The Louisiade Archipelago is a string of ten larger volcanic islands frequently fringed by coral reefs, and 90 smaller coral islands located 200 km southeast of New Guinea, stretching over more than 160 km and spread over an ocean area of 26,000 km? between the Solomon Sea to the north and the Coral Sea to the south. The aggregate land area of the islands is about 1,790 km? (690 square miles), with Vanatinai (formerly Sudest or Tagula as named by European claimants on Western maps) being the largest.Sideia Island and Basilaki Island lie closest to New Guinea, while Misima, Vanatinai, and Rossel islands lie further east. The archipelago is divided into the Local Level Government (LLG) areas Louisiade Rural (western part, with Misima), and Yaleyamba (western part, with Rossell and Tagula islands. The LLG areas are part of Samarai-Murua District district of Milne Bay. The seat of the Louisiade Rural LLG is Bwagaoia on Misima Island, the population center of the archipelago.

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