Makogai

Makogai (pronounced [makoˈŋai]) is an island belonging to Fiji's Lomaiviti Archipelago. Covering an area of 8.4 square kilometres (2,100 acres), it is situated at 17.26° South and 178.58° East. It has a maximum altitude of 267 metres (876 ft). Makogai is visible from Ovalau.

The beach forest, cycad dominated, and coastal/marine ecosystem of the island and its surrounding reef contribute to its national significance as outlined in Fiji's Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan.[1]

The island used to house a leper colony. About 300 patients lived there, nursed by Catholic sisters. It was like a small town, but white patients received better rations than non-whites. In 1925, eight men were brought to Makogai from the New Zealand leper colony on Quail Island. The leper colony operated until the 1960s.[2]

References
  1. Ganilau, Bernadette Rounds (2007). Fiji Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan (PDF). Convention on Biological Diversity. pp. 107–112. Retrieved 28 May 2017.
  2. Matthews, Philip (6 October 2019). "Island of lost souls: the leprosy colony in Lyttelton harbour". Stuff. Retrieved 17 February 2020.



This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.