The Matthew and Hunter Islands are a group of two small and uninhabited volcanic islands in the South Pacific, located 300 km east of New Caledonia and south-east of Vanuatu archipelago. Hunter Island and Matthew Island, 70 km apart, are claimed by Vanuatu (as part of Tafea province, and considered by the people of Anatom Island part of their custom ownership) and until 2007 were claimed by France (as part of New Caledonia).