Ambrym was allegedly named by Captain Cook, who is said to have anchored off there in 1774. In fact, his expedition never touched Ambrym.
Geography
Located near the center of the long Vanuatuan archipelago, Ambrym is roughly triangular in shape, about wide. With of surface area, it is the fifth largest island in the country. The summit at the center of the island is dominated by a desert-like caldera, which covers an area of. With the exception of human settlements, the rest of the island is covered by thick jungle.
Volcanology
Ambrym is a large basaltic volcano with a 12-km-wide caldera, and one of the most active volcanoes of the New Hebridesvolcanic arc. from Ambrym Volcano, October 4, 2004 The caldera is the result of a huge Plinian eruption, which took place around AD 50. Its explosive force is rated 6, the third highest in the Smithsonian Institution'sVolcanic Explosivity Index ranks of the largest volcanic explosions in recent geological history. While at higher elevations cinder cones predominate, the western tip of the island is characterized by a series of basaltic tuff rings, of which the largest is about in diameter. These were produced by phreatic eruptions when magma contacted the water table and water-saturated sediments along the coast. The massive, 1900-year-old, × caldera is the site of two active volcanic cones, Benbow and Marum. Mount Benbow was named by Captain Cook after English Admiral John Benbow, whom Cook admired. Several times a century, Ambrym volcano has destructive eruptions. Mount Benbow last erupted in 1913, causing the evacuation of the population to Mele, near Port Vila on Efate. Volcanic gas emissions from this volcano are measured by a Multi-Component Gas Analyzer System, which detects pre-eruptive degassing of rising magmas, improving prediction of volcanic activity. In March 2017, Google added the Marum crater with its lava lakes to Google Streetview. Since the last fissure eruption on 16 Dec 2018, the lake of molten lava, for which Mount Marum and Mount Benbow have been famous, has disappeared. The volcanoes are inactive by now.
Demographics
With the neighbor island of Malakula and a few smaller islands, Ambrym forms Malampa Province. The population of 7,275 inhabitants lives mainly off coconutplantations in the three corners of the island.
Tourists are attracted by Ambrym's active volcanoes, tropical vegetation, and the customs of the local villagers. They stay in traditional bungalows, as there are no hotels on the island.
