Background of the Torba Province
Torba is one of the six Provinces of The Republic of Vanuatu and is located in the Northern Part of the country. The Province is made up of the groups of Islands of Torres and Banks. The name Torba is derived from the initial, Torrest (Tor) and Banks (Ba).It has an area of 882 square kilometers. The capital of Torba province, Sola, is located on the east side of the island, on Port Patteson. There is an airport there (IATA code SLH), to which Air Vanuatu flies three times a week. There is one road on the island but few vehicles. Vanua Lava is the second largest of the Banks Islands in Torba Province, Vanuatu, after slightly larger Gaua. It is located about 120 km north-northeast of Espiritu Santo and north of Gaua. Vanua Lava is home to four indigenous languages:Vurës with about 2000 speakers, Vera'a with 500; and two dying languages, Mwesen with 10 speakers, and Lemerig with only 2 speakers living. To these four local languages, one may add those of migrant communities: Mwotlap on the north-eastern coast, Mota by some families in the east. Bislama is the language most often heard in Sola, the administrative capital where people from different language backgrounds meet. Vanua Lava evidently used to harbour more languages in the past, several of which have disappeared since the mid-19th century.
Economic Status
Economic of the Province is built on Fishing, Agriculture with 42 percent, Labor Mobility, Cooperative, Banks, Retail with 2 percent, Tourism with 2 percent, and Forestry. The people there are subsistence farmers who strive to earn the living. However, due to the demand of tourism in the country, Torba is one of the choices of tourism experience nowadays. Tourism played a part in there economics. The province have 17 languages spoken in varies Island of Torres and banks.