Nukumanu
- STS099-725-41
- February 2000
The atoll of Nukumanu (formerly, but still often referred to as, the Tasman Islands) is the most distant of PNG islands, being located 432 km northeast of Bougainville Island; its nearest neighbour in the region is the Solomon Island's owned atoll of Ontong Java located 41 km directly southwards. The formation measures 21 km east to west and has a maximum north to south width of 17 km.
The atoll consists of a narrow reef rim that encloses a deep central lagoon; the rim is continuous except for five openings on its western side. Upon the rim are around 20 islets — most are small with the exception of the main island which wraps around the eastern and northeastern side of the atoll as an extremely narrow ribbon of land.
