Bougainville
A group of islands in Papua New Guinea that fought a civil war over a copper mine, won autonomy in the peace that followed, and voted 97.7% for independence in 2019. Papua New Guinea’s parliament still has to decide whether to accept that vote.
Written from cited sourcesLast checked 28 September 2026Suggest a correction
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Solomon Islands by geography
Bougainville Island is the largest of the Solomon Islands chain, near its northern end. It is about 120 km long, and active volcanoes rise to about 2,700 m in the north. Buka Island lies just to the northwest, across the narrow Buka Passage.[1][2]
The French navigator Louis-Antoine de Bougainville sailed past in 1768 and the island took his name.[1] It came under German rule in 1898, was taken by Australia in 1914, was fought over by Japanese and American forces in the Second World War, and afterwards was part of the UN Trust Territory of New Guinea run by Australia.[1] When Papua New Guinea became independent in 1975, Bougainville became part of it.[1] So although it sits in the same island chain as Solomon Islands, it belongs to Papua New Guinea.[4]
The mine and the war
In 1972 a huge open-pit copper mine opened at Panguna, in the middle of Bougainville. By the early 1980s it earned more than half of Papua New Guinea’s export income.[1] Many islanders felt the profits weren’t fairly shared, and pollution from the mine added to the anger.[4]
An uprising began in 1988 and closed the mine the following year. Rebels held the island until government troops landed in 1991, but the fighting went on.[1] The war between the Bougainville Revolutionary Army, Papua New Guinea’s forces and pro-government militias lasted until 1998.[4] Estimates of the dead run from 15,000 to 20,000, about a tenth of the population.[1][4]
Peace and autonomy
In 2001 the rebels and the government signed a peace agreement. It made Bougainville and the nearby islands an autonomous region and promised a referendum on independence.[1][5] Bougainville approved its own constitution in 2004, held elections the next year, and swore in its government at Buka in June 2005.[1]
The referendum was held over two weeks in late 2019, and 97.7% voted for independence rather than more autonomy.[4][3] It isn’t binding. Under the peace agreement, Papua New Guinea’s national parliament has the final say.[4][5]
Waiting for Port Moresby
In March 2025 Bougainville’s leaders recommended 1 September 2027 as the date for independence, and said Papua New Guinea had no power to veto the result.[6] In June 2026 the speaker of the national parliament ruled that ratifying the vote would need a three-quarters majority of MPs, higher than the two-thirds needed to change the constitution. Bougainville’s vice-president, Ezekiel Massat, called it a strategy to make the vote impossible to win.[7]
The referendum result was finally tabled in the national parliament in August 2026 and debated on 27 August, but MPs didn’t vote. Prime Minister James Marape said the two governments would meet in October to set a date.[3] Even a yes vote would not bring independence at once: Bougainville would first take over all the powers its autonomy allows.[3] Bougainville’s government says it plans to declare independence in 2030.[5][8]
Timeline
1768
Named
Louis-Antoine de Bougainville sails past; the island takes his name.[1]
1898
German rule
Bougainville is placed under German administration.[1]
1914
Australian rule
Australian forces take the island.[1]
1975
Papua New Guinea
Bougainville becomes part of independent Papua New Guinea.[1]
1988
Uprising
An insurrection begins; the Panguna mine closes the next year.[1]
2001
Peace agreement
The rebels and the government agree to autonomy and a future referendum.[1][5]
2005
Autonomous government
Bougainville’s first autonomous government is sworn in at Buka.[1]
2019
Referendum
2025
A date proposed
Leaders recommend 1 September 2027 for independence.[6]
202627 August 2026
Parliament debates
Papua New Guinea’s parliament debates the result but puts off the vote.[3]
More autonomous regions
Sources
- [1]Bougainville Island · Encyclopaedia Britannica
- [2]Buka Island · Encyclopaedia Britannica
- [3]PNG parliament decision on Bougainville still months off at least · RNZ · 28 August 2026
- [4]Bougainville votes overwhelmingly for independence from Papua New Guinea in landmark referendum · ABC News (Australia) · 11 December 2019
- [5]‘This is a difficult task’: PNG parliament to finally address Bougainville vote · Asia Pacific Report · 26 August 2026
- [6]Bougainville Leaders Forum recommends September 2027 for independence · RNZ · 12 March 2025
- [7]PNG parliament sets bar high for Bougainville’s climb towards independence · National Indigenous Times · 12 June 2026
- [8]PNG’s parliament delays the vote for Bougainville independence further · National Indigenous Times · 31 August 2026
- [9]Autonomous Region of Bougainville (relation 3777380) · OpenStreetMap contributors
Outline for the map, cut to the 1:50m coastline and simplified.
Map geometry from Natural Earth via world-atlas. See credits.