Of the island provinces, East New Britain represents the major centre of commerce for the islands of PNG although the capital, Rabual, is still recovering from a major volcanic eruption in 1995 which destroyed much of the town. The major industries on the islands are forestry fishing, cocoa and coconut. In New Ireland, declining German colonial plantations have been turned into productive palm oil and copra plantations. These have their own mills, tanks and wharf where oil is shipped to Malaysia for manufacture of foodstuffs. The smallest and least visited of the island provinces, Manus is peopled with farmers and fishermen.
Fishing is of local value but cocoa and timber are important as exports.
However, the most distinctive feature of the province, is its excellent standard of education. All children receive four years compulsory schooling with those in remote areas studying by correspondence. Many of the Manusians go on to further study on mainland PNG to become well-paid professionals. The island most recently in the news is Bourgainville, which is part of the North Solomons Province. Geographically and ethnically separate from the rest of PNG, a ten year secessionist conflict ended last year with the infrastructure developed from the Panguna Mine destroyed as a result of the war, and many of the people living in care centres.