Tabar Island is the main island of the Tabar Group and forms part of the New Ireland Province. It is located approximately 900 km (560 mi) north east of Port Moresby and about 24 km (15 mi) northeast of the province's main island New Ireland.
The island is of volcanic origin and has an area of about 110 km2 (42 sq mi) with a length of about 20 km (12 mi) and about 9 km (5.5 mi) wide. The highest altitude is approximately 400 m (1,300 ft) above sea level. Tabar Island is the largest and southernmost island in the archipelago.
The population is mainly divided into a few villages along the coast and the island's interior is covered mostly by rainforest. The main town of Datava is located on the island's northern part at Koko Bay.
The islands can only be reached by ship as they do not have an airport, the neighboring Tatau Island is on the other side of the narrow strait that separates the islands.
Southern part of Tabar island.
History
The island has been inhabited by Melanesians since about 1500 BC. It was charted by Dutch captains Jacob Le Maire and Willem Corneliszoon Schouten in June 1616 and then named "Gardner Islands". They were later visited by Abel Tasman who then dubbed the area to the "Visser Islands".
From 1942 to 1945, the area was occupied by Japan, but returned to the Australian government mandate until Papua New Guinea became independent in 1975.
Carl Emil Pettersson, a Swedish sailor who was shipwrecked and landed on the island in 1904, became its king (nicknamed "Strong Charly") after his marriage to the daughter of a local chief after he died.[2]
