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Britannica Sources used in this answer

Why is Futuna sometimes confused with an island in Vanuatu?

Created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.
Map showing the French overseas territory of Wallis and Futuna in the South Pacific Ocean, with detailed insets of the Wallis Islands (centered on Uvea) and the Horne Islands (Futuna and Alofi). The map marks settlements, main roads, mountains such as Mount Singavi and Mount Kolofau, and surrounding waters. A locator inset shows the territory's position relative to the Pacific region.
Wallis and Futuna

Futuna, an island within the French overseas collectivity of Wallis and Futuna, is sometimes confused with an island of the same name located in Vanuatu (formerly the New Hebrides) due to their identical names.123

Historical folklore suggests a connection between the two locations, indicating that the Futuna in Vanuatu was settled from the Futuna in the Horne Islands during the pre-European era.12