Bismarck Archipelago

Bismarck Archipelago, group of more than 200 islands in the western Pacific Ocean, part of Papua New Guinea. The archipelago is north-east of New Guinea and south of the equator. The principal islands are New Britain (area 36,648 sq km/14,150 sq mi); New Ireland (about 8,650 sq km/3,340 sq mi); New Hanover, or Lavongai (about 1,190 sq km/460 sq mi); Duke of York Islands (57 sq km/22 sq mi); and the Admiralty Islands (about 2,070 sq km/800 sq mi). Other groups in the archipelago are the St Matthias Group, the Vitu Islands, and the Umboi Islands. The archipelago is semicircular in shape and partly encloses the Bismarck Sea. A majority of the population is Melanesian. Cacao, copra, and shellfish are the leading products.

Known originally as the New Britain Archipelago, the island group was proclaimed a German protectorate in 1884 and given its present name in 1885. Australian forces occupied the islands in 1914 after the outbreak of World War I. Australia obtained control of the archipelago under the terms of the 1921 League of Nations mandate establishing the Territory of New Guinea. The islands were invaded by Japanese forces in 1942, and were retaken by Allied troops in 1944. In 1947 they were once more placed under Australian administration, by the United Nations. The islands became independent as part of Papua New Guinea in 1975. Area, about 51,800 sq km (20,720 sq mi). The population (1990) of the four provinces comprising most of the archipelago was as follows: Manus, 32,830; West New Britain, 127,547; East New Britain, 184,408; and New Ireland, 87,194.