formerly Neu-Pommern
Largest island (population 1999 est.: 435,000) in the Bismarck Archipelago , Papua New Guinea .
It was visited and named by English explorer William Dampier in 1700. After periods under German, Australian, and Japanese rule, it became part of Papua New Guinea in 1975 when that nation attained independence. It is crescent-shaped and heavily forested, and it has several volcanoes. Its highest peak, Mount Sinewit, at 7,999 ft (2,438 m), erupted violently in 1937. Commercial products include coconuts, cocoa, and palm oil. Its harbours include Blanche Bay, Talasea, and Jacquinot Bay.