New Georgia Sound

New Georgia Islands

New Georgia Sound is the body of water that runs approximately through the middle of the Solomon Islands. The Sound is bounded by Choiseul Island, Santa Isabel Island, and Florida Island to the north, and by Vella Lavella, Kolombangara, New Georgia, and the Russell Islands to the south. Bougainville and Guadalcanal define western and eastern ends of the sound, respectively.

During World War II the Sound was known as "the Slot" by Allied combatants due to its geographical shape and the amount of warship traffic that traversed it. The Japanese naval efforts to resupply their garrison on Guadalcanal were referred to as the Tokyo Express. A large number of naval battles were fought in and around the sound during 1942 and 1943, between the Imperial Japanese Navy, and the allied forces of the United States Navy, Royal Australian Navy, and Royal New Zealand Navy.

The volcanic cone, Savo Island, northwest of Guadalcanal, is the only significant island lying within the Slot.

See also

• Battle of Savo Island
• Naval Battle of Guadalcanal
• Ironbottom Sound