Sikaiana facts for kids
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Stewart Islands
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NASA picture of Sikaiana Atoll
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| Geography | |
| Location | Pacific Ocean |
| Archipelago | Solomon Islands |
| Area | 2 km2 (0.77 sq mi) |
| Administration | |
| Province |  Malaita |
| Demographics | |
| Population | 249 (2009) |
Sikaiana (once known as the Stewart Islands) is a tiny atoll in the Pacific Ocean. An atoll is a ring-shaped coral reef, island, or chain of islands. Sikaiana is located about 212 kilometers (132 miles) northeast of Malaita in the Solomon Islands.
The atoll is about 14 kilometers (9 miles) long. Its central water area, called Te Moana, is completely surrounded by a coral reef. The total land area of Sikaiana is very small, only about 2 square kilometers (0.77 square miles). It's often hard for visitors to reach Sikaiana because there isn't a safe place for boats to anchor nearby.
Geography of Sikaiana
Sikaiana is a remote group of tropical coral islands. It is located at 8°25′0″S 162°52′0″E. This atoll is more than 200 kilometers (125 miles) away from any other islands.
The main island of the Sikaiana atoll is also called Sikaiana. It is found at the easternmost part of the atoll. There are three smaller islands to the west:
- Tehaolei (to the north)
- Matuiloto (to the west)
- Matuavi (to the south)
People have also built two artificial islands on the reef. These are named Te Palena and Hakatai'atata.
History and People
Sikaiana is part of the Malaita Province in the Solomon Islands. It is governed as an outlying region. The population of Sikaiana is around 300 people. Most of them are of Polynesian descent. This is different from the main Solomon Islands, where most people are of Melanesian descent. Because of this, Sikaiana is known as a "Polynesian outlier." This means it's a place where Polynesian culture and people live outside the main Polynesian triangle.
Connection to Hawaii
Some people from Sikaiana have a unique historical claim. They believe their islands were once part of the Kingdom of Hawaii. They say that in 1856, the Stewart Islands were given to King Kamehameha IV of Hawaii. If this were true, it would mean Sikaiana was part of the Republic of Hawaii when it became part of the United States in 1898.
However, when the United States officially took over Hawaii, the report about the Hawaiian Islands did not include the Stewart Islands. Because of this, the U.S. government does not recognize Sikaiana as part of Hawaii.
British Rule
In 1893, the United Kingdom created the British Solomon Islands Protectorate. This was done to protect British interests in the area. It also helped to control a practice called 'blackbirding'. This was when people from the Solomon Islands were recruited to work on plantations in Queensland, Australia.
On June 21, 1897, the British protectorate was expanded. It then included Sikaiana, along with Rennell and Bellona Islands.
Religion
Most people on Sikaiana are Anglicans. The island is part of the Anglican Church of Melanesia's Diocese of Malaita.
