SOLOMON ISLANDS

Country Information

Geography

The Solomon Islands are an archipelago of 992 tropical islands and atolls, scattered in a gentle curve in the South Pacific Ocean. They comprise two major parallel island chains extending some 1800 kilometres from the Shortland Islands in the west to Tikopia and Anuta in the east.  

The country has a tropical monsoon climate, with little seasonal changes in temperature and weather. The terrain is mostly rugged mountains with some low coral atolls. 

History 

The islands have been settled since at least 30,000-28,800 BC and were named in 1568 by Spanish explorer Alvaro de Mendana after the wealthy biblical King Solomon in the mistaken belief that they contained great riches. In the 1890s, the UK established a protectorate over the country. Some of the most brutal fighting of WWII occurred in this archipelago. The Guadalcanal Campaign (Aug 1942 – Feb 1943) proved a turning point in the Pacific War, since after the operation the Japanese lost their strategic initiative and remained on the defensive until their final defeat in 1945.  

Self-government for the Solomon Islands came in 1976 with independence two years later. Ethnic violence, government malfeasance, endemic crime, and a narrow economic base undermined stability and civil society, and, in 2003, then Prime Minister Sir Allan Kemakeza sought the assistance of Australia. The Australian Regional Assistance Mission to the Solomon Islands (RAMSI) ended in June 2017 and was generally effective in restoring law and order and rebuilding government institutions. The country is still a part of the British Commonwealth. 

Culture 

Most of the population lives along the coastal regions of the country. Music, songs and dances are an integral part of the country’s culture. Folk songs and dances are performed during traditional ceremonies, and many of the islanders are natural song composers. Both group and solo vocals are common forms of traditional Melanesian performances. Slit-drums and panpipe ensembles produce the music.  

The growth of tourism in the Solomon Islands has encouraged a thriving craft industry. Stone carvings, weaved baskets and bags, tribal jewellery and indigenous pottery are some of the traditional handicraft items that cater to the thriving souvenir markets in the country.  

Family ties are very important in the lives of people living in the Solomon Islands. Extended families are more common than nuclear ones. Infants are highly pampered and usually not left with members outside the family.