Solomon Islands

The Solomon Islands extend across the southwest Pacific, including islands such as Guadalcanal, Malaita, Makira, Choiseul, and Rennell. Mountainous interiors hold cloud forests and endemic birds, while lagoons and mangroves shelter sharks, dugongs, and giant clams. Honiara, the capital on Guadalcanal, hosts the national museum, parliament, and markets selling betel nut, cassava, and shell jewelry. The islands sit on the Pacific Ring of Fire, so earthquakes and volcanic eruptions are common, and tsunamis have reshaped coastlines.

People settled the islands more than 3,000 years ago during the Lapita expansion, bringing pottery styles and navigation skills. Spanish explorers sighted the archipelago in 1568, naming it after the biblical King Solomon. Later centuries saw British missionary activity and German trading posts. The islands became a British protectorate in 1893, with plantations producing copra and cacao. During World War II, Guadalcanal was the site of intense battles between Allied and Japanese forces. The country gained independence in 1978 and has since worked to reconcile tensions between provinces, especially Guadalcanal and Malaita, through peace agreements and regional assistance missions.

The Solomon Islands follow a parliamentary democracy with a constitutional monarchy. Constituents elect members to the National Parliament, who then choose a prime minister. Provincial governments manage health centers, education, and transport, while village councils and chiefs enforce kastom law and mediate land disputes. The National Disaster Management Office coordinates evacuation drills and early-warning systems for earthquakes and cyclones.

The economy relies on forestry, fisheries, agriculture, mining, and development aid. Timber exports are being reformed to reduce illegal logging while expanding community-owned forests and carbon credit projects. Tuna processing plants provide jobs, as do cocoa farms, coconut oil cooperatives, and kava cultivation. Tourism promotes WWII historical tours, surfing, diving at sites like Marovo Lagoon, and birdwatching on Rennell Island, a UNESCO World Heritage site.

Culture blends Melanesian kastom, Polynesian influences in the outlying provinces, and Christian traditions. Panpipes, bamboo bands, and 'Are'are songs accompany dances at village feasts. Rugby and futsal teams unite fans, and young people participate in youth parliaments and coral-farming initiatives. Students attend bilingual schools in English and pijin, join makerspaces that build solar-powered radios, and document elders' stories to preserve oral history.