It is the most active volcano in the country, occupying a remote portion of central Bougainville Island.

Eruptive activity at Bagana is frequent and is characterized by non-explosive effusion of viscous lava that maintains a small lava dome in the summit crater, although explosive activity occasionally producing pyroclastic flows also occurs.

Lava flows form dramatic, freshly preserved tongue-shaped lobes up to 50 m thick with prominent levees that descend the volcano's flanks on all sides.

[3] Just north-east of Bagana is the volcano crater lake Billy Mitchell.

[4] U.S. General Floyd L. Parks flew over the Solomon Islands on 27 October 1948 and witnessed the eruption of Bagana.