Matthew and Hunter Islands
| Disputed island Other names: île Matthew and île Hunter, Fern/Fearn Island (Hunter Island) |
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Vanuatu and New Caledonia, Matthew and Hunter Islands on the bottom right.
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| Geography | |
| Coordinates | 22°22′S 171°43′E / 22.367°S 171.717°ECoordinates: 22°22′S 171°43′E / 22.367°S 171.717°E |
| Total islands | 2 |
| Area | 1.3 square kilometres (0.50 sq mi) |
| Highest point |
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| Administered by | |
| France | |
| Collectivity | New Caledonia |
| Claimed by | |
| France | |
| Collectivity | New Caledonia |
| Vanuatu | |
| Province | Tafea |
| Demographics | |
| Population | 0 |
The Matthew and Hunter Islands are a group of two small and uninhabited high islands in the South Pacific, located 300 kilometres (190 mi) east of New Caledonia and south-east of Vanuatu archipelago. Hunter Island and Matthew Island, 70 km (43 mi) apart, are claimed by Vanuatu as part of Tafea Province, and considered by the people of Aneityum part of their custom ownership, and as of 2007[update] were claimed by France as part of New Caledonia.
Small, arid, without fresh water and not easily accessible, the islands had no interest for Britain or France during their colonization of the Pacific in the course of the 18th and 19th centuries. France officially annexed both islands in 1929. In 1965, the United Kingdom also claimed the two islands, as part of the New Hebrides. France conducted a symbolic occupation in 1975. In 1980, on its independence, Vanuatu claimed sovereignty, but made no occupation of the islands. In 1979, Météo-France set up an automatic weather station on one of the islands, and the French Navy regularly visits both of them.
Matthew Island (French: île Matthew) is 0.7 square kilometres (0.27 sq mi) in area, with a 177-metre (581 ft) high stratovolcano located at 22°21′S 171°21′E / 22.350°S 171.350°E. The volcanic island is composed of two andesitic-to-dactic volcanic cones, East Matthew and West Matthew, separated by a rocky 200-metre-wide isthmus. The island was discovered by Captain Thomas Gilbert of the Royal Navy on board the Charlotte on 27 May 1788, who named it after the owner of his ship. At the time of the discovery, only East Matthew existed and it was described as having only one peak prior to the Second World War.
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