Tanna

Tanna Island, Vanuatu: volcanic rock

Tanna, also spelled Tana, island, southern Vanuatu, in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It is volcanic in origin. It is 25 miles (40 km) long and 12 miles (19 km) wide and occupies an area of 212 square miles (549 square km). It rises to 3,556 feet (1,084 metres) at Mount Tukuwasmera. Well-watered, wooded, and with a tropical climate, Tanna is the most fertile island in Vanuatu and produces copra, coffee, and cattle for export. On the southeast coast, 3 miles (5 km) from Port Résolution, is Yasur, an active volcano that has been erupting almost continuously since at least the 18th century. The former French administrative headquarters are at Lénakel, which lies on the southwest coast and is the site of an airfield, hospitals, and schools. The former British headquarters are at White Sands on the east coast. There is an airport at White Grass, in the northwest. The island is the centre of a noted cargo cult built around a messianic figure known as Jon (or John) Frum.