Lomaiviti archipelago. Located at 18.00° S and 179.30 °E, it covers an area of , with a total shoreline that measures long, making it the fifth largest island in the Fijian archipelago. Its maximum

altitude Altitude or height (also sometimes known as depth) is a distance measurement, usually in the vertical or "up" direction, between a reference datum and a point or object. The exact definition and reference datum varies according to the context ...

is . The Gau Highlands

Important Bird Area An Important Bird and Biodiversity Area (IBA) is an area identified using an internationally agreed set of criteria as being globally important for the conservation of bird populations. IBA was developed and sites are identified by BirdLife Int ...

is an area covering the entire forested interior (just over 50% of the entire island) and measures . It contains populations of the critically endangered

Fiji petrel The Fiji petrel (''Pseudobulweria macgillivrayi''), also known as MacGillivray's petrel, is a small, dark gadfly petrel. The Fiji petrel was originally known from one immature specimen found in 1855 on Gau Island, Fiji by naturalist John MacGi ...

, and vulnerable shy ground-dove and collared petrel. The Fiji petrel's nesting habitat on the island contributes to its national significance as outlined in Fiji's Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan. It has one airstrip at Lovu, on the southern tip of the island, which receives planes from

Nausori International Airport Nausori International Airport , also known as Luvuluvu, is the secondary international airport in Fiji, behind Nadi International Airport. It is situated in Nausori on the south-eastern side of Viti Levu (Fiji's main island). Nausori Airport is r ...

. There are 16 villages on the island: Yadua, Vadra Vadra, Lovu, Levuka-i-Gau, Nukuloa, Nawaikama, Somosomo, Sawaeke (the chiefly village), Navukailagi, Qarani, Vione, Lekanai, Vanuaso, Nacavanadi, Malawai and Lamiti. There is one Secondary School on the island in Nawaikama, which also hosts hot springs nearby. Gau Island is widely regarded as one of the best Kava (Yaqona) strains 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 ...

. A marine research facility was established on Naviavia beach on the western coast of Gau in 2005 by the UK-based

non-governmental organization A non-governmental organization (NGO) or non-governmental organisation (see spelling differences) is an organization that generally is formed independent from government. They are typically nonprofit entities, and many of them are active in h ...

Frontier, commissioned by Dr. Joeli Veitayaki of the

University of 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 ...

, a native of Malawai on the eastern coast. Rugby sevens former

player-coach A player-coach (also playing coach, captain-coach, or player-manager) is a member of a sports team who simultaneously holds both playing and coaching duties. A player-coach may be a head coach or an assistant coach. They may make changes to the sq ...

of the Fijian national Sevens Team

Waisale Serevi Waisale Tikoisolomoni Serevi (born 20 May 1968) is a Fijian former rugby union football player and coach, and is a member of the World Rugby Hall of Fame. Serevi is renowned for his achievements in rugby sevens, while also enjoying a long car ...

is a native of Qarani, a small village to the northwest, which also contains a

post office A post office is a public facility and a retailer that provides mail services, such as accepting letters and parcels, providing post office boxes, and selling postage stamps, packaging, and stationery. Post offices may offer additional serv ...

and nursing station. The first

King of Fiji The monarchy of Fiji arose in the nineteenth century, when native ruler Seru Epenisa Cakobau consolidated control of the Fijian Islands in 1871 and declared himself King or paramount chief of Fiji ( fj, Tui Viti). In 1874, he voluntarily ced ...

Seru Epenisa Cakobau Ratu Seru Epenisa Cakobau (; occasionally spelled ''Cacobau'' or phonetically ''Thakombau'') (c.1815 – 1 February 1883) was a Fijian Ratu and warlord ('' Vunivalu'') who united part of Fiji's warring tribes under his leadership, establishing ...

grew up on the island, despite being born on the nearby island

Nairai Nairai is an island of Fiji belonging to the Lomaiviti Archipelago. The island is of volcanic origin and has a land area of about 30 square kilometers. Its population of approximately 1500-2000 Fijians lives in coastal villages. Economic activi ...

References

Islands of Fiji Lomaiviti Province Preliminary Register of Sites of National Significance in Fiji Important Bird Areas of Fiji {{Fiji-geo-stub