Few people have walked on Earth's newest island

 By 
Elizabeth Pierson
 on 
Few people have walked on Earth's newest island
Credit: Edwina Pickles/The Sydney Morning Herald/Fairfax Media/Getty Images

Just 28 miles northwest of Tonga's capital, Nuku'alofa, is a brand new island.

Earth's newest island was formed after the nearby Hunga Tonga volcano started erupting in December in the South Pacific. As of now, it is still an unnamed land mass and scientists say it won't last longer than several months due to more volcanic activity.

But for now, fewer than a dozen people have touched the new soil or explored its 10 caves. Locals hope it will become a tourist destination, but for now the 1,640-foot long volcanic island is still unexplored territory.

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