Bougainville Island

Bougainville Island is the largest island in the Solomon Islands archipelago and part of Papua New Guinea. It is the main island of the Autonomous Region of Bougainville.

Autonomous Region of Bougainville: An autonomous region of Papua New Guinea comprising Bougainville Island and nearby islands. Bougainville Island forms the region’s main landmass and gives it its name.
Solomon Islands archipelago: An island chain in the southwestern Pacific extending southeast from New Guinea. Bougainville is the archipelago’s largest island, though it belongs politically to Papua New Guinea.
Panguna mine: A large copper and gold mine on Bougainville Island that operated from 1972 until 1989. Disputes over the mine’s revenues, land, and environmental damage helped trigger the conflict.
Bougainvillean identity: A regional identity associated with the people and communities of Bougainville and nearby islands. The island is the demographic and symbolic center of Bougainvillean identity.
Bougainville independence: The proposed separation of Bougainville from Papua New Guinea to form an independent state. The island’s political future depends on negotiations following the referendum.
Bougainville conflict: An armed conflict in Papua New Guinea between the government and Bougainville separatists, fought mainly from 1988 to 1998. The conflict centered on the island and transformed its political future.
Buka Island: An island immediately north of Bougainville, separated from it by the narrow Buka Passage. Buka lies beside Bougainville and is also part of the Autonomous Region.
Bougainville Copper: A mining company established to develop and operate the Panguna copper and gold mine. Its operations made the island a major source of export revenue for Papua New Guinea.
Bougainville languages: The many indigenous languages spoken in Bougainville, belonging mainly to Austronesian and Papuan language families. Linguistic diversity reflects the island’s distinct local communities and histories.
Bougainville autonomy: Self-government for Bougainville within Papua New Guinea under the 2001 peace settlement. Autonomy is the existing alternative to the island’s proposed independence.

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