Yam Island

This article is about the Australian island. For the Russian archipelago, see Yam Islands.

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Yam Island
Native name:
Yama; Iama
Nickname: Turtle-backed Island
Landsat image of Yam Island
A map of the Torres Strait Islands showing Yam Island in the central waters of Torres Strait
Geography
LocationTancred Passage, Northern Australia
Coordinates9°54′05″S 142°46′30″E / 9.9014°S 142.7750°E / -9.9014; 142.7750 (Yam Island (centre of island))
ArchipelagoBourke Isles group, Torres Strait Islands
Adjacent toTorres Strait
Total islands1
Area2 km2 (0.77 sq mi)
Administration
Australia
StateQueensland
Local government areaTorres Strait Island Region
Demographics
Ethnic groupsTorres Strait Islanders
Yam Island
Queensland
Yam Island is located in Queensland
Yam Island
Yam Island
Coordinates9°54′04″S 142°46′27″E / 9.9011°S 142.7741°E / -9.9011; 142.7741 (Yam Island (centre of locality))
Population275 (SAL 2021)[1][2]
Postcode(s)4875
Area1.9 km2 (0.7 sq mi)
Time zoneAEST (UTC+10:00)
LGA(s)Torres Strait Island Region
State electorate(s)Cook
Federal division(s)Leichhardt
Suburbs around Yam Island:
Torres Strait Torres Strait Torres Strait
Torres Strait Yam Island Torres Strait
Torres Strait Torres Strait Torres Strait

Yam Island, called Yama or Iama in the Kulkalgau Ya language or Turtle-backed Island in English, is an island of the Bourke Isles group of the Torres Strait Islands, located in the Tancred Passage of the Torres Strait in Queensland, Australia.[3] The island is situated approximately 100 kilometres (62 mi) northeast of Thursday Island and measures about 2 square kilometres (0.77 sq mi).[4] The island is an official locality known as Iama Island within the local government area of Torres Strait Island Region.[5] The town, also called Yam Island, is located on the north-west coast of the island.[6] In the 2021 census, Iama Island had a population of 275 people.[7]

Its indigenous language is Kulkalgau Ya, a dialect of the Western-Central Torres Strait language, Kalaw Lagaw Ya.

  1. ^ Australian Bureau of Statistics (28 June 2022). "Iama Island (suburb and locality)". Australian Census 2021 QuickStats. Retrieved 28 June 2022. Edit this at Wikidata
  2. ^ Australian Bureau of Statistics (28 June 2022). "Yam Island (suburb and locality)". Australian Census 2021. Edit this at Wikidata
  3. ^ "Yam Island – island in the Torres State Island Region (entry 38377)". Queensland Place Names. Queensland Government. Retrieved 14 July 2023.
  4. ^ "Iama Island – locality in Torres Strait Island Region (entry 46708)". Queensland Place Names. Queensland Government. Retrieved 19 September 2020.
  5. ^ "Iama Island – locality in the Torres Strait Island Region (entry 46708)". Queensland Place Names. Queensland Government. Retrieved 14 July 2023.
  6. ^ "Yam Island – population centre in the Torres Strait Island Region (entry 44493)". Queensland Place Names. Queensland Government. Retrieved 14 July 2023.
  7. ^ Cite error: The named reference Census2021 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).