The islands were named after an 18th Century French explorer and became part of a German colony, German New Guinea, at the end of the 19th Century. .css-1hlxxic-PromoLink:link{color:inherit;}.css-1hlxxic-PromoLink:visited{color:#696969;}.css-1hlxxic-PromoLink:link,.css-1hlxxic-PromoLink:visited{-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;}.css-1hlxxic-PromoLink:link:hover,.css-1hlxxic-PromoLink:visited:hover,.css-1hlxxic-PromoLink:link:focus,.css-1hlxxic-PromoLink:visited:focus{color:#B80000;-webkit-text-decoration:underline;text-decoration:underline;}.css-1hlxxic-PromoLink:link::after,.css-1hlxxic-PromoLink:visited::after{content:'';position:absolute;top:0;right:0;bottom:0;left:0;z-index:2;}Papua New Guinea country profile, France finds first case of new coronavirus variant. The Autonomous Region of Bougainville is an island located nearly 1000 kilometres east of Papua New Guinea, and directly north of Solomon Islands. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. There have been independent observers throughout the process. It's really only been since Europeans came in and imposed colonialism on Bougainville that that idea of Bougainville as a unit has been created. Watch video 01:40 The autonomous region of Bougainville has overwhelmingly voted to break away from Papua New Guinea and become an independent country. Bougainville is the largest island of the Solomon Islands archipelago, and an autonomous island region within Papua New Guinea.. Bougainville, Papua New Guinea – Eighteen years after a peace agreement brought a brutal civil war to an end on the resource-rich islands of Bougainville in the remote east of … Bougainville and nationhood. To learn more, review our Cookie Policy. The PNG minister for Bougainville affairs, Puka Temu, said "the outcome is a credible one" - but asked that voters "allow the rest of Papua New Guinea sufficient time to absorb this result". Posted on December 5, 2019. Thank you for your support! The Autonomous Region of Bougainville, a chain of islands that lie 959 kilometres northwest of Papua New Guinea’s capital, Port Moresby, has voted unequivocally for independence. But according to research by Australia's Lowy Institute, Bougainville achieving self-reliance would at best be years away. Bougainville and nationhood. The health ministry says an asymptomatic Frenchman who arrived from England tested positive. The World needs you. The population of the province is approximately 300,000 (2019 census), which includes islets such as the Carterets. depending on the result, this could mean the world gets a brand new sovereign country, but there's much more to this story so stick around to find out. For one, Bougainville is rich in natural resources. With Buka Island and several island groups, it forms the autonomous region of Bougainville. But it is something that's quite distinct now. This is a small island in the South Pacific which recently received a large number of votes to gain independence from Papua New Guinea. Anna Powles, Massey University. One estimate cited by the Lowy Institute says Bougainville would only have 56% of the revenue needed to be self-reliant. The region became something of an economic powerhouse for … It's going to need resources to make itself viable and it's going to be relying on international partners to get there once it is able to negotiate this process with PNG. peace agreement sets 2020 deadline for independence poll, How Lewis Hamilton is helping make racing environmentally friendly. On Saturday, a new chapter will be written, when 207,000 people begin voting on whether they want greater autonomy or independence. Approximately 30 years after a decade-long brutal civil war in Bougainville, a tiny island in the Pacific, is going to the polls Saturday to vote on its independence from Papua New Guinea. Millions of Americans face jobless benefits lapse, Nashville camper van explodes in 'intentional act', The casualties of viral conspiracy theories in 2020, .css-q4by3k-IconContainer{display:none;height:1em;width:1em;vertical-align:-0.125em;margin-right:0.25em;}playHow Lewis Hamilton is helping make racing environmentally friendly. The new country would be small, with a landmass of less than 10,000 sq km (slightly larger than Cyprus, and slightly smaller than Lebanon). The central government has previously withheld funding for the referendum process, and its preference is for the region to remain within the country. Your donation directly supports the critical reporting you rely on, the consistent reporting you believe in, and the deep reporting you want to ensure survives. Understand []. "There is a palpable pride that the eyes of the world are watching," Mr Ahern wrote this week. The country is rich in natural resources - especially copper, which has been extracted on a large scale since the 1960s under Australian administration. Bougainville in Papua New Guinea May Become the World's Newest Country After Overwhelming Vote this link is to an external site that may or may not meet accessibility guidelines. Yeah, one of the big challenges for Bougainville is economic prospects. Pacific Island Referendum Could Give the World a Tiny New Country By . The PNG minister for Bougainville affairs, Puka Temu, said "the outcome is a credible one" - but asked that voters "allow the rest of Papua New Guinea sufficient time to absorb this result". Bougainville is a new country in making, gets staggering votes in favour of independence from Papua New Guinea. The new president of Bougainville will be Ishmael Toroama, ... and now the potential founding father of the world’s newest country is a compelling story. The Islands of Bougainville in Papua New Guinea May Become the World's Newest Country By Kaitlyn McInnis January 07, 2020 An impressive 97.7 per cent of voters in the region voted for a referendum, which has held a special status as an autonomous region of Papua New Guinea since 2001. The fighting came to an end in 1997 with help from international mediators. It was one of the key sticking points. Donate $100 or more to hear your name in our podcast credits AND receive an invite to a virtual party with Marco Werman and The World team! While the war brought much of the copper and gold mining operations to a halt, the province used to be one of PNG's richest before the war. From further afield, the US and China are also watching the developments closely. The Autonomous Region of Bougainville, a … China, the United States, Australia and New Zealand are all tracking its progress because the island territory sits on a wealth of copper and gold. And why UN recognition is necessary? So, as part of that peace agreement, Bougainville got special status and has since that time been preparing for this referendum. The other worry is that it might set a precedent. Tag: Bougainville new country. It ran really smoothly. The islands' history includes colonial exploitation, attempts at independence, a nine-year war and a gradual peace process. Some Bougainvilleans were frustrated by that, but others and some fairly senior leaders have pointed out that they wanted that opportunity to negotiate and deal wit in an orderly way and not just have a cut-off point where Bougainville would be cut off from the rest of PNG. This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity. The Autonomous Region of Bougainville, a chain of islands that lie 959 kilometres northwest of Papua New Guinea’s (PNG) capital, Port Moresby, … Given the scale of the outcome, PNG's government doesn't really have the capacity to interpret this vote another way. When you think of modern-day secessions, the struggles of Catalonia, Scotland, Kashmir and Kurdistan typically come to mind. During recent times Buka Island has become the administrative capital of Bougainville. An island group that's part of Papua New Guinea is about to vote on independence. Following the war, Australia occupied the island and then in 1975 it became part of Papua New Guinea. It encompasses the eastern half of New Guinea, the world’s second largest island; the Bismarck Archipelago; Bougainville and Buka; and small offshore islands and atolls. Geography. Bougainville has voted to become a new country, but the journey to independence is not yet over. Things like fisheries could be a big industry. It is part of the Solomon Islands rain forests Eco region. The Buka Passage divides Buka from Bougainville Island. Also some of the traditions, things like matrilineal land tenure that applies in a lot of Bougainville means that people have a sense of culture that I think will drive that sense of identity as an independent nation. Understand []. One is that the secessionists were able to fight the Papua New Guinea forces to a stalemate. And that's where we've landed with the result this week. Geographically, Bougainville is the largest of the Solomon Islands, located near the northern end of … The primary marker of that identity was dark skin colour - most Bougainvilleans have darker skin than most, though not all, people from elsewhere in PNG. Bougainville is off the beaten track and far from easy to get to. Present Status Of Bougainville. Bougainville is off the beaten track and far from easy to get to. After the failed independence declaration, discontent simmered and in 1988 a nine-year separatist war began. Bougainville Island (Tok Pisin: Bogenvil) is the main island of the Autonomous Region of Bougainville of Papua New Guinea.It formed the main landmass of the German Empire-associated North Solomons.Its land measures 9,300 km 2 (3,600 sq mi). A vehicle flying a Bougainville flag drives by during a non-binding independence referendum in Arawa on the Papua New Guinea island of Bougainville, on Nov. 26, 2019. The Autonomous Region of Bougainville, a chain of islands that lie 959 kilometres northwest of Papua New Guinea’s capital, Port … The new country is 8,646 square kilometers, and the new capital is 598 kilometers. Estimates of the number of people killed range from 4,000 to 20,000 - between 3 and 13% of the islands' population at the start of the war. Results of the historic referendum were announced on … It has the mineral resources, the mine that really sparked the conflict back in the late 80's, Panguna, has still got some substantial mineral resources. The declaration was the manifestation of a Bougainville identity which developed during the 20th Century. Within the country, your best bet is New Guinean national carrier Air Niugini (sound it out), which flies to Buka. But it does provide a sense of unity and identity for a lot of Bougainvilleans. I think it would be hard for PNG to do that at this point. Soon, the world map might get a new country by the name of Bougainville. We need just 407 more donors to make our goal of 1,000. Results of the historic referendum were announced on … About 207,000 Bougainvilleans are registered to vote on whether Melanesian isles will become world’s newest country. One is that the secessionists were able to fight the Papua New Guinea forces to a stalemate. There doesn't seem to be any questions raised about the counting process or the nature of the voting. Bougainville: World's newest nation expected to form as islands vote in independence poll. Bougainville is the largest island in the Solomon Islands archipelago. Likewise, its population would be one of the world’s smallest. We need just 407 more donors to make our goal of 1,000. So, that was the compromise ... and it would take place within 20 years after the new government was established. I think that just means that independence has to be happening, there has to be a timeline for that. I mean, it's such a overwhelming majority and probably if you go back in history and think about what the outcome might have been had this vote happened when the peace agreement was signed back in 2001, it might not have even been at this scale. China is thought to already have sent a delegation to look at investing in Bougainville, including a new port. Geographically, Bougainville is the largest of the Solomon Islands, located near the northern end of that chain.Bougainville is 75 miles (120 km) long and 40–60 miles (65–95 km) wide. Bougainville, an island in the Pacific, is holding a referendum to decide if it wants to remain a part of Papua New Guinea or become an independent country. #Bougainville #PapuaNewGuinea #Referendum Footage used in this video courtesy of Skyborne Visions LLC, check them out! While under colonial control, Bougainville - current population 300,000 - was always an outpost. The birth of Bougainville Last year the small Pacific island of Bougainville, a self-governed part of Papua New Guinea, held a referendum on whether it should become an independent country. As of now, the Autonomous Region of Bougainville (of Papua New Guinea) in the Solomon Sea is a collection of islands, around 700 km off the coast of Papua New Guinea. If Bougainville gets independence, other PNG provinces (there are more than 20) could also up their demands for greater autonomy - or possibly secession. Several factors stand out. From the 1880s up until World War I Bougainville was part of German New Guinea. The Islands of Bougainville in Papua New Guinea May Become the World's Newest Country By Kaitlyn McInnis January 07, 2020 An impressive 97.7 per cent of voters in the region voted for a referendum, which has held a special status as an autonomous region of Papua New Guinea since 2001. So why does PNG want Bougainville to stay? Bougainville to vote on whether to become world’s newest country. Bougainvilleans tend to have skin that's much darker than people from other parts of Papua New Guinea and Melanesia. They're planned to last for one year, meaning that the Papua New Guinean parliament probably won't vote to approve or deny Bougainville… Likewise, its population would be one of the world's smallest - slightly smaller than Pacific neighbour Vanuatu, and slightly bigger than Barbados. It has been a really well scrutinized process. 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