Bismarck Archipelago
Encyclopedia
The Bismarck Archipelago is a group of islands off the northeastern coast of New Guinea
in the western Pacific Ocean
and is part of the Islands Region
of Papua New Guinea
.
arrived around 33,000 years ago from New Guinea, either by boats across the Bismarck Sea or via a temporary land bridge, created by an uplift in the Earth's crust. Later arrivals included the Lapita
people.
The first Europe
an to visit these islands was Dutch
explorer Willem Schouten
in 1616. The islands remained unsettled by western Europeans until they were annexed as part of the German
protectorate
of German New Guinea
in 1884. The area was named in honour of the Chancellor Otto von Bismarck
.
On 13 March 1888, a volcano
erupted on Ritter Island
causing a megatsunami
. Almost 100% of the volcano fell in to the ocean leaving a small crater lake
.
Following the outbreak of World War I
, the Australian Naval and Military Expeditionary Force
seized the islands in 1914 and Australia
later received a League of Nations mandate
for the islands. They remained under Australian administration — interrupted only by Japan
ese occupation during World War II
— until Papua New Guinea became independent in 1975.
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The passage of water between the islands of New Britain and New Ireland is called St. George's Channel after St. George's Channel in the British Isles between Wales and Ireland.
New Guinea
New Guinea is the world's second largest island, after Greenland, covering a land area of 786,000 km2. Located in the southwest Pacific Ocean, it lies geographically to the east of the Malay Archipelago, with which it is sometimes included as part of a greater Indo-Australian Archipelago...
in the western Pacific Ocean
Pacific Ocean
The Pacific Ocean is the largest of the Earth's oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic in the north to the Southern Ocean in the south, bounded by Asia and Australia in the west, and the Americas in the east.At 165.2 million square kilometres in area, this largest division of the World...
and is part of the Islands Region
Islands Region
The Islands Region is one of four regions of Papua New Guinea comprising the Bismarck Archipelago and North Solomon Islands located north-east of the mainland...
of Papua New Guinea
Papua New Guinea
Papua New Guinea , officially the Independent State of Papua New Guinea, is a country in Oceania, occupying the eastern half of the island of New Guinea and numerous offshore islands...
.
History
The first inhabitants of the archipelagoArchipelago
An archipelago , sometimes called an island group, is a chain or cluster of islands. The word archipelago is derived from the Greek ἄρχι- – arkhi- and πέλαγος – pélagos through the Italian arcipelago...
arrived around 33,000 years ago from New Guinea, either by boats across the Bismarck Sea or via a temporary land bridge, created by an uplift in the Earth's crust. Later arrivals included the Lapita
Lapita
Lapita is a term applied to an ancient Pacific Ocean archaeological culture which is believed by many archaeologists to be the common ancestor of several cultures in Polynesia, Micronesia, and some coastal areas of Melanesia...
people.
The first Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
an to visit these islands was Dutch
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
explorer Willem Schouten
Willem Schouten
Willem Cornelisz Schouten was a Dutch navigator for the Dutch East India Company. He was the first to sail the Cape Horn route to the Pacific Ocean.- Biography :Willem Cornelisz Schouten was born in c...
in 1616. The islands remained unsettled by western Europeans until they were annexed as part of the German
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
protectorate
Protectorate
In history, the term protectorate has two different meanings. In its earliest inception, which has been adopted by modern international law, it is an autonomous territory that is protected diplomatically or militarily against third parties by a stronger state or entity...
of German New Guinea
German New Guinea
German New Guinea was the first part of the German colonial empire. It was a protectorate from 1884 until 1914 when it fell to Australia following the outbreak of the First World War. It consisted of the northeastern part of New Guinea and several nearby island groups...
in 1884. The area was named in honour of the Chancellor Otto von Bismarck
Otto von Bismarck
Otto Eduard Leopold, Prince of Bismarck, Duke of Lauenburg , simply known as Otto von Bismarck, was a Prussian-German statesman whose actions unified Germany, made it a major player in world affairs, and created a balance of power that kept Europe at peace after 1871.As Minister President of...
.
On 13 March 1888, a volcano
Volcano
2. Bedrock3. Conduit 4. Base5. Sill6. Dike7. Layers of ash emitted by the volcano8. Flank| 9. Layers of lava emitted by the volcano10. Throat11. Parasitic cone12. Lava flow13. Vent14. Crater15...
erupted on Ritter Island
Ritter Island
Ritter Island is a small crescent-shaped volcanic island 100 kilometres northeast of New Guinea, situated between Umboi Island and Sakar Island....
causing a megatsunami
Megatsunami
Megatsunami is an informal term to describe a tsunami that has initial wave heights that are much larger than normal tsunamis...
. Almost 100% of the volcano fell in to the ocean leaving a small crater lake
Crater lake
A crater lake is a lake that forms in a volcanic crater or caldera, such as a maar; less commonly and with lower association to the term a lake may form in an impact crater caused by a meteorite. Sometimes lakes which form inside calderas are called caldera lakes, but often this distinction is not...
.
Following the outbreak of World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
, the Australian Naval and Military Expeditionary Force
Australian Naval and Military Expeditionary Force
The Australian Naval and Military Expeditionary Force was a small volunteer force of approximately 2,000 men, raised in Australia shortly after the outbreak of the First World War to seize and destroy German wireless stations in German New Guinea in the south-west Pacific...
seized the islands in 1914 and Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
later received a League of Nations mandate
League of Nations mandate
A League of Nations mandate was a legal status for certain territories transferred from the control of one country to another following World War I, or the legal instruments that contained the internationally agreed-upon terms for administering the territory on behalf of the League...
for the islands. They remained under Australian administration — interrupted only by Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
ese occupation during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
— until Papua New Guinea became independent in 1975.
Geography
The Bismarck Archipelago includes mostly volcanic islands with a total land area of 49700 km² (19,189 sq mi). Islands are grouped here according to administrative province:- Manus ProvinceManus ProvinceManus Province is the smallest province in Papua New Guinea with a land area of 2,100 km², but with more than 220,000 km² of water. The capital of the province is Lorengau and the total population is 43,387 ....
(see 9 on the map)- Admiralty IslandsAdmiralty IslandsThe Admiralty Islands are a group of eighteen islands in the Bismarck Archipelago, to the north of New Guinea in the south Pacific Ocean. These are also sometimes called the Manus Islands, after the largest island. These rainforest-covered islands form part of Manus Province, the smallest and...
, group of 18 islands including:- Manus IslandManus IslandManus Island is part of Manus Province in northern Papua New Guinea and is the largest island of the Admiralty Islands. It is the fifth largest island in Papua New Guinea with an area of 2,100 km², measuring around 100 km × 30 km. According to the 2000 census, Manus Island had a...
, main island - Los Negros IslandLos Negros IslandLos Negros Island is the third largest of the Admiralty Islands. It is significant because it contains the main airport of Manus Province on its eastern coastline, at Momote. It is connected to Lorengau, the capital of the province, on Manus Island via a highway and bridge...
- Lou Island
- Ndrova Island
- Tong Island
- Baluan IslandBaluan IslandBaluan Island is the southern most island of the Admiralty Islands group which make up the majority of Manus Province in Papua New Guinea. It is formed from an extinct volcano. Baluan is a beautiful island with many adventures even though it's small...
- Pak Island
- Purdy Islands
- Rambutyo IslandRambutyo IslandRambutyo Island is one of the Admiralty Islands in the Bismarck Archipelago, located at . Politically, Rambutyo Island is part of Manus Province, Papua New Guinea....
- St Andrews Islands
- Manus Island
- Western IslandsWestern Islands, Papua New GuineaThe Western Islands are a group of islands in the Bismarck Archipelago, part of Papua New Guinea, off the northeastern coast of New Guinea in the western Pacific Ocean.Islands:* Aua Island* Hermit Islands* Kaniet Islands * Sae Island...
, with:- Aua IslandAua IslandAua is an island in the Bismarck Archipelago. It is part of the Western Islands, Papua New Guinea.Aua Island is equipped with an airport according to the list of airport by AITA code ....
- Hermit IslandsHermit IslandsThe Hermit Islands are a group of 17 islands within the Western Islands of the Bismarck Archipelago, Papua New Guinea. Their coordinates are ....
- Kaniet IslandsKaniet IslandsThe Kaniet Islands are the easternmost group islands within the Western Islands of the Bismarck Archipelago, Papua New Guinea. It consists four islands and one islet. Their coordinates are , located northeast of the Hermit Islands. Sae Island is a nearby island often subsumed under the Kaniet...
(Anchorite)- Sae IslandSae IslandSae Island is the northernmost island within the Western Islands of the Bismarck Archipelago, Papua New Guinea. It is located just northwest of the Kaniet Islands, under which it is often subsumed, although the two are distinct. Another name for the Kaniet Islands is "Anchorite Islands"....
- Sae Island
- Ninigo IslandsNinigo IslandsThe Ninigo Islands are a group of 31 islands within the Western Islands of the Bismarck Archipelago, Papua New Guinea. Their coordinates are ....
- Wuvulu IslandWuvulu IslandWuvulu Island is part of the Western Islands of the Bismarck Archipelago in the western Pacific Ocean, part of Manus Province, Papua New Guinea. It is the westernmost island of the thirteen island groups that make up island chain in the archipelago...
- Aua Island
- Admiralty Islands
- New Ireland Province (12)
- New IrelandNew Ireland (island)New Ireland is a large island in Papua New Guinea, approximately 7,404 km² in area. It is the largest island of the New Ireland Province, lying northeast of the island of New Britain. Both islands are part of the Bismarck Archipelago, named after Otto von Bismarck, and they are separated by...
or Niu Ailan, main island - New HanoverNew Hanover IslandNew Hanover Island, , also called Lavongai, is a large volcanic island in New Ireland Province, part of the Bismarck Archipelago of the New Guinea Islands region of Papua New Guinea, at...
or Lavongai - Saint Matthias Group
- Tabar GroupTabar GroupThe Tabar Group is an island group in Papua New Guinea, located 40 km north of New Ireland. It is a part of the Bismarck Archipelago. The Tabar group consists of a short chain of three main islands - Tabar Island in the south, Tatau Island in the center, and Simberi Island in the north - as...
- Lihir GroupLihir GroupLihir Group is an island group in Papua New Guinea, located north of New Ireland, at . It is a part of Bismarck Archipelago. Largest island of the group is Lihir , other islands include: Mali, Mahur, Masahet and Sanambiet.- External links :* *...
- Tanga Group
- Feni IslandsFeni IslandsFeni Islands is an island group in Papua New Guinea, located east of New Ireland, at . It is a part of Bismarck Archipelago. Largest island of the group is Ambitle, other islands include Babase Island....
- Dyaul IslandDyaul IslandDyaul Island is an island in New Ireland Province, Papua New Guinea. Its area is 100 km2. The inhabitants live mainly in seven villages, and frequently visit Kavieng, the capital of the province, for supplies or to sell produce and fish. There are two languages, not counting Tok Pisin, spoken on...
- New Ireland
- East New BritainEast New BritainEast New Britain is a province of Papua New Guinea, on the north-eastern part of the island of New Britain and it also includes the Duke of York Islands. The capital of the province is Kokopo, not far from the old capital of Rabaul, which was largely destroyed in the 1994 volcanic eruption...
Province (4)- New BritainNew BritainNew Britain, or Niu Briten, is the largest island in the Bismarck Archipelago of Papua New Guinea. It is separated from the island of New Guinea by the Dampier and Vitiaz Straits and from New Ireland by St. George's Channel...
or Niu Briten, main island - Duke of York IslandsDuke of York IslandsThe Duke of York Islands, , are a group of islands located in East New Britain Province, Papua New Guinea. They are found in St George's Channel between New Britain and New Ireland islands and form part of Bismarck Archipelago...
- New Britain
- West New BritainWest New BritainWest New Britain is a province of Papua New Guinea on the islands of New Britain. The provincial capital is Kimbe. The area of the province in 21,000 km², and there are 184,508 inhabitants . West New Britain produces palm oil for export...
Province (18)- New BritainNew BritainNew Britain, or Niu Briten, is the largest island in the Bismarck Archipelago of Papua New Guinea. It is separated from the island of New Guinea by the Dampier and Vitiaz Straits and from New Ireland by St. George's Channel...
or Niu Briten, main island - Vitu IslandsVitu IslandsThe Vitu Islands are a volcanic group with an area of 37 sq mi located in the Bismarck Archipelago of Papua New Guinea in the South West Pacific....
- New Britain
- Morobe ProvinceMorobe ProvinceMorobe Province is a province on the northern coast of Papua New Guinea. The provincial capital, and largest city, is Lae. The province covers 34,500 km², including 719 km² maritime area, with a population of 539,725...
(11)- Umboi IslandUmboi IslandUmboi is a volcanic island between the mainland of Papua New Guinea and the island of New Britain. It is separated from New Britain by Dampier Strait and has an elevation of 1,548 m. Umboi is a Holocene complex volcano with no historic eruptions...
- Tolokiwa Island
- Sakar IslandSakar IslandSakar Island is a volcanic island northwest of New Britain in the Bismarck Sea, at . It is a stratovolcano with a summit crater lake. No recorded eruptions are known.- References :*...
- Ritter IslandRitter IslandRitter Island is a small crescent-shaped volcanic island 100 kilometres northeast of New Guinea, situated between Umboi Island and Sakar Island....
- Malai Island
- Tuam Island
- Umboi Island
- Madang ProvinceMadang ProvinceMadang is a province on the northern coast of mainland Papua New Guinea. The province has many of the country's highest peaks, active volcanoes and its biggest mix of languages...
(8)- Long Island
- Crown Island
- Karkar IslandKarkar IslandKarkar Island is an oval-shaped volcanic island located in the Bismarck Sea, about 30 kilometres off the north coast of mainland Papua New Guinea in Madang Province. The island is about 25 km in length and 19 km in width. In the centre is an active volcano with two nested calderas...
- Bagabag Island
- ManamManamManam, known locally as Manam Motu, is an island located in the Bismarck Sea across the Stephan Strait from the northeast coast of mainland Papua New Guinea. The island is 10 kilometers wide, and was created by the activity of the Manam Volcano, one of the country’s most active...
- East SepikEast SepikEast Sepik is a province in Papua New Guinea. Its capital is Wewak. East Sepik has an estimated population of 343,180 people and is roughly 42,800 km square in size.-History:...
Province (5)- Schouten IslandsSchouten Islands (Papua New Guinea)The Schouten Islands are a group of six small volcanic islands in the province of East Sepik in Papua New Guinea, north of the island of New Guinea. The group is also called Eastern Schouten Islands or Le Maire Islands to separate it from unrelated Schouten Islands in Indonesia...
- Schouten Islands
The passage of water between the islands of New Britain and New Ireland is called St. George's Channel after St. George's Channel in the British Isles between Wales and Ireland.