The Bismarck Archipelago (German: Bismarck-Archipel, pronounced [ˈbɪsmaʁk ˌaʁçiˈpeːl]) is a group of islands off the northeastern coast of New Guinea in the western Pacific Ocean and is part of the Islands Region of Papua New Guinea.

[1] They may have traveled from New Guinea, by boat across the Bismarck Sea or via a temporary land bridge, created by an uplift in the Earth's crust.

Almost the entire volcano fell into the ocean, leaving a small crater lake.

They remained under Australian administration—interrupted only by Japanese occupation during World War II—until Papua New Guinea became independent in September 1975.

The Bismarck Archipelago includes mostly volcanic islands with a total land area of 49,700 km2 (19,189 sq mi).