Yakop Islands

The Yakop Islands are the second of Jarraban’s two territories. An archipelago to the north of Yeduan, its name derives from that of the local Yakop people. Its population was 102,883 in 2014 and, like Royceston, it is not afforded the uniform legislative powers of provinces, with some local responsibilities administered by both the national government and Yeduan. However, it has greater autonomy than Royceston in this regard, with environmental laws, planning regulations, sports facilities and certain roads managed locally.

The Yakop people, descended from Austronesian settlers who arrived in outrigger canoes from Borneo, first inhabited the islands around 900-1000 AD. Visited by Willem Janszoon in 1618, they remained unsettled by Europeans for another two centuries until a canoe of escaped convicts from Yeduan made landfall at Cape Townsend in 1828. Early colonists relied heavily on logging and fishing, resulting in extensive deforestation and the extinction of many endemic fish species, before the harvesting of pearl shells beginning in the 1880s gave birth to a thriving pearling industry that would sustain the islands for years to come. Formerly part of Yeduan, it split to become a separate territory in 1990 following a local referendum.

The islands’ climate is subtropical due to its northerly position, but conditions are moderated by oceanic winds. Average temperatures range from lows of 12°C in July to highs of 26°C in February. Most areas, particularly those at higher altitudes, are dominated by lush grassland, whilst coastal areas also feature marshes and bushland. Numerous coral reefs dot waters surrounding the northern islands, producing several world-renowned dive sites and picturesque holiday resorts catering to honeymooners. The islands are famous for their wildlife, including tropical fish, several species of large butterflies and the extinct Yakop crocodile.