Solomon Islands

• most of the population lives along the coastal regions;
• about one in five live in urban areas, and of these about two thirds reside in Honiara, the largest town and chief port

• tropical cyclones, but rarely destructive;
• geologically active region with frequent earthquakes, tremors, and volcanic activity;
• tsunamis

volcanism:

Tinakula (851 m) has frequent eruption activity, and an eruption of Savo (485 m) could affect the capital Honiara on nearby Guadalcanal

• strategic location on sea routes between the South Pacific Ocean, the Solomon Sea, and the Coral Sea;
• Rennell Island, the southernmost in the Solomon Islands chain, is one of the world’s largest raised coral atolls;
• the island’s Lake Tegano, formerly a lagoon on the atoll, is the largest lake in the insular Pacific (15,500 hectares; 38,300 acres)

noun:

Solomon Islander(s)

adjective:

Solomon Islander

total:

25.5 years (2025 est.)

male:

25 years

female:

25.4 years

• most of the population lives along the coastal regions;
• about one in five live in urban areas, and of these about two thirds reside in Honiara, the largest town and chief port

at birth:

1.05 male(s)/female

0-14 years:

1.06 male(s)/female

15-64 years:

1.05 male(s)/female

65 years and over:

0.89 male(s)/female

total population:

1.04 male(s)/female (2024 est.)

total:

18.6 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.)

male:

22.7 deaths/1,000 live births

female:

15.2 deaths/1,000 live births

total population:

77.2 years (2024 est.)

male:

74.6 years

female:

80 years

total:

1.19 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

beer:

1.1 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

wine:

0.06 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

spirits:

0.02 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

other alcohols:

0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

total:

36.8% (2025 est.)

male:

54.5% (2025 est.)

female:

18.8% (2025 est.)

women married by age 15:

5.6% (2015)

women married by age 18:

21.3% (2015)

men married by age 18:

4.4% (2015)

• deforestation;
• soil erosion;
• damage to coral reefs

party to:

Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping-London Convention, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Whaling

signed, but not ratified:

Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban

urban population:

26% of total population (2023)

rate of urbanization:

3.57% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

municipal solid waste generated annually:

180,000 tons (2024 est.)

percent of municipal solid waste recycled:

6.1% (2022 est.)

conventional long form:

none

conventional short form:

Solomon Islands

local long form:

none

local short form:

Solomon Islands

former:

British Solomon Islands

etymology:

Spanish explorer Alvaro de MENDANA named the isles in 1568 after the wealthy biblical King SOLOMON in the mistaken belief that the islands contained great riches

name:

Honiara

geographic coordinates:

9 26 S, 159 57 E

time difference:

UTC+11 (16 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

etymology:

the name derives from the local term nagho ni ara , meaning "place of the east wind" or "facing the trade winds"

history:

adopted 31 May 1978, effective 7 July 1978

amendment process:

• proposed by the National Parliament;
• passage of constitutional sections, including those on fundamental rights and freedoms, the legal system, Parliament, alteration of the constitution and the ombudsman, requires three-fourths majority vote by Parliament and assent of the governor general;
• passage of other amendments requires two-thirds majority vote and assent of the governor general

citizenship by birth:

no

citizenship by descent only:

at least one parent must be a citizen of the Solomon Islands

dual citizenship recognized:

no

residency requirement for naturalization:

7 years

chief of state:

King CHARLES III (since 8 September 2022); represented by Governor General David Tiva KAPU (since 7 July 2024)

head of government:

Prime Minister Jeremiah MANELE (since 2 May 2024)

cabinet:

Cabinet appointed by the governor general on the advice of the prime minister

election/appointment process:

• the monarchy is hereditary;
• governor general appointed by the monarch on the advice of the National Parliament for up to 5 years (eligible for a second term);
• following legislative elections, the National Parliament usually elects the leader of the majority party or majority coalition as prime minister;
• deputy prime minister appointed by the governor general on the advice of the prime minister

legislature name:

National Parliament

legislative structure:

unicameral

number of seats:

50 (all directly elected)

electoral system:

plurality/majority

scope of elections:

full renewal

term in office:

4 years

most recent election date:

4/17/2024

parties elected and seats per party:

• Ownership Unity and Responsibility (OUR Party) (15);
• Solomon Islands Democratic Party (SIDP) (11);
• Solomon Islands United Party (UP) (6);
• Solomon Islands People First Party (SIPFP) (3);
• Independents (11);
• Other (4)

percentage of women in chamber:

6%

expected date of next election:

April 2028

highest court(s):

• Court of Appeal (consists of the court president and ex officio members including the High Court chief justice and puisne judges);
• High Court (consists of the chief justice and puisne judges)

judge selection and term of office:

• Court of Appeal and High Court president, chief justices, and puisne judges appointed by the governor general on recommendation of the Judicial and Legal Service Commission, chaired by the chief justice and includes 5 members, mostly judicial officials and legal professionals;
• all judges serve until retirement at age 60

subordinate courts:

• Magistrates' Courts;
• Customary Land Appeal Court;
• local courts

• Democratic Alliance Party or DAP
• Kadere Party of Solomon Islands or KAD
• Ownership, Unity, and Responsibility Party (OUR Party)
• Solomon Islands People First Party or SIPFP
• Solomon Islands Democratic Party or SIDP
• Solomon Islands Party for Rural Advancement or SIPRA
• Solomon Islands United Party or UP
• United for Change Party or U4C
• Coalition for Accountability Reform and Empowerment (CARE) (includes DAP, SIDP, and U4C)

note: the Solomon Islands political party system is characterized by fluid coalitions

chief of mission:

Ambassador Jane Mugafalu Kabui WAETARA (since 16 September 2022); note - also Permanent Representative to the UN

chancery:

685 Third Avenue, 11th Floor, Suite 1102, New York, NY 10017

telephone:

[1] (212) 599-6192

FAX:

[1] (212) 661-8925

email address and website:

[email protected]

chief of mission:

Ambassador Ann Marie YASTISHOCK (since 14 March 2024); note - also accredited to the Papua New Guinea and Vanuatu, based in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea

embassy:

BJS Building; Commonwealth Avenue; Honiara, Solomon Islands

telephone:

[677] 23426

FAX:

[677] 27429

email address and website:

[email protected]; https://pg.usembassy.gov/

description:

• divided diagonally by a yellow stripe from the lower-left corner;
• the upper triangle (left side) is blue with five five-pointed white stars in an "X" pattern;
• the lower triangle is green

meaning:

blue stands for the ocean, green for the land, and yellow for sunshine; the five stars stand for the main island groups

title:

"God Save Our Solomon Islands"

lyrics/music:

Panapasa BALEKANA and Matila BALEKANA/Panapasa BALEKANA

history:

adopted 1978

title:

"God Save the King"

lyrics/music:

unknown

history:

in use since 1745

total World Heritage Sites:

1 (natural)

selected World Heritage Site locales:

East Rennell

• lower middle-income Pacific island economy;
• natural resource rich but environmentally fragile;
• key agrarian sector;
• growing Chinese economic relationship;
• infrastructure damage due to social unrest;
• metal mining operations

total:

3% (2024 est.)

male:

2.6% (2024 est.)

female:

3.4% (2024 est.)

note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment

• multi-channel pay-TV is available;
• Solomon Islands Broadcasting Corporation (SIBC) operates 2 national radio stations and 2 provincial stations;
• 2 local commercial radio stations;
• Radio Australia is available via satellite (2019)

total:

1,000 (2022 est.)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants:

(2022 est.) less than 1

total ports:

6 (2024)

large:

0

medium:

0

small:

2

very small:

4

ports with oil terminals:

1

key ports:

Gizo Harbor, Honiara, Port Noro, Ringgi Cove, Tulaghi, Yandina

tier rating:

• Tier 2 Watch List — Solomon Islands does not fully meet the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking, but the government has devoted sufficient resources to a written plan that, if implemented, would constitute significant efforts to meet the minimum standards;
• therefore, Solomon Islands was granted a waiver per the Trafficking Victims Protection Act from an otherwise required downgrade to Tier 3 and remained on Tier 2 Watch List for the third consecutive year;
• for more details, go to: https://www.state.gov/reports/2025-trafficking-in-persons-report/solomon-islands/