View source for Earth:Wallis (island)

{{Short description|Island in Wallis and Futuna}}
{{for multi|the chiefdom in Wallis & Futuna|Uvea (Wallis and Futuna)|the island and municipality in New Caledonia|Ouvéa Island|and|Ouvéa|the languages|East Uvean|and|West Uvean}}
{{Infobox country
|conventional_long_name = Kingdom of {{okina}}Uvea
|native_name              = ''Pule{{okina}}aga Hau {{okina}}o {{okina}}Uvea''
|common_name              = Wallis
|image_flag               = Wallis and futuna flag.svg
|image_coat               = BlasonWallisetFutuna.svg
|image_map                = Wallis and Futuna on the globe (Polynesia centered).svg
|national_motto           = "Liberté, Egalité, Fraternité"<br/>{{small|(Motto of {{wipe|France}})}}
|official_languages       = {{unbulleted list |Wallisian {{small|(''{{okina}}Uvean'')}} |[[Social:French language|French]]}}
|demonym                  = Wallisian
|capital                  = [[Place:Mata Utu|Mata Utu]]
|coordinates              = {{Coord|13|18|S|176|12|W|region:WF_type:isle|display=inline,title}}
|largest_city             = capital
|government_type          = {{nowrap|Overseas collectivity}}
|leader_title1            = King {{small|(''Lavelua'')}}
|leader_name1             = Patalione Kanimoa
|leader_title2            = Prime Minister {{small|(''Kalae Kivalu'')}}
|leader_name2             = Setefano Hanisi
|leader_title3            = Bishop of Diocese
|leader_name3             = Susitino Sionepoe
|area_rank                = 211th
|area_km2                 = 96
|area_sq_mi               = 29.93 <!--Do not remove per WP:MOSNUM-->
|percent_water            = negligible
|population_census        = 8,333
|population_census_year   = 2018
|population_density_km2   = 111,36
|population_density_sq_mi = 149.9 <!--Do not remove per WP:MOSNUM-->
|sovereignty_type         = Traditional customary kingdom
|established_event1       = Overseas collectivity
|established_date1        = 29 July 1961
|currency                 = [[Finance:CFP franc|CFP franc]]
|utc_offset               = [[UTC+12:00|+12]]
|drives_on                = right
|cctld                    = .wf
|calling_code             = +681
|image_map2=File:Wallis Island.jpg|map_caption2=Detailed map of the island}}

'''Wallis''' (Wallisian: ''{{okina}}Uvea'') is a Polynesian [[Earth:Atoll|atoll]]/[[Earth:Island|island]] in the [[Earth:Pacific Ocean|Pacific Ocean]] belonging to the French overseas collectivity (''collectivité d'outre-mer'', or ''COM'') of Wallis and Futuna. It lies north of Tonga, northeast of Fiji, east-northeast of the Hoorn Islands, east of Fiji's [[Earth:Rotuma|Rotuma]], southeast of Tuvalu, southwest of Tokelau and west of Samoa. Its area is almost {{cvt|100|km2}} with 8,333 people. Its capital is [[Place:Mata Utu|Mata Utu]]. Roman Catholicism is the predominant [[Religion:Religion|religion]]. Its highest point is Mount Lulu Fakahega ({{cvt|131|m|ft|disp=comma}}). Wallis is of volcanic origin with fertile soil and some remaining lakes. Rainfall is plentiful.

It was part of the Tongan maritime empire from around the 13th to 16th century. By that time the influence of the Tu{{okina}}i Tonga had declined so much that {{okina}}Uvea became important in itself. The big fortress of Talietumu close to Lotoalahi in Mua was the last holdout of the Tongans until they were defeated. The island was renamed "Wallis" after a Cornish navigator, Captain Samuel Wallis, who saw it while sailing aboard {{HMS|Dolphin|1751|6}} on 16 August 1767. On 5 April 1842, the authorities of Wallis Island requested protection by France with a protectorate treaty signed in April 1887. After a [[Social:Referendum|referendum]] in 1959, Wallis became a French Overseas Territory in 1961.

== Geography ==
[[File:WF -Wallis.png|thumb|left|upright=1.25|Map of the Wallis Islands]]

The island has an area of {{cvt|77.5|km2|abbr=on}} and a circumference of c. {{cvt|50|km|mi|abbr=on}}. Its highest point is Mount Lulu Fakahega, which rises {{cvt|131|m|ft}}. There are also a few large lakes such as Lake Lalolalo. These [[Earth:Volcanic crater lake|crater lake]]s attest to the island's volcanic origin. Some of the lakes, such as Lalolalo and Lanu'tavake appear as almost perfect circles with straight vertical walls.

[[File:Lano Lalolalo.jpg|thumb|upright=1.25|Lake Lalolalo]]
Wallis Island is located {{cvt|240|km|mi|abbr=on}} northeast of Futuna and Alofi islands which form the Hoorn archipelago. Together with some 15 smaller islands surrounding it, on its huge [[Earth:Coral reef|barrier reef]], it forms the Wallis archipelago. Wallis has a fertile volcanic soil and sufficient rainfall to allow subsistence farming.

Wallis is subdivided into three districts (north to south):

*Hihifo: 5 villages: Vailala, Tufuone, Vaitupu, Malae, and Alele
*Hahake: 6 villages: Liku, Aka'aka, Mata Utu, Ahoa, Falaleu, and Ha'afuasia
*Mu'a: 10 villages: Lavegahau, Tepa, Gahi, Ha’atofo,  Mala’efo’ou, Kolopo, Halalo, Utufua, Vaimalau, and Teesi

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:right;"
! District ("meaning")
! Capital
! Area<br/>{{small|(km²)}} !! Population<br/>{{small|(2003 census)}} || Villages
|-style="background:#fff;"
|align="left"| Hihifo ("West")
|align="left"| Vaitupu
| 23.4 ||  2422 ||  5
|-style="background:#fff;"
|align="left"| Hahake ("East")
|align="left"| [[Place:Mata Utu|Mata Utu]]
| 27.8 ||  3950 ||  6
|-style="background:#fff;"
|align="left"| Mu'a ("First")
|align="left"| Mala'efo'ou<sup>A</sup>
| 26.3 ||  3699 || 10
|-style="background:#ddd;"
|align="left"| 'Uvea (Wallis) chiefdom
|align="left"| [[Place:Mata Utu|Mata Utu]]
| 77.5 || 10071 || 21
|} {{smaller|<sup>A</sup> Formerly called "Mua".}}
Sub-equatorial oceanic trade winds make the island hot and humid. The average temperature is around {{cvt|26|°C|0}} all year round and almost never drops below {{cvt|24|°C|0}}, and in the rainy season is held in the {{cvt|28|-|32|C|F}} range.

Rainfall is {{cvt|2500|–|3000|mm|in|abbr=on}} per year, up to {{cvt|4000|mm|abbr=on}} in Wallis and Futuna. This rain is likely at least 260 days in a year, and the humidity is 80%. The rainy season lasts from November to April. The same period (November to March), the season of storms, is associated with the passage over the territory of the islands of powerful [[Physics:Tropical cyclone|tropical cyclone]]s. It is followed, in May to October–December, by a cooler and drier season because of the predominance in this period of the southeast [[Earth:Trade winds|trade winds]].

===Climate===

==== Climate data of Wallis Island ====

Wallis (Hihifo District) has a [[Earth:Tropical rainforest climate|tropical rainforest climate]] ([[Earth:Köppen climate classification|Köppen climate classification]] ''Af''). The average annual temperature in Hihifo is {{cvt|27.6|C}}. The average annual rainfall is {{cvt|3278.7|mm}} with January as the wettest month. The temperatures are highest on average in April, at around {{cvt|28.0|C}}, and lowest in July, at around {{cvt|27.0|C}}. The highest temperature ever recorded in Hihifo was {{cvt|33.4|C}} on 29 April 2004; the coldest temperature ever recorded was {{cvt|18.0|C}} on 14 July 2014.
{{Weather box
|location = Hihifo, Wallis (1991–2020 averages, extremes 1971−present)
|metric first = yes
|single line = yes
|Jan record high C = 33.0
|Feb record high C = 33.0
|Mar record high C = 32.8
|Apr record high C = 33.4
|May record high C = 32.8
|Jun record high C = 32.1
|Jul record high C = 31.4
|Aug record high C = 31.5
|Sep record high C = 32.0
|Oct record high C = 31.9
|Nov record high C = 33.1
|Dec record high C = 32.7
|year record high C = 33.4
|Jan high C = 30.7
|Feb high C = 30.8
|Mar high C = 30.9
|Apr high C = 30.8
|May high C = 30.4
|Jun high C = 29.8
|Jul high C = 29.4
|Aug high C = 29.6
|Sep high C = 29.9
|Oct high C = 30.1
|Nov high C = 30.5
|Dec high C = 30.7
|year high C = 30.3
|Jan mean C = 27.9
|Feb mean C = 27.9
|Mar mean C = 27.9
|Apr mean C = 28.0
|May mean C = 27.7
|Jun mean C = 27.5
|Jul mean C = 27.0
|Aug mean C = 27.1
|Sep mean C = 27.3
|Oct mean C = 27.4
|Nov mean C = 27.6
|Dec mean C = 27.9
|year mean C = 27.6
|Jan low C = 25.0
|Feb low C = 25.0
|Mar low C = 25.0
|Apr low C = 25.1
|May low C = 25.0
|Jun low C = 25.1
|Jul low C = 24.6
|Aug low C = 24.6
|Sep low C = 24.8
|Oct low C = 24.7
|Nov low C = 24.8
|Dec low C = 25.0
|year low C = 24.9
|Jan record low C = 19.9
|Feb record low C = 20.5
|Mar record low C = 19.6
|Apr record low C = 19.3
|May record low C = 18.5
|Jun record low C = 19.7
|Jul record low C = 18.0
|Aug record low C = 18.4
|Sep record low C = 19.2
|Oct record low C = 19.5
|Nov record low C = 20.5
|Dec record low C = 19.5
|year record low C = 18.0
|precipitation colour = green
|Jan precipitation mm = 395.2
|Feb precipitation mm = 332.1
|Mar precipitation mm = 309.3
|Apr precipitation mm = 289.1
|May precipitation mm = 223.8
|Jun precipitation mm = 179.7
|Jul precipitation mm = 213.4
|Aug precipitation mm = 165.3
|Sep precipitation mm = 219.8
|Oct precipitation mm = 297.8
|Nov precipitation mm = 306.2
|Dec precipitation mm = 347.0
|year precipitation mm = 3278.7
|unit precipitation days = 1.0 mm
|Jan precipitation days = 20.2
|Feb precipitation days = 18.1
|Mar precipitation days = 19.3
|Apr precipitation days = 17.4
|May precipitation days = 16.7
|Jun precipitation days = 14.8
|Jul precipitation days = 15.6
|Aug precipitation days = 14.5
|Sep precipitation days = 15.4
|Oct precipitation days = 17.7
|Nov precipitation days = 18.0
|Dec precipitation days = 19.9
|year precipitation days = 207.6
|Jan sun = 170.9
|Feb sun = 161.4
|Mar sun = 175.4
|Apr sun = 185.9
|May sun = 180.8
|Jun sun = 167.9
|Jul sun = 179.8
|Aug sun = 192.5
|Sep sun = 191.0
|Oct sun = 187.4
|Nov sun = 181.6
|Dec sun = 175.2
|year sun = 2149.9
|source 1 = Météo France<ref>{{cite web |url=https://donneespubliques.meteofrance.fr/FichesClim/FICHECLIM_98613001.pdf |title=Climate of Hihifo 1991-2020 |language=fr |publisher=Météo-France |access-date=August 25, 2022 |archive-date=September 24, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220924173032/https://donneespubliques.meteofrance.fr/FichesClim/FICHECLIM_98613001.pdf |url-status=live }}</ref>}}

==== Climate crisis ====
Whilst Wallis is high enough to be in no danger of complete submersion due to the [[Earth:Sea level rise|rising sea-levels]], most of the population lives in coastal settlements which will be affected.<ref>{{Citation |last=Worliczek |first=Elisabeth |title=Local Perception of Climate Change in the Pacific Islands: fetogi i te natula on Wallis Island |date=2021 |url=https://link.springer.com/10.1007/978-3-030-57281-5_260 |work=Handbook of Climate Change Management |pages=4663–4686 |editor-last=Luetz |editor-first=Johannes M. |place=Cham |publisher=Springer International Publishing |language=en |doi=10.1007/978-3-030-57281-5_260 |isbn=978-3-030-57280-8 |access-date=2021-11-07 |editor2-last=Ayal |editor2-first=Desalegn}}</ref>

== History ==
Archaeological excavations have identified sites on Wallis dating from circa 1400 AD. It was part of the Tongan maritime empire from around the 13th to 16th century. By that time the influence of the Tu{{okina}}i Tonga had declined so much that {{okina}}Uvea became important in itself. Several current, high-ranking Tongan titles, like Halaevalu, trace their descent from {{okina}}Uvea. A legendary large canoe, the Lomipeau, was built on the island as a donation to the Tu{{okina}}i Tonga. The big fortress of Talietumu close to Lotoalahi in Mua was the last holdout of the Tongans until they were defeated. The ruins of the place are still a tourist attraction.

The island was renamed "Wallis" after a Cornish navigator, Captain Samuel Wallis, who saw it while sailing aboard {{HMS|Dolphin|1751|6}} on 16 August 1767, following his discovery of Tahiti.<ref>Hawkesworth et al, Volume 1, p 498</ref>

[[File:Talietumu.jpg|thumb|right|250px|Ruins of the fortress of Talietumu]]

In 1835, Uvea was attacked by a party of armed missionaries from Tonga, who attempted to convert the island to Protestantism by force.<ref name=Campbell1983>{{cite journal |url=http://www.jps.auckland.ac.nz/document//Volume_92_1983/Volume_92%2C_No._2/Imperialism%2C_dynasticism%2C_and_conversion%3A_Tongan_designs_on_%26apos%3BUvea_%28Wallis_Island%29%2C_1835-52%2C_by_I._C._Campbell%2C_p_155-168/p1 |title=Imperialism, dynasticism, and conversion: Tongan designs on 'Uvea (Wallis Island), 1835-52 |last1=Campbell |first1=I. C. |journal=Journal of the Polynesian Society |volume=92 |issue=2 |year=1983 |pages=155–168 |access-date=18 June 2022 |archive-date=11 February 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180211145214/http://www.jps.auckland.ac.nz/document//Volume_92_1983/Volume_92%2C_No._2/Imperialism%2C_dynasticism%2C_and_conversion%3A_Tongan_designs_on_%26apos%3BUvea_%28Wallis_Island%29%2C_1835-52%2C_by_I._C._Campbell%2C_p_155-168/p1 |url-status=live }}</ref> In October 1837, Jean-Baptiste Pompallier visited, and after negotiations with Lavelua, left a priest and a brother behind, ostensibly to learn the language and establish friendly relations.<ref name=Campbell1983/> Four years later they reported that Wallis was a Catholic community.<ref name=Campbell1983/> On 5 April 1842, the authorities of Wallis Island requested protection by France. A protectorate treaty was signed in April 1887.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.discoverfrance.net/Colonies/Wallis_Futuna2.shtml |title=French Colonies – Wallis and Futuna, Part 2 |website=www.discoverfrance.net |access-date=6 November 2018 |archive-date=9 February 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200209194043/http://www.discoverfrance.net/Colonies/Wallis_Futuna2.shtml |url-status=live }}</ref>

During World War II the island's administration was pro-[[Religion:Vichy France|Vichy]] until a Free French [[Engineering:Corvette|corvette]] from [[Earth:New Caledonia|New Caledonia]] deposed the regime on 26 May 1942. Units of the US Marine Corps landed on Wallis on 29 May 1942.<ref>p.213 Rottman, Gordon L. ''U.S. Marine Corps World War II Order of Battle: Ground and Air Units in the Pacific War, 1939-1945'' Greenwood Publishing Group, 2002</ref>

After a [[Social:Referendum|referendum]] in 1959, Wallis became a French Overseas Territory in 1961.

== Demographics ==
The population of the island was 8,333 in 2018 (72% of the territory's population). Most of the inhabitants speak {{okina}}Uvean (or Wallisian) as their mother tongue.

== Culture and religion ==
Religion ("Lotu") and culture ("Aga'ifenua") are very close in Wallis. Everyday life is heavily influenced by [[Place:Polynesia|Polynesia]]n traditions and especially by the Roman Catholic feasts. Each village has its own patron saint. Each district has its great church. The chief cathedral is the Cathedral of Mata Utu. Almost all the people are Roman Catholic ("Lotu Katolika"), and there are numerous religious buildings on the island.

At their arrival, Catholic missionaries were welcomed by the King Vaimua Lavelua then baptized "Soane-Patita Vaimua". Bishop Bataillon developed close relationships with the royal families. As Private Councillor of Queen Amelia, he established in 1847 the Lano Seminary (the first Catholic seminary of Oceania).

Lano celebrated 150 years in 1997. The anniversary was attended by Samoan Cardinal Pio Taofinu'u, who studied there in the 1940s, and a big delegation from Tonga, Samoa, Fiji and New-Caledonia.

Wallis and Futuna was established as an [[Religion:Apostolic vicariate|apostolic vicariate]] on 11 November 1935 and promoted to a [[Religion:Diocese|diocese]] on 21 June 1966.

== Transportation ==
The only commercial flights to Wallis are operated by the [[Earth:New Caledonia|New Caledonia]]-based Aircalin. There is an Aircalin office in Mata Utu in Hahake.

== Education==
The island has 12 primary schools,<ref name=Educ>"[http://www.wallis-et-futuna.pref.gouv.fr/content/download/930/6048/file/Livret%20d'accueil%20version%20site%20final%202.pdf LIVRET D'ACCUEIL Wallis et Futuna] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171010195840/http://www.wallis-et-futuna.pref.gouv.fr/content/download/930/6048/file/Livret%20d%27accueil%20version%20site%20final%202.pdf |date=2017-10-10 }}." Wallis and Futuna. p. 22 (22/28). Retrieved on September 14, 2016.</ref> four junior high schools, and one senior high school/sixth-form college.<ref>"[https://web.archive.org/web/20160624145135/https://www.ac-wf.wf/-Colleges-Lycee-.html Cartographie des établissements du second degré]." Wallis and Futuna. June 24, 2016. Retrieved on September 14, 2016.</ref>
*Junior high schools (''collèges'') in Wallis: Mataotama de Malae, Alofivai de Lano, Vaimoana de Lavegahau, and Tinemui de Teesi
*The senior high school/sixth-form college is Lycée d'Etat de Wallis et Futuna on Wallis

== Museums ==
Uvea Museum Association is a private museum in Mata Utu which records the history of the Second World War on the island.<ref name=":2">{{Cite journal |last1=Mayer |first1=Raymond |last2=Nau |first2=Malino |last3=Pambrun |first3=Eric |last4=Laurent |first4=Christophe |date=2006 |title=Chanter la guerre à Wallis ('Uvea) |url=https://journals.openedition.org/jso/614 |journal=Journal de la Société des Océanistes |language=fr |issue=122–123 |pages=153–171 |doi=10.4000/jso.614 |issn= |doi-access=free |access-date=2022-04-08 |archive-date=2022-04-08 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220408065358/https://journals.openedition.org/jso/614 |url-status=live }}</ref>

==Notable people==
*Ilaïsaane Lauouvéa - politician in New Caledonia

== See also ==
*Hihifo Airport
*Samoa hotspot

== References ==
{{reflist}}

== Bibliography ==
*E.G. Burrows, ''Ethnology of Uvea'', BPB 1937.
*{{cite gvp |vn=244050 |name=Wallis Islands}}
*{{Citation |last1=Hawkesworth |first1=John |last2=Byron |first2=John |author-link2=John Byron |last3=Wallis |first3=Samuel |author-link3=Samuel Wallis |last4=Carteret |first4=Philip |author-link4=Philip Carteret |last5=Cook |first5=James |author-link5=James Cook |last6=Banks |first6=Joseph |author-link6=Joseph Banks |title=An account of the voyages undertaken by the order of His present Majesty for making discoveries in the Southern Hemisphere, and successively performed by Commodore Byron, Captain Wallis, Captain Carteret, and Captain Cook, in the Dolphin, the Swallow, and the Endeavour drawn up from the journals which were kept by the several commanders, and from the papers of Joseph Banks, esq |publication-date=1773 |publisher=London Printed for W. Strahan and T. Cadell}}, [http://southseas.nla.gov.au/journals/hv01/contents.html Volume I], [http://southseas.nla.gov.au/journals/hv23/contents.html Volume II-III]

== External links ==
*[http://www.tlfq.ulaval.ca/axl/pacifique/wallis-futuna.htm French world linguistics site]
*[http://www.quid.fr/departements.html?mode=detail&dep=986&style=map&secrec=1 Map showing details of Wallis Island]
*[http://www.angelfire.com/poetry/bopeep/Wallispics.html Pictures of Wallis]
*[http://www.crwflags.com/fotw/flags/wf-w.html Flag of `Ueva chiefdom]
*[http://language.psy.auckland.ac.nz/austronesian/language.php?id=258 Wallis Wordlist at the Austronesian Basic Vocabulary Database]


[[Category:Volcanic crater lakes]]

{{Sourceattribution|Wallis (island)}}