Luganville

Last updated
Luganville
Santo
Main Street Luganville (28661070193).jpg
Luganville main street Boulevard Higinson
Flag of Luganville.gif
Flag
Vanuatu location map.svg
Red pog.svg
Luganville
Location in Vanuatu
Coordinates: 15°32′S167°10′E / 15.533°S 167.167°E / -15.533; 167.167
Country Flag of Vanuatu.svg  Vanuatu
Province Sanma Province
Island Espiritu Santo
Government
 • MayorAlan Awa (2021—present) [1] [2]
Area
 • Total8.32 km2 (3.21 sq mi)
Elevation
8 m (26 ft)
Population
 (2020 census) [3]
 • Total18,062
 • Density2,200/km2 (5,600/sq mi)
Time zone UTC+11 (VUT)

Luganville is the second largest city in Vanuatu after the capital Port Vila; it is located on the island of Espiritu Santo and has a population of 18,062 as of the 2020 census. [3] Those on Vanuatu's northern islands who regard Luganville as their big city, particularly indigenous populations, call it Santo; rural residents of Espiritu Santo call it Kanal (from French "second canal"). [4] Luganville served as a major base of operations for American troops during World War II. [5]

Contents

Boulevard Higinson, the main street that runs through Luganville, contains mainly tourist boutiques and general stores. [6] During WWII, the Americans used the Espiritu Santo as a military base; as a result of the occupation, Boulevard Higinson is unusually wide, as a base commander insisted that four tanks should be able to drive along the road simultaneously. [7] At one end of Higinson is the port, one of two main ports for the island. [5]

History

World War II

During World War II, the American military erected two bases on two islands of what is now Vanuatu (a British-French colony known then as New Hebrides), one of which being Espiritu Santo. [8] A village of small, spaced-out communities was established into one city: Luganville. [9] Base Button is the largest U.S. base in the South Pacific, covering 38 miles, and was used mainly for maintenance and supply storage. [8] [10] [5] Luganville was a major part of preparing American units for the Guadalcanal campaign. [11] Four airfields were built; Palikulo Bay Airfield, Turtle Bay Airfield, and Luganville Airfield no longer exist, but the Bomber 3 was turned into Santo-Pekoa International Airport. [5] [10] [11] Other facilities built were five military hospitals, Luganville Seaplane Base, Pontoon Wharf, a floating drydock, and thousands of Quonset huts. [5] [11]

Luganville is home to the South Pacific WWII Museum dedicated to preserving the history of World War II across the South Pacific region initiated in 2012 by the mayor Peter Sakita. [12]

Independence

By the second half of the 20th century, Luganville was largely French-speaking and initially resisted the attempts to gain independence leading up to its declaration on July 30, 1980. [13] French troops initially attempted to quash the flag-raising in Luganville, but returned to France in August instead. [14] Some unrest arose between political parties vying for power, but has since been largely peaceful. [15] [16] [17]

Population

As of the 2016 census, 98.7% of Luganville was of Melanesian and/or Ni-Vanuatu descent. [18] Those of non-Melanesian descent are a minority and are European, other Pacific Islander, and Asian peoples. [19]

Part of the city is formed by squatted informal settlements such as La Milice, Mango, Pepsi, Rowok, Sarakata and St Michel. Mango was first settled by Vietnamese migrants who constructed shelters out of scrap metal left behind by the United States Army. The Vietnamese were repatriated in the 1960s and it was then occupied by Ni-Vanuatu migrants. [20]

Economy and infrastructure

Luganville's economy suffered after Vanuatu declared independence in 1980. [13] It has a strong tourist industry, namely in the areas of World War II artifacts and scuba diving (SS President Coolidge is a popular site as are the coral reefs), and is a destination for many cruise lines. [17] Its other main industries are agriculture, cattle, and offshore financial services. [21] The market along Boulevard Higinson is popular for its inexpensive food. [22]

Luganville market on a Sunday afternoon. Luganville Market - Sunday Afternoon (30580104844).jpg
Luganville market on a Sunday afternoon.

Northern Provincial Hospital is one of two main referring hospitals on Espiritu Santo and serves people from other northern islands in Vanuatu as well as its own residents. [23] Luganville is home to Vanuatu Health Training Institute, one of the two medical training schools on the island, but there are not enough graduates to prevent a shortage of medical professionals. [24] Though medical expenses make up 50% of the government's budget, the hospital still relies heavily on donations. [24] [25]

There are six main banking organizations in Luganville: Reserve Bank of Vanuatu, Wanfuteng Bank, the National Bank of Vanuatu, Bank South Pacific, BRED Bank, and ANZ Bank. [26] [27] [28] [29] [30]

Broadband internet was not available in Luganville until late 2006. [22]

Transportation

Luganville is one of Vanuatu's busiest ports, especially as a transshipment point for copra, coconut oil, and cacao. [31] [22] Canal du Segond, the body of water separating the main island and Luganville from Aore Island, provides the town with an excellent sheltered harbour. [31] The town is served by Santo-Pekoa International Airport, the second largest airport in Vanuatu. [32] The city is also serviced by a number of taxis, buses, and public transport trucks. [22]

Climate

Luganville features a tropical rainforest climate (Af) under the Köppen climate classification. The town features relatively constant temperatures year-round, with average temperature hovering around 25 °C or 77 °F. Average precipitation is roughly 2,920 millimetres or 110 inches annually. [33]

Climate data for Luganville
MonthJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecYear
Average high °C (°F)29
(85)		30
(86)		29
(85)		29
(84)		28
(83)		28
(82)		27
(80)		27
(81)		28
(82)		29
(84)		29
(85)		30
(86)		28
(83)
Average low °C (°F)26
(79)		26
(79)		26
(79)		26
(78)		24
(76)		24
(75)		23
(74)		23
(73)		23
(74)		24
(75)		24
(76)		26
(78)		24
(76)
Average rainfall mm (inches)370
(14.4)		370
(14.4)		360
(14.1)		260
(10.3)		170
(6.5)		150
(5.8)		79
(3.1)		64
(2.5)		110
(4.2)		130
(5.3)		200
(8.0)		240
(9.4)		2,503
(98)
Source: Meteoblue [34]

Twin towns – sister cities

Luganville is twinned with:

Notes

  1. ↑ Ayong, Steve (2021-06-10). "Renovation of historic Luganville town hall almost complete". VBTC. Retrieved 2021-07-15.
  2. ↑ Ligo, Godwin (2019-10-07). "New Mayor Outlines Priorities". Daily Post. Retrieved 2021-07-15.
  3. 1 2 "Vanuatu 2020 National Population and Housing Census Preliminary Results has been released on Wednesday 30th June 2021". Vanuatu National Statistics Office. 2021-06-30. Retrieved 2021-07-15.
  4. ↑ "Luganville". Famous Wonders. n.d. Retrieved 2021-07-15.
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 Stone, Peter (1997). The Lady and the President: The Life and Loss of the S.S. President Coolidge . Retrieved 2021-07-15.
  6. ↑ "Shopping: Vanuatu". Arrival Guides. n.d. Retrieved 2021-07-15.
  7. ↑ "Luganville – Espirito [sic] Santo". Norwegian Cruise Lines. n.d. Retrieved 2021-07-15.
  8. 1 2 Johnson, Tambrie (2021-03-31). "The South Pacific's Premier World War II Museum". HistoryNet. Retrieved 2021-07-15.
  9. ↑ "Espiritu Santo & WWII". Santo Travel. n.d. Retrieved 2021-07-15.
  10. 1 2 Kosmidis, Pierre (n.d.). "The South Pacific's WW2 forgotten base". World War 2 Wrecks. Retrieved 2021-07-15.
  11. 1 2 3 "Santo Bases". South Pacific WW2 Museum. n.d. Retrieved 2021-07-15.
  12. ↑ "The South Pacific's Premier World War II Museum". HistoryNet. 1 April 2021. Retrieved 4 June 2023.
  13. 1 2 Stanley, David (1989). South Pacific Handbook . Retrieved 2021-07-15.
  14. ↑ "Vanuatu - a brief history". RNZ. n.d. Retrieved 2021-07-15.
  15. ↑ MacClancy, J.V. (1984). "Vanuatu since Independence: 1980-83". The Journal of Pacific History. 19 (2): 100–112. Retrieved 2021-07-15.
  16. ↑ Westoby, Peter; Brown, M. Anne (2007). "Peaceful Community Development in Vanuatu: A Reflection on the Vanuatu Kastom Governance Partnership". Journal of Peacebuilding and Development. 3 (3): 77–81. doi: 10.1080/15423166.2007.390449351269 . Retrieved 2021-07-15.
  17. 1 2 Munk Klint, Louise; Jiang, Min; Law, Alexandra; Delacy, Terry; Filep, Sebastian; Calgaro, Emma; Dominey-Howes, Dale; Harrison, David (2012). "Dive Tourism in Luganville, Vanuatu: Shocks, Stressors, and Vulnerability to Climate Change" (PDF). Tourism in Marine Environments. 8 (1/2): 91–109. doi:10.3727/154427312X13262430524225. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2018-07-19. Retrieved 2021-07-16.
  18. ↑ "Luganville". City Population. n.d. Retrieved 2021-07-15.
  19. ↑ "Vanuatu (12/03)". US Department of State. n.d. Retrieved 2021-07-15.
  20. ↑ Hill, David; Chung, Margaret (2020). "Urban informal settlements in Vanuatu: Challenge for equitable development" (PDF). Report prepared for Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat and UN Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific, Pacific Operation Centre. Retrieved 16 March 2021.
  21. ↑ Illsley, C.L. (2019-11-14). "What Are The Biggest Industries In Vanuatu?". World Atlas. Retrieved 2021-07-16.
  22. 1 2 3 4 "Luganville" (PDF). Luganville Youth Council. n.d. Retrieved 2021-07-16.
  23. ↑ "Northern Provincial Hospital". Doctors Assisting in South-Pacific Islands. n.d. Retrieved 2021-07-16.
  24. 1 2 World Health Organization, Regional Office for the Western Pacific (2013). Human resources for health country profiles : Republic of Vanuatu (Report). Manila: WHO Regional Office for the Western Pacific. Retrieved 2021-07-16.
  25. ↑ "NORTHERN PROVINCIAL HOSPITAL". Vanuatu Ministry of Health. 2017. Retrieved 2021-07-16.
  26. ↑ "Bank of South Pacific takes over Westpac Operations in Vanuatu". Daily Post. 2016-07-05. Retrieved 2021-07-16.
  27. ↑ "Opening of Wanfuteng Bank's New Branch in Santo a Success". Daily Post. 2021-05-01. Retrieved 2021-07-16.
  28. ↑ Garae, Len (2020-03-14). "Grassroots partner with National Bank". Daily Post. Retrieved 2021-07-16.
  29. ↑ Willie, Glenda (2019-08-23). "BRED Bank Expands Services". Daily Post. Retrieved 2021-07-16.
  30. ↑ Garae, Len (2016-12-08). "Governor applauds ANZ". Daily Post. Retrieved 2021-07-16.
  31. 1 2 "Initial Environmental Examination" (PDF). Ministry of Infrastructure and Public Utilities for Asian Development Bank. 2021. Retrieved 2021-07-16.
  32. ↑ "The 27 largest airports and airlines in Vanuatu". World Data. n.d. Retrieved 2021-07-16.
  33. ↑ "LUGANVILLE, VANUATU". weatherbase. n.d. Retrieved 2021-07-16.
  34. ↑ "Climate Luganville". Meteoblue. n.d. Retrieved 2021-07-16.
  35. ↑ "Government of Republic of Vanuatu chooses KK as its main office in Malaysia". New Sabah Times. 5 May 2013. Archived from the original on 2013-10-19. Retrieved 15 May 2013.
  36. ↑ "Sister city agreement reaping rewards". Vanuatu Daily Post . 6 May 2013. Retrieved 15 July 2013.
  37. ↑ "Luganville and Honiara establish sister city relations". Vanuatu Daily Post. 21 March 2013. Archived from the original on 14 July 2013. Retrieved 15 July 2013.
  38. ↑ "Port Vila strengthens sister agreement with Luganville". Vanuatu Daily Post. 26 September 2012. Archived from the original on 14 July 2013. Retrieved 15 July 2013.
  39. ↑ "EXTENDING AN INVITATION TO ESTABLISH A SISTER CITY RELATIONSHIP WITH THE CITY OF LUGANVILLE, VANUATU" (PDF). Government of Honolulu. 2003-08-13. Retrieved 2021-07-16.
  40. ↑ Ligo, Godwin (2019-07-10). "Luganville signs Sister City Agreement with Chinese counterpart". Daily Post. Retrieved 2021-07-16.
  41. ↑ Daily Post. "Australian city of Bundaberg and Luganville join forces to formalise sister city relationship". dailypost.vu. Daily Post. Retrieved 14 March 2023.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Vanuatu</span> Country in Oceania

Vanuatu, officially the Republic of Vanuatu, is an island country in Melanesia, located in the South Pacific Ocean. The archipelago, which is of volcanic origin, is 1,750 km (1,090 mi) east of northern Australia, 540 km (340 mi) northeast of New Caledonia, east of New Guinea, southeast of Solomon Islands, and west of Fiji.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Air Vanuatu</span> Flag carrier of Vanuatu

Air Vanuatu is an airline with its head office in the Air Vanuatu House, Port Vila, Vanuatu. It is Vanuatu's national flag carrier, operating to Australia, New Zealand, New Caledonia and points in the South Pacific. Its main base is Bauerfield International Airport, Port Vila.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Espiritu Santo</span> Island in Vanuatu

Espiritu Santo is the largest island in the nation of Vanuatu, with an area of 3,955.5 km2 (1,527.2 sq mi) and a population of around 40,000 according to the 2009 census.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sanma Province</span>

Sanma is a province located in the Northern part of the nation of Vanuatu, occupying the nation's largest island, Espiritu Santo, which is located approximately 2,500 km northeast of Sydney, Australia.

Port Olry is a small Francophone village on the island of Espiritu Santo in the Sanma Province of Vanuatu, with a population of 1,300, as estimated in 2009.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Santo International Airport</span> Airport in Luganville, Vanuatu

Santo International Airport is an airport in Luganville on Espiritu Santo in Vanuatu. The airport used to be called Santo-Pekoa International airport until it was renamed in the Vanuatu AIPV amendment released on 16 June 2021. Airports Vanuatu Limited provides aviation services for the airport.

Araki Island is a small rocky island with an area of 2.5 km², located 3 miles off the southern shores of Espiritu Santo, which is the largest island in the nation of Vanuatu.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Catholic Church in Vanuatu</span>

The Catholic Church in Vanuatu is part of the worldwide Catholic Church, under the spiritual leadership of the Pope in Rome. Catholics constitute 13% of the population of Vanuatu in 2022. The church is organized into one diocese based in the capital of Port Vila.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Luganville Airfield</span>

Luganville Airfield or Bomber Field #3 is a former World War II airfield on the island of Espiritu Santo in the New Hebrides Islands at the Espiritu Santo Naval Base.

Life expectancy in Vanuatu is 67 years for men, and 70 years for women.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Palikulo Bay Airfield</span>

Palikulo Bay Airfield or Bomber Field #1 is a former World War II airfield on the island of Espiritu Santo in the New Hebrides Islands at the Espiritu Santo Naval Base.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Turtle Bay Airfield</span>

Turtle Bay Airfield or Fighter Field #1 is a former World War II airfield on the island of Espiritu Santo in the New Hebrides Islands at the Espiritu Santo Naval Base.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Luganville Seaplane Base</span>

Luganville Seaplane Base is a former World War II seaplane base in the Segond Channel between the islands of Espiritu Santo and Aore Island in the New Hebrides Islands at the Espiritu Santo Naval Base.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Talua Theological Training Institute</span>

Talua Theological Training Institute, formerly known as Talua Ministry Training Centre, is a Bible College in Vanuatu, run by the Presbyterian Church of Vanuatu. It is located near Luganville on the island of Espiritu Santo.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cyclone Harold</span> Category 5 South Pacific cyclone in 2020

Severe Tropical Cyclone Harold was a very powerful tropical cyclone which caused widespread destruction in the Solomon Islands, Vanuatu, Fiji, and Tonga during April 2020. It was the first Category 5 tropical cyclone in 2020. The seventh named storm of the 2019–20 Australian region cyclone season, eighth named storm, and fourth severe tropical cyclone of the 2019–20 South Pacific cyclone season, Harold was first noted as a developing tropical low within a trough of low pressure during April 1, while it was located to the east of Papua New Guinea. Over the next day, the system moved south-eastwards over the Solomon Sea, before it was classified as a tropical cyclone and named Harold by the Australian Bureau of Meteorology. The system moved into the Fiji Meteorological Service's area of responsibility on April 2 and began to explosively intensify by April 3, reaching Category 4 status by April 4 on both scales. The next day, it further strengthened into a Category 5 severe tropical cyclone, the highest rating on the Australian scale. It made landfall on Espiritu Santo on April 6 and the next day, strengthening to its peak intensity, attaining Category 5-equivalent intensity on the Saffir–Simpson scale before making landfall on Pentecost Island. Moving east, it weakened below Category 5 intensity on both scales over subsequent days. It regained Category 5 severe tropical cyclone status while passing south of Fiji, before weakening and becoming extratropical on April 9.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Squatting in Vanuatu</span>

Squatting in the Republic of Vanuatu is the occupation of unused land or derelict buildings without the permission of the owner. After independence in 1980, informal settlements developed in cities such as Luganville and the capital Port Vila. Land in Vanuatu is either custom land owned by indigenous peoples or public land owned by the republic.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Naval Advance Base Espiritu Santo</span> Major World War 2 base

Naval Advance Base Espiritu Santo or Naval Base Espiritu Santo, most often just called Espiritu Santo, was a major advance Naval base that the U.S. Navy Seabees built during World War II to support the Allied effort in the Pacific. The base was located on the island of Espiritu Santo in the New Hebrides, now Vanuatu, in the South Pacific. The base also supported the U.S. Army and Army Air Corps, U.S. Coast Guard, and US Marine Corps. It was the first large advance base built in the Pacific. By the end of the war it had become the second-largest base in the theater. To keep ships tactically available there was a demand for bases that could repair and resupply the fleet at advance locations, rather than return them to the United States. Prior to December 7th, Pearl Harbor was the U.S. fleet's largest advance base in the Pacific. Espiritu became capable of all aspects necessary to support the Fleet's operations from fleet logistics in fuel, food, and ammunition, to transport embarkation for combat operations or returning to the continental United States. The ship repair facilities and drydocks were capable of attending to most damage and routine maintenance. Had it not existed, ships would have had to return to Pearl Harbor, Brisbane, or Sydney for major repairs and resupply. The base became a major R and R destination for the fleet.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Canal du Segond</span>

Canal du Segond, also known as Canal Pekoa and in English Segond Channel, literally "Second Channel," separates the island of Aore from the city of Luganville on main island of Espiritu Santo, Vanuatu.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">South Pacific WWII Museum</span> World War II museum in Vanuatu

The South Pacific WWII Museum is a military history museum located on the South Pacific island of Espiritu Santo in Vanuatu. The museum is dedicated to preserving and showcasing the history of World War II in the South Pacific region. It serves as an educational and commemorative destination, highlighting the island's role in the Pacific Theatre and rediscovering the lost history of the region.

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.