Bougainville is a new country in making, gets staggering votes in favour of independence from Papua New Guinea

Soon, the world map might get a new country by the name of Bougainville. The region recently received an overwhelming number of votes, favouring independence from Papua New Guinea (PNG). Also known as the autonomous region of Bougainville, the region is seeking freedom from Papua New Guinea, which will make it the world’s latest nation.

About Bougainville
As of now, the Autonomous Region of Bougainville (of Papua New Guinea) in the Solomon Sea is a collection of islands, around 700 km off the coast of Papua New Guinea. It is inhabited by more than 180000 people. As far as votes are concerned, nearly 98 per cent of people have voted in favour of its independence while less than 2 per cent votes were cast against the move. As soon as the announcement about vote numbers was made, the whole community started cheering and shouting in happiness.

History
The history goes back to the year 2001 when the Papua New Guinea government made a promise of vote. This was a part of a peace agreement to stop the catastrophic civil war, which went on for almost a decade. In this war, more than 20000 people were reported dead.

The celebrations

However, the new nation just won’t happen in one day and will take time as the referendum result is non-binding. There will be a negotiation between the governments of PNG and Bougainville, and a decision will be taken after that. However, the event is a big thing for the world history and map, and people are already happy with the decision.

Places of tourist interest in Bougainville

Being a seaside destination, Bougainville is obviously quite a stunning place. The Buka town and island here are perfect for those nature lovers ad solitude seekers. There are also plenty of options for those who wish to enjoy adventure water activities such as scuba diving, surfing and kayaking among others.