The island lies about 500 km (300 mi.) to the east-southeast of Nendo, at 11°21' S. lat., 169°30'36" E. long.
It is a small volcanic island with a fringing Coral reef. The highest point on the island is 65 m (213 ft) above Sea level. The island is quite small, its diameter being only about 400 m (¼ mile).
The island's population is about 200. Historically, some of its inhabitants have used the small island of Fatutaka, about 60 km (37.5 mi.) to the southeast, as a gardening location.
Like (relatively) nearby Tikopia, and unlike the majority of the population of the Solomon Islands who are Melanesians, the islanders of Anuta are Polynesians, and their language is a member of the Samoic branch of the Polynesian languages.
| Island groups in Polynesia | ||
|---|---|---|
| Aotearoa (New Zealand) | Cook Islands | French Polynesia Fr. | Hawai'i U.S. | Loyalty Islands Fr. | Niue N.Z. | Rapa Nui (Easter I.) Chile | Samoa (American) U.S. incl. Swains I. | Samoa (independent) | Tokelau N.Z. | Tonga | Tuvalu | Wallis and Futuna Fr. | ||
| In the Federated States of Micronesia: In the extreme north of Fiji: In Papua New Guinea: In the Solomon Islands: In Vanuatu: | Kapingamarangi | Nukuoro Rotuma Nuguria | Nukumanu | Takuu Anuta | Ontong Java | Pileni | Rennell | Sikaiana | Tikopia Emae | Mele | |