Which is the largest island of the Bismarck Archipelago?

The largest components of the Bismarck Archipelago, are New Britain, New Ireland, the Admiralty Islands, New Hanover, and the smaller Duke of York Group, St. Matthias Group, and Witu (Vitu) Islands.

New Britain is the largest island. It is separated from New Guinea by the Dampier and Vitiaz Straits and from New Ireland by St. George's Channel. The main towns of New Britain are Rabaul/Kokopo and Kimbe.

Steep cliffs form some sections of the coastline; in others, the mountains are further inland, and the coastal area is flat and bordered by coral reefs. The highest point, at 2,438 m (7,999 ft), is Mount Sinewit in the Baining range in the east. Most of the terrain is covered with tropical rainforest and several large rivers are fed by the high rainfall.

There are several active volcanoes on the island, including Ulawun, the highest volcano in Papua New Guinea. The volcano Tavurvur in 1994 destroyed the East New Britain provincial capital of Rabaul.

Since 1884, the archipelago has been named after Otto von Bismarck. It was occupied by Australia in 1914 and made a mandated territory of Australia in 1920. Japan seized the archipelago during WW II. Rabaul and other villages on the islands suffered heavy damage when Allied troops recaptured the area in 1944. It was made part of the UN Trust Territory of New Guinea, administered by Australia. When Papua New Guinea attained independence in 1975, the group became part of that country.