Savo Island

Savo

Landsat view of Savo island
Geography
Location	Pacific Ocean
Coordinates	9°8′0″S 159°49′0″E / 9.13333°S 159.81667°E / -9.13333; 159.81667
Archipelago	Solomon Islands
Total islands	1
Area	31 km2 (12 sq mi)
Length	7.2 km (4.47 mi)
Width	6 km (3.7 mi)
Highest elevation	485 m (1591 ft)
Highest point	Mount Savo
Administration
Solomon Islands
Province	Central Province
Largest settlement	Alialia
Demographics
Population	3137 (2009-11-23)

Savo Island is an island in Solomon Islands in the South Pacific ocean. Administratively, Savo Island is a part of the Central Province of Solomon Islands. It is about 35 kilometres (22 mi) from the national capital of Honiara. The principal village is Alialia, in the north of the island.^[1]

The indigenous language of Savo is the Savosavo language, an East Papuan language. Savo Island also has a minority of Gela speakers.^[2]

The waters surrounding the island were the site of five of the seven major naval battles during the Battle of Guadalcanal in the Pacific War of World War II. As a result of these battles, many shipwrecks are located southeast of the island; the bay is known as Ironbottom Sound. The wrecks near the coast are very popular with wreck divers.