Vot Tande

Vot Tande (Vet Tagde)
Island
Location of Vot Tande in Banks Islands Location of Vot Tande in Banks Islands
Vot Tande (Vet Tagde) Location in Vanuatu
Coordinates:
Country	Vanuatu
Province	Torba Province
Population (2009)
• Total	26
Time zone	VUT (UTC+11)

Vot Tande (IPA: [βɔt.taˈⁿdɛ]) is an uninhabited islet of the Banks Islands of northern Vanuatu. It is located about 50 km (31 mi) due north of the island of Mota Lava.

The islet of Vot Tande has never been inhabited. It is host to thousands of sea birds – especially frigatebirds, which have given their name to the islet.

Name

The islet is known under various names, depending on which vernacular language is used. In all languages of the region, the meaning is the same: “the Rock of Frigatebirds”.

• In Löyöp (Ureparapara), it is called Vot Tade (IPA: [βɔt.taˈⁿdɛ]), with prenasalised [ⁿd]
• In Mwotlap (Mota Lava), it is known as Nevet Men Tagde (IPA: [nɛˌβɛt.mɛn.taɰˈⁿdɛ]), or under its older name Vet Tagde (IPA: [βɛtaɰˈⁿdɛ]).
• In Mota, it is called Vat Ganai (IPA: [βatɣanai])

The spelling Vot Tande is a transcription of the Löyöp form. The variant Vetaoundé, which is found on old French maps, reflects an earlier attempt at spelling the older Mwotlap form. Other misspellings for the same islet include Vet Tande, Vot Ganai.