Bougainville Jungle

The forested islands of the Solomon archipelago rise out of the seas southeast of Bougainville. Their rugged interiors and narrow coastal plains contrast with the reefs and channels between islands. Long before European ships arrived, communities occupied these shores and developed relationships across the archipelago. In 1568 the Spanish expedition of Álvaro de Mendaña reached the Solomon Islands, bringing the first recorded European visit to the group.