bismarck archipelago

English - English

Definition of bismarck archipelago in English English dictionary: A group of volcanic islands and islets of Papua New Guinea in the southwest Pacific Ocean. The islands were discovered by Dutch explorers in the early 1700s. Island group, western Pacific Ocean. Lying northwest of New Guinea, it forms part of Papua New Guinea. It has a total area of 19,173 sq mi (49,658 sq km); its largest components include New Britain, New Ireland, the Admiralty Islands, and New Hanover (Lavongai). Annexed by Germany in 1884, it was named for Otto von Bismarck. Occupied by Australia in 1914, it was made a mandated territory of Australia in 1920. The group became part of the UN Trust Territory of New Guinea after World War II and part of Papua New Guinea when it attained independence in 1975; a group of islands in the southwestern Pacific northeast of New Guinea; part of Papua New Guinea

bismarck archipelago