Louisiade Archipelago


Louisiade Archipelago

(lo͞oē'zēăd`, –äd`), SW Pacific, part of Papua New GuineaPapua New Guinea
, officially Independent State of Papua New Guinea, independent Commonwealth nation (2015 est. pop. 6,672,000), 183,540 sq mi (475,369 sq km), SW Pacific.
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. The archipelago comprises c.10 volcanic islands and numerous coral reefs. The major islands are Tagula (the largest), Rossel, Misima, and Panaeati. The inhabitants are Papuans. Bwagaoia, on Misima island, is the chief village of the group. Most of the islands had gold reserves, but mining largely ceased after World War II. The archipelago was explored by the French navigator J. A. B. d'EntrecasteauxEntrecasteaux, Joseph Antoine Bruni d'
, 1739–93, French navigator. He entered the French navy in 1754, fought (1756) at Minorca, commanded (1786) the French fleet of the East Indies, and was appointed governor of Mauritius and the Isle of Bourbon in 1787.
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 and was named in honor of the king of France.