Gaua
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Gaua (also known as Santa Maria Island) (coordinates: Banks Islands in Torba Province of northern Vanuatu. It covers 342 km².
) is the largest of theIt has a rugged terrain, reaching up to Mount Gharat (797 m), the peak of the active stratovolcano at the center of the island. The most recent eruption was in 1982. In the center of the crater is Lake Letas, the largest lake in Vanuatu. To the east of the lake is Siri Waterfall (120 m drop).
In 1979 the island had a population of 766. The principal exports are copra and cacao. Most of the population lives on the east side of the island, and many come from Merig and Merelava in the southeast Banks Islands, which are much smaller. There is an airport there as well.