Rennell and Bellona
Renel en Belona | |
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| Coordinates: 11°40′S 160°10′E / 11.667°S 160.167°E | |
| Country |  Solomon Islands |
| Capital | Tigoa |
| Government | |
| • Premier | Hon. Japhet Tuhanuku |
| Area | |
• Total | 671 km2 (259 sq mi) |
| Population (2009 census) | |
• Total | 3,041 |
| • Density | 4.5/km2 (12/sq mi) |
| Time zone | UTC+11 (+11) |
Rennell and Bellona is one of the nine provinces of Solomon Islands, comprising two inhabited atolls, Rennell and Bellona, or Mu Ngava and Mu Ngiki respectively in Rennellese (a Polynesian language), as well as the uninhabited Indispensable Reef. Rennell and Bellona are both Polynesian-inhabited islands within the predominantly Melanesian Solomons. They are thus considered Polynesian outliers. The first known European to sight the islands was Mathew Boyd of Camberwell, London, commander of the merchant ship, Bellona, in 1793. The province has a combined population of 3,041 (2009 census), the least populous province of Solomon Islands. The Samoic language of the islands is, in English texts, called Rennellese. The province's capital is Tigoa, on Rennell Island.