According to Post Courier, almost 177 thousand people voted for independence from Papua New Guinea, and only a little more than three thousand voted to give the island more autonomy.
In total, 181 thousand of 206 thousand registered voters participated in the referendum.
The date of the referendum this year has been repeatedly postponed, the will was conducted under the supervision of international observers.
A referendum on independence is not binding on the central authorities in Port Moresby.
Bougainville is the largest island in the group of Solomon Islands in the Pacific Ocean. The island has one of the largest copper deposits in the world. As a result of the armed conflict between local residents and the government army from 1988 to 1998, more than 15 thousand people died.
The referendum on the independence of Bougainville from Papua New Guinea began on November 23 and lasted two weeks.