Banks Islands

The Banks and Torres are Vanuatu's northernmost islands. Geographically, they reach north and west to the Solomon Islands. Being nearer the equator, they consequently experience the highest precipitation and humidity of all the islands, with an average rainfall of 3,900 mm per year.

As with all of Vanuatu, the main islands are volcanic in origin with active volcanoes on Gaua and Vanua Lava islands. Vanua Lava with its 1400 inhabitants, was once the trading base for exchanges with Solomon Islanders from Tikopia.