New Georgia is the largest island of the Western Province of the Solomon Islands. It is in the New Georgia Group, an archipelago including most of the other larger islands in the province. About 72 km (45 miles) long, it forms part of the southern boundary of the New Georgia Sound; Kolombangara lies across the Kula Gulf to the west, Vangunu is to the east, and Rendova to the south, across the Blanche Channel. The island is rugged and heavily forested.
History
During World War II, the United States' New Georgia Campaign opened with landings on New Georgia and nearby islands on 30 June 1943. New Georgia was secured by American forces on 23 August, after weeks of difficult jungle operations, although fighting continued on nearby islands until October 1943. Munda, the Japanese base on New Georgia Island, was the main objective of the assault on the island. This base was not taken until August 5, 1943. The Japanese facilities at Bairoko Harbor, 13 km (8 miles) north of Munda, were not taken until August 25.
Languages
The languages spoken on the island are from the family of New Georgia languages, a subgroup of the South New Ireland-Northwest Solomonic linkage within the Oceanic languages, a major group of the Eastern Malayo-Polynesian languages, part of the enormous Austronesian family. The group consists of ten languages spoken on New Georgia Island, divided into eastern and western subgroups.
