The current name of each island or atoll (bold and
underlined) is followed by a (code) to facilitate
cross-referencing with the Annotated Index of Island Names in the
Western Islands below. Each section contains historical
names spelled out exactly as found in the literature. A name
followed by an asterisk (*) denotes an island part of a group, i.e.:
Maron* (H) is an island in the Hermit group (code H). The names
of individual islands are often cited by themselves in the literature
to refer to or describe the group of islands to which they belong. See also Annotated
Index of Place Names in the Western Islands.
The listings are from West to East.
Bismarck Archipelago (BA) Named after German chancellor Otto von Bismarck
it is a vast archipelago covering 19,200 sq mi (49,730 sq km) and
consisting of volcanic islands and islets in the Bismarck Sea, southwestern
Pacific Ocean along the eastern and northern coasts of Papua
New Guinea. Credit for the "discovery" of the
Bismarck Archipelago is usually given to the Dutch explorer
Willem Schouten in 1616 but it is the Spanish explorer Ynigo Ortiz
de Retes who, with his ship San Juan sailed from Tidor to “New
Spain” for King Philip II of Spain and made route north to "discover"
Wuvulu and Aua islands on August 19, 1545. He was followed by the
Spanish explorer Antonio de Herera who travelled through the Archipelago
in the early 1600's (see Early Maps).
The Bismarck Archipelago includes New
Britain to the South (the largest island), New
Ireland,
New Hanover, the St. Matthias Group (Emirau and Mussau Islands),
the Admiralty
Islands and the Western Islands. The larger islands are
mountainous, have some active volcanoes and the highest peak,
Mount Sinewit, 7,999 ft (2,438 m), is found in the Baining
Mountains on the Gazelle Peninsula on New Britain. The
main products are copra, cacao, coffee, tea, and rubber. Copper
and gold are also mined. The inhabitants are mostly Melanesians. The
area became a German protectorate in 1884. Australia
seized the group in World War I and they were mandated to Australia
by the League of Nations in 1920. Japan built and operated
several naval and air bases in the islands during World War II. In
1947, Australia received trusteeship over the group from the
United Nations. The archipelago became part of Papua New Guinea when it became independent in 1973.The Admiralty Islands and
the Western
Islands form the northwest end of the Bismarck Archipelago.
Archipel Bismarck
Bismarckarchipel
Britannia Archipelago
Western Islands (WI) The western most group of islands of the Bismarck Archipelago, west of the Admiralty
Islands is part of the Manus Province, Papua New Guinea [map]. The islands lay in an area
extending from the south west at latitude 1o45'
South, longitude 142o45' East to the north east at
latitude 0o44' South, longitude
145o33' East, between the West Melanesian Trench to
the north and the New Guinea Trench to the south. See also Annotated Index of Place
Names in the Western Islands.
Iles de l'Ouest
Iles Occidentales
north west Islands
North Western Islands
NW Islands
Western Islands
Western Isles
Western Isles Group
Westliche Inseln
Westliche Isles
Westlichen Inseln
Wuvulu Island (W)Latitude 1o43' South, longitude 142o50' East.
Wuvulu is a low coral island of volcanic origin with a maximum elevation of 3 m (10 feet) above sea level. It is approximately 19.3 km (12 miles) in circumference and 4 km (2½ miles) by 7.2 km (4½ miles) in diameter with a surface area of 1,400 ha (3,600 acres). The island is completely encircled by a fringing coral reef with no natural harbor, making it impossible to anchor ships.
Wuvulu is the westernmost and southern mostisland in the Western Islands of the Bismarck Archipelago, located 224.5 nautical miles (416 km) to the west of Manus Island and the Admiralty Islands, 140.3 nautical miles (260 km) north of Wewak, East Sepik Province, Papua New Guinea, and more than 593 nautical miles (1,100 km) south of the Carolines Archipelago.
See also Annotated Index of Place Names on Wuvulu Island.
Bobolo
Bóbolo
Hombres Blancos (refers to both Wuvulu and Aua islands)
Ile du Tigre
Ilhas do Mons blancos (refers to both Wuvulu and
Aua islands)
Isola de lhombres blancos (refers to both Wuvulu
and Aua islands)
Islas de Hombres blancos (refers to both Wuvulu
and Aua islands)
Islas hombres blancos (refers to both Wuvulu and
Aua islands)
Los Hombres Blancos (refers to both Wuvulu and
Aua islands)
Mally
Mary
Mathy
Mati
Matti
Matty
Matty Inseln
Matty-Inseln
Matty's Island
Maty
Popolo
Tigarinsel
Tiger
Tiger-Insel
Tiger Island
Tigerinsel
Tigerön
Viwulu
Vuvulu
Wavulu
Wuoulu
Wurvulu
WUU
WUV
Wuvuilu
Wuvulu
Wuvula
Wuvulo
Wuvuloo
Wuwulu
Wuwula
Wuwulo
Wuwulu
Aua Island (A)Latitude 1o27' South, longitude
143o4' East. The closest island to Wuvulu Island, to the
north-east.
Ana
Aria
Arua
Au'u
Ava
Douro
Dourur
Du Rour
Duror
Durour
Durour's Island
Duroure
Hombres Blancos (refers to both Aua and Wuvulu islands)
Huhn
Huon
Hun
Hún
Hunt
Ilhas do Mons blancos (refers to both Wuvulu and
Aua islands)
Isola de lhombres blancos (refers to both Aua
and Wuvulu islands)
Islas de Hombres blancos (refers to both Aua and
Wuvulu islands)
Los Hombres Blancos (refers to both Aua and Wuvulu islands)
Uva
Awin Atoll (AW)Latitude 1o39' South, longitude
144o1' East. The southern most atoll of the Ninigo Group to
the south-west of the Ninigo Islands. The two islands (*) of this group are listed clockwise from the
southern most.
Sama Group (SA)Latitude 1o24' South, longitude
144o4' East. An atoll, part of the Ninigo Group, south-west
of the Ninigo Islands. The 3 islands (*) of this group are listed clockwise from the
southern most.
Sama*
Similam*
Pataku* (also Pateku)
Pateku* (see Pataku)
Bougainville low islands named after French Admiral
Louis Antoine de Bougainville who "discovered" the Ninigo
Islands in 1771 aboard the King's frigate La Boudeuse
Chequer Islands
Chess-Bank
Chess-board
Chessboard
Echequier
Echiquier
Echiquiers
Exchequer
Exchequers
Exchiquier
Is. Basses (see Bougainville low islands)
Is. Basses de Bougainville (see Bougainville low islands)
Isles Basses
L'Echequier
L'Echiquier
Les Mille iles
Los Mil Islas
Mil Islas
Mille Isles
Nindigo
Ninego Group
Ninigo-Group
Ninigo-Gruppe
Ninigos
Ningo
Schachbrett
Schess-Boaro
Pelleluhu Group (P)Latitude 1o8' South, longitude
144o24' East. An atoll, part of the Ninigo Group, to the
north-east of the Ninigo Islands. The 13 islands (*) of this group are listed clockwise from the
southern most.
Szighwalin*
Pelleluhu* (also Pelalhun, Pelleluhn)
Palitolla*
Pennehan* (northern most island in the Pelleluhu Group and Ninigo Group)
Pahait*
Somaniat*
Bilapalap*
Manu*
Hamoha*
Moat*
Ahaltin*
Bircha*
Guam*
Heina Group (HA)Latitude 1o7' South, longitude
144o30' East. The eastern most atoll of the Ninigo Group, to
the north-east of the Ninigo Islands and Pelleluhu Group. The 6 islands (*) of this group are listed clockwise from the
southern most, followed by other names for this group.
1. Islands and islets on the periphery of the lagoon
Liot Atoll (L)Latitude 1o24' South, longitude
144o5' East. A small, horseshoe shape island, part of the Ninigo
Group, between the Ninigo Islands and Hermit Group.
Boudeuse
Bouddeuse
Ile Boudeuse
La Boudeuse
La Bouddeuse
Ufe
Uwe
Hermit Group (H)Latitude 1o30' South, longitude
145o4' East.
The 17 islands (*) of this group form the largest group in the Western Islands. They are listed clockwise
from the southern most, followed by other names for this group.
See also Annotated Index of Place
Names on the Hermit Islands.
On the South Reef:
Leabon*
Pechu* (also Peegue)
Makan* (also Machan)
Pianau*
Kocheran* (also Kochapiti,
Kocherau)
Amot* (also Amota) On the North West Reef:
Tatahau*
Kenai*
Mono* On the East Reef:
Pemei* (also Pemé)
AKib* (also Arkeb)
Maron* (also Maronn, Maroon, Moron)
Jalun* (also Djalum, Djalun, Geloon, Gelun)
with an elevation of 800', the highest island in the Western Islands.
Tset* (also Tet, Zet)
Luf* (also Louf, Lub, Luf-Atoll, Luf-luf,
Lup)
North Gochonsipi*
South Gochonsipi*
Agomes
Bechu
Caimana
Eremit
Eremitanos
Eremite
Eremiten
Eremiteninseln
Ermitanos
Ermite
Germit
Hermitanos
Hermite
Hermiten
Hermitinseln
Hermits
Hermitten
Iles des Hermites
Iles Ermite
Is. de los Ermilanos
Isle Nord
Les Hermnites
La Caimana
La Caramania
Lacaymana
Los Emeritanos
Los Eremitanos
Los Hermitanos
Taliu
The Beautiful Lady with the Poisoned Lips (so named
because of its forbidding and dangerous reefs)
Sae Islands (S) Latitude 0o47' South, longitude
145o17' East.
The northern most islands in the Western
Islands, north-east of the Hermit Islands.
The Sae and Kaniet Islands are routinely referred
to as the "Kaniet (Sae) Islands". They are in fact
two distinct groups albeit close to one another. The Sae
Islands are the smallest of these two groups.
For other names for the Sae Islands, see: Other
names for the Kaniet (Sae) Islands below.
Kaniet Islands (K) Latitude 0o56' South, longitude
145o30' East.
The eastern most group of small islands in the Western Islands, north-east of the Hermit Islands.
The Kaniet and Sae Islands are routinely referred
to as the "Kaniet (Sae) Islands". They are in fact
two distinct groups albeit close to one another. The Kaniet
Islands are the largest of these two groups.
The 4 islands and one islet (*) of this group are listed clockwise
from the southern most, followed by other names for this group.
1. Islands and islets on the periphery of the lagoon
Anachoret
Anachorete
Anachoreten
Anachorètes
Anachorites
Anacoretas
Anachorts
Anchoret
Anchoreten
Anchorite
Anchoriter
Anchorites
Camerson
Comerson
Commerçon
Commerson
Is. des Anachoretes
Kamiets
Kanies
Kaniët
Kunies
Kuniët
Les Anachorètes
Les Anachorettes
Les Moines
Les Monjos
Los Anacoretas
Los Monjos
Los Monges
Monges
Monks
Suf*
Taling*
Tatak*
Vasan*
Admiralty Islands (AD) The closest group of islands to the east of the Western Islands.
The Manus Province seat of Government at Lorengau on Manus Island
administers the Western Islands.
Ile Boudeuse (L)
Ile du Tigre (W)
Iles Basses (N)
Iles de l'Ouest (WI)
Iles des Hermites (H)
Iles Ermite (H)
Iles Occidentales (WI)
Ilhas do Mons blancos(W) & (A)
Is. Basses (N)
Is. Basses de Bougainville (N)
Is. de los Ermilanos (H)
Is. des Anachoretes (K)
Isola de lhombres blancos (W) & (A)
Islas de Hombres blancos (W) & (A)
Islas hombres blancos (W) & (A)
Isle Nord (H)
Isles Basses (N)
Laualau* (HA)
L'Echequier (N)
L'Echiquier (N)
La Boudeuse (L)
La Bouddeuse (L)
La Caimana (H)
La Caramania (H)
Lacaymana (H)
Lau* (N)
Leabon* (H)
Les Anachorètes (K)
Les Anachorettes (K)
Les Hermnites (H)
Les Mille iles (N)
Les Moines (S)
Les Monjos (K) Liot (L)
Longam* (H) (see
Longan)
Longan* (H) (also
Longam)
Loof* (H)
Los Anacoretas (K)
Los Emeritanos (H)
Los Eremitanos (H)
Los Hermitanos (H)
Los Hombres Blancos (W) & (A)
Los Mil Islas (N)
Los Monjos (K)
Los Monges (K)
Lóu* (H)
Louf* (H) (see Luf)
Lub* (H) (see Luf)
Luf* (H) (also Loof,
Lóu, Louf, Lub, Luf-Atoll, Luf-luf, Lup)
Luf-Atoll* (H) (see
Luf)
Luf-luf* (H) (see
Luf)
Lup* (H) (see
Luf)
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