MAEWO

also called Aurora, island of Vanuatu, in the southwestern Pacific Ocean, 65 miles (105 km) east of the island of Espiritu Santo. Volcanic in origin, it is 29 miles (47 km) long by 4 miles (6 km) wide and has an area of 104 square miles (269 square km). Mawo's central mountain range rises to nearly 2,600 feet (795 m). Well-wooded and fertile, the island has the highest rainfall (more than 100 inches [2,500 mm] annually) in Vanuatu. Lakarere, on the northwest coast, has long been a stop for ships wanting supplies of fresh water. The east coast holds Doubtful and Deep bays. Pop. (1979) 1,772. (1989) 2,362.