Temotu

Temotu Province is the easternmost province of the Solomon Islands, located in the western Pacific Ocean. It covers the eastern part of the Solomon Islands archipelago and includes numerous islands in the Santa Cruz Chain and other outlying island groups to the southeast. The administrative center and capital is Lata, situated on Santa Cruz Island. The province comprises several island groups, including the Santa Cruz Islands (also called the Santa Cruz Group) in the north-central part of Temotu, the Reef Islands to the northeast, and further south and east the Polynesian outliers of Anuta and Tikopia, as well as the islands of Utupua and Vanikoro. The tropical islands are a mix of volcanic and coral atolls with varied terrain including low-lying reefs and rugged ridges.

Population is dispersed across many small communities; Temotu is home to Melanesian populations on most islands, with Polynesian-speaking communities on Anuta and Tikopia. Languages reflect this diversity, with Santa Cruz languages in the Melanesian family and Tikopia and Anuta belonging to the Polynesian branch.

The economy is largely subsistence-based, relying on farming, fishing, and copra, with limited cash income and occasional tourism. The region has a maritime culture with traditional navigation techniques.

Transportation is limited by distance and weather; Lata Airport on Santa Cruz Island provides the main air link to Honiara and other parts of the Solomon Islands, while inter-island transport is via small boats and ferries.