Born Nov. 11, 1729, in Paris; died there Aug. 31, 1811. French navigator.

In the years 1763-65, Bougainville explored the Falkland Islands. In the years 1766 to 1769, sailing on the ships La Boudeuse and L’Etoile, he led the first French expedition around the world, during which he discovered (1768) several islands of the Tuamotu and Louisiade archipelagoes in the Pacific Ocean. He rediscovered the Solomon Islands, which had already been reached in 1568 by the Spaniard A. Mendaña (but which had not been found again since that time). Bougainville visited the Choiseul Islands and an island in the Solomon group which was later named after him (Bougainville Island). Bougainville described his voyages, which directly preceded J. Cook’s voyage around the world, in his book Voyage Around the World on the Frigate “La Boudeuse” and the Transport “L’Etoile” in the Years 1766-69 (1771; Russian translation, 1961).