Autonomous Region of Bougainville

Autonomous Region of Bougainville Otonomos Region bilong Bogenvil
Flag Emblem
Motto: "Peace, Unity, Prosperity"
Anthem: "My Bougainville"[1]
Map
Capital	Buka 6°0′S 155°0′E / 6.000°S 155.000°E / -6.000; 155.000
Largest city	Arawa
Official languages	English, Tok Pisin
Other languages	Regional languages Askopan Bannoni Daantanaiʼ Hahon Hakö Halia Koromira Lawunuia Naasioi Nagovisi Nehan Nukumanu Nukuria Ounge Papapana Petats Ramopa Rapoisi Rotokas Saposa Simeku Siwai Solos Takuu Teop Terei Tinputz Torau Uisai
Demonym(s)	Bougainvillean
Government	Autonomous region
• President	Ishmael Toroama
• Vice-President	Patrick Nisira
Legislature	House of Representatives
Establishment
• Autonomy	25 June 2002
• Voted for independence	7 December 2019
Area
• Total	9,384 km2 (3,623 sq mi)
Population
• 2011 estimate	249,358
• Density	26.5/km2 (68.6/sq mi)
HDI (2019)	0.595[2] medium
Currency	Papua New Guinean kina (PGK)
Time zone	UTC+11:00 (Bougainville Standard Time)
Driving side	left
Calling code	+675
ISO 3166 code	PG-NSB

Bougainville (/ˈboʊɡənvɪl/ BOH-gən-vil;^[3] Tok Pisin: Bogenvil^[4][5]), officially the Autonomous Region of Bougainville^[6] (Tok Pisin: Otonomos Region bilong Bogenvil), is an autonomous region in Papua New Guinea. The largest island is Bougainville Island, while the region also includes Buka Island and a number of outlying islands and atolls. The current capital is Buka, situated on Buka Island.

In 2011, the region had an estimated population of 250,000. The lingua franca of Bougainville is Tok Pisin, while a variety of Austronesian and non-Austronesian languages are also spoken. The region includes several Polynesian outliers where Polynesian languages are spoken. Geographically the islands of Bougainville and Buka form part of the Solomon Islands archipelago, but are politically separate from the independent country of Solomon Islands. Historically, Bougainville and Buka, together with the islands of Choiseul, Santa Isabel, the Shortlands and Ontong Java, which are all now part of the country of Solomon Islands, formed the German Solomon Islands Protectorate, the geographical area later being referred to as the North Solomon Islands.

Bougainville has been inhabited by humans for at least 29,000 years. During the colonial period the region was occupied and administered by the Germans, Australians, Japanese, and Americans for various periods. The name of the region originates from French admiral Louis Antoine de Bougainville,^[7] who reached it in 1768.

Bougainvillean separatism dates to the 1960s, and the Republic of the North Solomons was declared shortly before the independence of Papua New Guinea in 1975; it was subsumed into Papua New Guinea the following year. Conflict over the Panguna mine became the primary trigger for the Bougainville Civil War (1988–1998), which resulted in the deaths of up to 20,000 people. A peace agreement resulted in the creation of the Autonomous Bougainville Government.

In late 2019, a non-binding independence referendum was held with 98% voting for independence rather than continued autonomy within Papua New Guinea. As a result, the regional authorities intend to become independent between 2025 and 2027, pending ratification by the Papua New Guinean government. If ratified, the capital may relocate from Buka back to the previous location of Arawa.^[8][9][10]