A new independent country, the Bougainville archipelago

Bougainville, today formally known as the Autonomous Region of Bougainvillem which  previously was known as North Solomons, is an autonomous region in Papua New Guinea that is trying to become the newest independent country. 

The largest island of the Autonomous Region is Bougainville Island (9,318 km2 and a population of 140,000). It also includes Buka Island (500 km2 and population of 110,000)  where the capital of the region (Buka) is located and assorted outlying nearby islands.

Bougainville is ecologically and geographically part of the Solomon Islands archipelago but is not politically part of the nation of Solomon Islands. Buka, Bougainville, and most of the Solomons are part of the Solomon Islands rain forests ecoregion. The region's biodiversity is heavily threatened by mining activities, mostly conducted by foreign investors.[

Most Bougainvilleans use the language Tok Pisin as a lingua franca, and at least in the coastal areas Tok Pisin is often learned by children in a bilingual environment. Bougainville's constitution, written in English, does not specify an official language, but calls for constitutional literature to be translated into Tok Pisin and as many local languages as possible, while also encouraging the "development, preservation, and enrichment of all Bougainville languages".

There are many indigenous languages in the Autonomous Region of Bougainville, belonging to three language families. None of the languages are spoken by more than 20% of the population, and the larger languages such as Nasioi, Korokoro, Telei and Halia are split into dialects that are not always mutually understandable.

The languages of the northern end of Bougainville Island, and some scattered around the coast, belong to the Austronesian family. The languages of the north-central and southern lobes of the island belong to the North and South Bougainville families.] The most widely spoken Austronesian language is Halia and its dialects, spoken in the island of Buka and the Selau peninsula of Northern Bougainville.

History

The island was named after the French explorer Louis Antoine de Bougainville, who made expeditions to the Pacific. In 1885, the island was taken over by a German administration as part of German New Guinea. German forces in the territory surrendered to the Australian Naval and Military Expeditionary Forces shortly after the outbreak of World War I, in September 1914. After the war the territory was designated as a League of Nations mandate, which was administered by Australia as the Territory of New Guinea.

The Japanese occupied Bougainville in 1942, after the outbreak of the Pacific War. Allied forces recaptured the island in the Bougainville campaign from 1943 to 1945.

Australia resumed its civilian administration of the island when World War II ended in 1945. In 1949, the Territory of New Guinea was placed in an administrative union with the Territory of Papua to the south, forming the Territory of Papua and New Guinea. The territory gained its independence in 1975.

Bougainville is rich in copper and gold. A large mine was established at Pangunainin the early 1970s by Bougainville Copper Limited, a subsidiary of Rio  Tinto. Disputes by regional residents with the company over adverse environmental impacts, failure to share financial benefits, and negative social changes brought by the mine resulted in a local revival for a secessionist movement that had been dormant. Activists proclaimed the independence of Bougainville (Republic of North Solomons) in 1975 and in 1990, but both times government forces suppressed the separatists.

In 1988, the Bougainville Revolutionary Army (BRA) increased their activity significantly. The Papua New Guinea army (PNGDF) try to put down the rebellion, and the conflict escalated into a civil war. The PNGDF retreated from permanent positions on Bougainville in 1990, but continued military action. The conflict involved pro-independence and loyalist Bougainvillean groups as well as the PNGDF. The war claimed an estimated 15,000 to 20,000 lives.

The Bougainville conflict ended in 1997, after negotiations brokered by New Zealand. A peace agreement was completed in 2000 and, together with disarmament, provided for the establishment of an Autonomus Bougainville Government. The parties agreed to have a referendum in the future on whether the island should become politically independent.

On 25 July 2005 rebel leader Francis Ona died after a short illness. A former surveyor with Bougainville Copper, Ona was a key figure in the secessionist conflict and had refused to formally join the island's peace process.

A non-binding independence referendum was held in Bougainville on 23 November 2019.

Recent news 

Bougainville votes on independence from Papua New Guinea

The former German colony could become the world's newest nation if the vote passes. The island's vast mineral wealth could make it a target for investors.

Voters on the Pacific archipelago of Bougainville began casting ballots on Saturday in a referendum on independence from  Papua New Guinea.

If the vote for independence passes, the autonomous province with 206,000 people could become the world's newest independent nation.

The referendum is part of a peace deal in 2001 that ended a bloody civil war between Bougainville and Papua New Guinea that left at least 15,000 people dead.

The referendum presents two options, either greater autonomy from Papua New Guinea, or complete independence. From the few reliable opinion polls, supporters of full independence are expected to win.

However, the referendum is nonbinding and a vote for independence would require ratification from the Papuan Parliament.

Although there are fears that an independent Bougainville could set a precedent for other independence movements in tribally diverse Papua New Guinea, rejecting the referendum could risk destabilizing the peace process.

Results of the referendum are not expected until at least mid-December, as many communities on the island are isolated, and some live on smaller surrounding islands.