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It seems that Abel Tasman was the first
European to sight 'Eua and in January 1643 he gave it the unlikely name
of Middleburgh. Now 'Eua isn't in the middle of anywhere as Captain James
Cook found out when he landed there in October 1773. Cook liked the place,
called the passage through the reef to 'Ohonua the 'English Road' and
jotted down the earliest written records on life in 'Eua and on its environment.
In his writings Cook noted that the south-west and north-west sides of
the island, from the coast to about a mile inland, "appeared mostly occupied
with plantations... the interior part were but little cultivated, tho'
very proper for it; here we see groves of coconut and other trees and
lawns covered with the finest grass, here and there plantations and paths
leading to every part of the island in such beautiful disorder as greatly
heightens the prospect."
Nearly 230 years later that "beautiful disorder" still "greatly heightens
the prospect" of a wonderful holiday on 'Eua. |
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Agriculture is the strongest part of Tonga's economy, producing coconuts,
vanilla and pumpkins as cash crops, and a variety of fruit, vegetables
and nuts for domestic consumption. The fishing industry was relatively
underdeveloped and has been a focus of government plans to expand the
economy. Industrial activity is mostly light and small-scale: textiles,
handicrafts, brewing and the production of furniture and construction
materials predominate. More recently, these have been joined by enterprises
engaged in small manufacturing operations and food processing. The search
for oil, which has been licensed to foreign consortia, continues offshore
despite lack of success so far. Tonga's own energy requirements are met
from renewable sources, principally wave and solar power. Most of the
growth in the economy and the best immediate prospect for Tonga's economic
future lie in tourism which has been expanded under a recently completed
10-year development program. The industry is now worth $10 million annually
to the Tongan economy. Nonetheless, the Government is constantly looking
for other projects to diversify the island's economy. |
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Have
you ever been down an English country lane? Or driven across the prairies
of Kansas or been out beyond the Back of Bourke in Australia ?
If so, then you know a degree of isolation and the feeling being alone.
But come to the island of 'Eua in the Kingdom of Tonga and isolation is
taken to a new level of awareness.
It's not that there are no people; there are some. It's not that there
are no cars; there are some of these too.
It's just that you experience an overwhelming feeling that you - and you
alone - have just discovered the best kept secret of the Pacific: 'Eua.
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This
constitutional monarchy occupies 169 islands in the southwest Pacific
between Fiji and Niue. They include a low-lying eastern chain of coral
limestone and a mountainous western chain with several active volcanoes.
These islands share a tropical oceanic climate with other countries of
the western Pacific near the equator. Very similar conditions prevail
throughout the year, with high temperature and humidity. The daily range
of temperature is quite small – about 4°–5°C/10°F.
There is abundant rainfall. Being south of the equator, Tonga has its
season of maximum rainfall between November and April. On some islands
there is no great difference between the amount of rain from month to
month. Tropical cyclones are less frequent than in the Pacific north of
the equator. |
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