Island of New Britain

New Britain Island is a Melanesian island within Papua New Guinea. It is the largest island of the Bismarck Archipelago, called the New Britain Archipelago until 1885.

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Video: New Britain Island

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Geography

The island has an area of 35,144.6 km² and is home to about 500,000 inhabitants (2011). It is 600 km long and has a maximum width of 80 km. Since 1966, New Britain has been divided into two administrative units, the provinces of East New Britain and West New Britain. The Eastern Province is smaller in area than the Western Province, but surpasses it in population and importance.

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The administrative center of West New Britain is the town of Kimbe, while East New Britain was the town of Rabaul until the 1994 eruption of the Tavurvur volcano. Most of its residents fled and settled in the town of Kokopo, which later became the administrative center, in part due to its safer location.

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A gorge-cut mountain range runs along the island, the highest point of which is Sinevit Volcano (2,438 m). Most of the island is covered with tropical forest.

Dampier Strait separates New Britain from the island of Umboi, St. George’s Strait from the island of New Ireland.

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History

New Britain was not discovered until 1700 by British navigator William Dampier. From 1885 to 1899, the island was owned by the German New Guinea Company and was called New Pomerania (Neupommern). From 1899 to 1914, the island was part of the colony of German New Guinea. During this era, cotton was commercially grown on the island. In 1914, New Britain was conquered by Australian troops and after the end of World War I, .

During World War II, the island was occupied by troops of the Empire of Japan, who won the Battle of Rabaul in 1942. The Americans managed to land in the northwest of the island (Operation Dexterity), as well as at Cape Mercus in the southwest. However, the then capital city of Rabaul was not conquered until the very end of the war and was only handed over to the Americans after the general Japanese surrender.

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Population

The oldest ethnic group in New Britain are the Papuans. Settlers from Melanesia settled the island second chronologically. The largest ethnic group is the Tolai people. The Bining people, who live in the highlands, have gained some fame for their ritual “fire dance” and penis jewelry. In addition to them, the island is home to the Kilenge, Sulka and Lakalai peoples.

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