Solomon Islands

Solomon Islands, also known simply as the Solomons, is an island country consisting of six major islands and over 1,000 smaller islands in Melanesia, Oceania, to the north-east of the country of Australia. It is directly adjacent to the Autonomous Region of Bougainville to the west, Australia to the south-west, New Caledonia and Vanuatu to the south-east, Fiji, Tuvalu, and Wallis and Futuna to the east, and the Federated States of Micronesia and Nauru to the north. It has a total area of 28,896 square kilometres (11,157 sq mi), and a population of 734,887 according to the official estimates for mid-2023. Its capital and largest city, Honiara, is located on the largest island, Guadalcanal. The country takes its name from the wider area of the Solomon Islands archipelago, which is a collection of Melanesian islands that also includes the Autonomous Region of Bougainville (currently a part of Papua New Guinea), but excludes the Santa Cruz Islands. The islands have been settled since at least some time between 30,000 and 28,800 BC, with later waves of migrants, notably the Lapita people, mixing and producing the modern indigenous Solomon Islanders population. In 1568, the Spanish navigator Álvaro de Mendaña was the first European to visit them. Though not named by Mendaña, it is believed that the islands were called "the Solomons" by those who later received word of his voyage and mapped his discovery. Mendaña returned decades later, in 1595, and another Spanish expedition, led by Portuguese navigator Pedro Fernandes de Queirós, visited the Solomons in 1606. In June 1893, Captain Herbert Gibson of HMS Curacoa declared the southern Solomon Islands a British protectorate. During World War II, the Solomon Islands campaign (1942–1945) saw fierce fighting between the United States, British Imperial forces, and the Empire of Japan, including the Battle of Guadalcanal. The official name of the then-British administration was changed from the "British Solomon Islands Protectorate" to "The Solomon Islands" in 1975, and self-government was achieved the following year. Independence was obtained, and the name changed to just "Solomon Islands" (without the definite article), in 1978. At independence, Solomon Islands became a constitutional monarchy. The King of Solomon Islands is Charles III, who is represented in the country by a governor-general appointed on the advice of the prime minister.

Infobox

Capitaland largest city

Honiara 9°25′55″S 159°57′20″E / 9.43194°S 159.95556°E / -9.43194; 159.95556

Official language

English

Lingua franca

Pijin

Ethnic groups (2016)

mw- 95.3% Melanesian3.1% Polynesian1.2% Micronesian0.4% others

Religion (2016)

mw- li 97.4% Christianity 78.6% Protestantism 19.5% Catholicism 1.9% other Christian 1.2% folk religions 1.4% others / none

Demonyms

Solomon IslanderSolomonese

Government

Unitary parliamentary constitutional monarchy

• Monarch

Charles III

• Governor-General

David Tiva Kapu

• Prime Minister

Jeremiah Manele

Legislature

National Parliament

• from the United Kingdom

7 July 1978

• Total

$1.681 billion

• Water (%)

3.2%

• 2023 estimate

734,887 (167th)

• 2019 census

721,956

• Density

24.2/km2 (62.7/sq mi) (200th)

GDP (PPP)

2024 estimate

• Per capita

$2,205.25

GDP (nominal)

2024 estimate

Gini (2013)

37.1 } }medium inequality

HDI (2023)

0.584medium (156th)

Currency

Solomon Islands dollar (SBD)

Time zone

UTC 11 (Solomon Islands Time)

• Summer (DST)

Not observed

Calling code

677

ISO 3166 code

Internet TLD

Tables

· Politics › Administrative divisions

Province

Central Province

Capital

Tulagi

Premier

Kenneth Sagupari

Area(km2)

615

Populationcensus 1999

21,577

Populationcensus 2009

26,051

Populationcensus 2019

30,318

Province

Choiseul Province

Capital

Taro Island

Premier

Harrison Pitakaka

Area(km2)

3,837

Populationcensus 1999

20,008

Populationcensus 2009

26,372

Populationcensus 2019

30,775

Province

Guadalcanal Province

Capital

Honiara

Premier

Willie Atu

Area(km2)

5,336

Populationcensus 1999

60,275

Populationcensus 2009

107,090

Populationcensus 2019

154,022

Province

Isabel Province

Capital

Buala

Premier

Lesley Kikolo

Area(km2)

4,136

Populationcensus 1999

20,421

Populationcensus 2009

26,158

Populationcensus 2019

31,420

Province

Makira-Ulawa Province

Capital

Kirakira

Premier

Julian Maka'a

Area(km2)

3,188

Populationcensus 1999

31,006

Populationcensus 2009

40,419

Populationcensus 2019

51,587

Province

Malaita Province

Capital

Auki

Premier

Martin Fini

Area(km2)

4,225

Populationcensus 1999

122,620

Populationcensus 2009

157,405

Populationcensus 2019

172,740

Province

Rennell and Bellona Province

Capital

Tigoa

Premier

Japhet Tuhanuku

Area(km2)

671

Populationcensus 1999

2,377

Populationcensus 2009

3,041

Populationcensus 2019

4,100

Province

Temotu Province

Capital

Lata

Premier

Clay Forau

Area(km2)

895

Populationcensus 1999

18,912

Populationcensus 2009

21,362

Populationcensus 2019

25,701

Province

Western Province

Capital

Gizo

Premier

Billy Veo

Area(km2)

5,475

Populationcensus 1999

62,739

Populationcensus 2009

76,649

Populationcensus 2019

94,106

–

Province

Capital Territory

Capital

Honiara

Premier

Eddie Siapu (Mayor)

Area(km2)

Populationcensus 1999

49,107

Populationcensus 2009

73,910

Populationcensus 2019

129,569

#	Province	Capital	Premier	Area(km2)	Populationcensus 1999	Populationcensus 2009	Populationcensus 2019
1	Central Province	Tulagi	Kenneth Sagupari	615	21,577	26,051	30,318
2	Choiseul Province	Taro Island	Harrison Pitakaka	3,837	20,008	26,372	30,775
3	Guadalcanal Province	Honiara	Willie Atu	5,336	60,275	107,090	154,022
4	Isabel Province	Buala	Lesley Kikolo	4,136	20,421	26,158	31,420
5	Makira-Ulawa Province	Kirakira	Julian Maka'a	3,188	31,006	40,419	51,587
6	Malaita Province	Auki	Martin Fini	4,225	122,620	157,405	172,740
7	Rennell and Bellona Province	Tigoa	Japhet Tuhanuku	671	2,377	3,041	4,100
8	Temotu Province	Lata	Clay Forau	895	18,912	21,362	25,701
9	Western Province	Gizo	Billy Veo	5,475	62,739	76,649	94,106
–	Capital Territory	Honiara	Eddie Siapu (Mayor)	22	49,107	73,910	129,569
	Solomon Islands	Honiara	–	30,407	409,042	558,457	720,956

Month