In which country are the large islands New Britain and New Ireland located?

The large islands New Britain and New Ireland are located in Papua New Guinea. They are the two principal islands of the Bismarck Archipelago, northeast of New Guinea in the western Pacific Ocean.

New Britain is the larger island, divided administratively between East New Britain and West New Britain. Its major settlements include Rabaul, Kokopo and Kimbe. New Ireland, a long, narrow island to the east, forms New Ireland Province, whose capital is Kavieng.

Both islands are mountainous, tropical and largely volcanic, with rainforest, coral reefs and active volcanoes. New Britain’s Mount Ulawun rises to 2,334 metres, while New Ireland’s highest point is Mount Taron. The islands were once part of German New Guinea, then came under Australian administration before Papua New Guinea became independent in 1975.

A common mix-up is confusing New Britain with the island of Britain in Europe. The names are historical echoes, but these Pacific islands are entirely part of Papua New Guinea.