Port Olry

Port Olry
village
Port Olry

Location in Vanuatu

Coordinates: 15°02′58″S 167°03′04″E / 15.04944°S 167.05111°E / -15.04944; 167.05111Coordinates: 15°02′58″S 167°03′04″E / 15.04944°S 167.05111°E / -15.04944; 167.05111
Country  Vanuatu
Province Sanma Province
Island Espiritu Santo
Time zone VUT (UTC+11)

Port Olry is a Francophone town (population 1,300) on Espiritu Santo island in the Sanma Province of Vanuatu.

Known for its verdant green hills, superb white sand beaches, and snorkeling, the village offers access via an underwater sandbar to two local nature reserve islands at low tide. There is a large Catholic mission in town, making Catholicism the village's dominant religion.

Economy

The local economy depends on the town's men fishing and the women gardening. Products include octopus, beef, copra, cocoa, and mangrou. Based on a male-centric system, many women are kept out of typical daily business deals and rely on their husbands.

Cyclone Zuman

In 1998, Tropical Cyclone Zuman smacked into Vanuatu. On Espiritu Santo Island, over 100 buildings were destroyed or damaged, as well as 60-70% of the major crops of the region. Additionally, the town of Port Orly itself was hit hard, with 95% of buildings and gardens reporting some sort of damage. As part of the relief effort, the town was given 50 tarpaulins to counter the effects of the cyclone.

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