Kenny Dunn Jr., age 15, of Rock Island, I11., for his question:

WHERE IS THE BISMARK ARCHIPELAGO?

The Bismark Archipelago is a group of more than 200 islands in the western Pacific Ocean, part of Papua New Guinea. The archipelago is northeast of New Guinea and south of the equator.

The archipelago is semi circular in shape and partly encloses the Bismark Sea. A majority of the population is Melanesian, Cacao; copra and shellfish are the leading products of the areas.

Known originally as New Britain Archipelago, the island group was proclaimed a German protectorate in 1884 and given its present name in 1885. Australian forces occupied the islands in 1914, after the outbreak of World War I. Australia then obtained control of the archipelago under the terms of the League of Nations mandate of 1920, establishing the Territory of New Guinea.

The islands were invaded by Japanese forces in 1942 and were retaken by Allied troops in 1944. In 1947 they were placed again under Australian administration by the United Nations.

The islands became independent as part of Papau New Guinea in 1975.