Temotu
Temotu is the easternmost province of the Solomon Islands. The province was formerly known as the province of the "Santa Cruz Islands". It consists, essentially, of two chains of islands which run parallel to each other from the northwest to the southeast.
The islands or island groups which comprise the province are:
- Anuta
- Fatutaka
- Duff Islands ("Taumako")
- Santa Cruz Islands
- Reef Islands
- Tikopia
The population is quite diverse for the small land area encompassed. The Santa Cruz Islanders are predominantly Melanesian, although there are three groups of native Papuans in the Santa Cruz and Reef Islands, while the inhabitants of Tikopia, Anuta, the Duff Islands and some of the Reef Islands are Polynesians.
The provincial capital is Lata, located on Nendo, the largest and most important of the Santa Cruz islands.