Solomon Islands

The Solomon Islands, sometimes known as the Solomons, is a beautiful country located in the heart of Melanesia, part of the larger region of Oceania northeast of Australia. Comprising 21 sizable islands with more than 100 square kilometers each, this archipelago includes Guadalcanal, Malaita, Makira, and Santa Isabel. Apart from these vast landmasses, the Solomon Islands are surrounded by about 900 smaller islands, therefore creating a rich and complex tapestry of land and sea. From Papua New Guinea to the west, Australia to the southwest, New Caledonia and Vanuatu to the southeast, Fiji, Wallis and Futuna, and Tuvalu to the east, the Solomon Islands are geographically close to many other nations. Nauru and the Federated States of Micronesia to the north.

With a total surface area of 28,896 square kilometers (11,157 square miles), the Solomon Islands project a 734,887 population as of mid-2023. Located on the largest island, Guadalcanal, Honiara, the capital, is the political and economic center of the country. The name “Solomon Islands” describes the whole archipelago of the Solomon Islands, which comprises the Autonomous Region of Bougainville, currently a part of Papua New Guinea, but excludes the Santa Cruz Islands.

Between 30,000 and 28,800 BC, humans started living on these islands; many waves of migration helped to create the genetic mix that defines the indigenous population today. Among these first immigrants were the Lapita people, renowned for their unique pottery and sailing skills, who helped define the cultural scene of the islands.

Spanish explorer Álvaro de Mendaña arrived in the Solomon Islands first among Europeans in 1568. Mendaña did not name the islands; others who wrote about his discovery came to refer to them as “the Solomons.” Mendaña went again to the islands in 1595, then another Spanish expedition headed by Portuguese navigator Pedro Fernandes de Queirós arrived in 1606.

The islands had very obvious strategic relevance during World War II. Running from 1942 to 1945, the Solomon Islands campaign was a pivotal set of engagements between Allied forces—mostly from the United States and the British Empire—and the Empire of Japan. Particularly the Battle of Guadalcanal was a turning point in the Pacific theater since fierce fighting underlined the vital importance of the islands in the war.

The southern Solomon Islands became a British protectorate in June 1893 under Captain Herbert Gibson of HMS Curacoa. The colonial era would begin here and extend until the middle of the twentieth century. Approaching self-governance, the British government changed its official name from the “British Solomon Islands Protectorate” to “The Solomon Islands,” in 1975. This process came to a head in 1976 when the islands acquired self-government; subsequent ultimate independence came in 1978. Once independent, the nation adopted the name “Solomon Islands,” dropped the definite article, and became known as a constitutional monarchy.

The Solomon Islands today acknowledge Charles III as their king; the king is portrayed locally by a governor-general chosen on the Prime Minister’s recommendations. While giving the islands their own national identity, this political framework recognizes their historical ties to the British Crown. Drawing on their rich history, varied cultures, and vital Pacific Ocean location, the Solomon Islands still face modern-day challenges and opportunities.