Rossel Island

Rossel Island, volcanic island at the eastern end of the Louisiade Archipelago in Papua New Guinea, southwestern Pacific Ocean, lying 230 miles (370 km) southeast of the island of New Guinea. One of the group’s largest islands, it measures 21 miles by 10 miles (34 km by 16 km) and is fringed with coral reefs. The language of Rossel Island, unlike the languages of surrounding areas, is non-Austronesian. Shell necklaces and bêche-de-mer (trepang) are exported.