Solomon Islands

Capital: Honiara

GEOGRAPHY

The country spreads over about 600,000 square kilometres of ocean. About 416,000 people live in the Solomon Islands. Terrain: Mountainous islands. Climate: Tropical monsoon

Solomon Islands forms an archipelago in the Southwest Pacific about 1,900 kilometers (1,200 mi.) northeast of Australia. With terrain ranging from ruggedly mountainous islands to low-lying coral atolls, Solomon Islands stretches in a 1,450-kilometer (900 mi.) chain southeast from Papua New Guinea across the Coral Sea to Vanuatu

The Solomon Islands is an island nation that lies east of Papua New Guinea and consists of many islands: Choiseul, theShortland Islands; the New Georgia Islands; Santa Isabel; the Russell Islands; Nggela (the Florida Islands); Malaita;Guadalcanal; Sikaiana; Maramasike; Ulawa; Uki; Makira (San Cristobal); Santa Ana; Rennell and Bellona; the Santa Cruz Islands and three remote, tiny outliers, Tikopia, Anuta, and Fatutaka. The six mainland islands are Guadalcanal, Malaita, New Georgia, Makira, Santa Isabel and Choiseul Some of the outlying islands are atolls (ring-shaped coral reefs).

History
Some Solomon Islanders are descendants of Neolithic Austronesian-speaking peoples who migrated from Southeast Asia. The people of Solomon Islands were notorious for headhunting and cannibalism before the arrival of the Europeans.[ The Solomon Islands are believed to have been inhabited by Melanesian people for many thousands of years. lvaro de Mendaa was the first European to arrive in Solomon islands in 1568 and named them Islas Salomn. British mariner Philip Carteret entered Solomon waters in 1767. Europeans recruited nearly 30,000 islanders to work on plantations in Fiji and in Queensland, Australia. Some of the islanders were recruited by force and treated harshly. --- "blackbirding"--the often brutal recruitment of laborers for the sugar plantations in Queensland and Fiji Missionaries began visiting Solomon Islands in the mid-1800s

Great Britain took control of most of the Solomons in 1893 In 1898 and 1899, more outlying islands were added to the protectorate; in 1900 the remainder of the archipelago, an area previously under German jurisdiction, was transferred to British administration. Under the protectorate, missionaries settled in the Solomons, converting most of the population to Christianity. In the early 20th century, several British and Australian firms began largescale coconut planting With the outbreak of World War II, most planters and traders were evacuated to Australia, and most cultivation ceased. The most significant of the Allied Forces' operations against the Japanese Imperial Forces was launched on August 7, 1942, with simultaneous naval bombardments and amphibious landings on the Florida Islands at Tulagi and Red Beach on Guadalcanal The Battle of Guadalcanal became an important and bloody campaign fought in the Pacific War as the Allies began to repulse Japanese expansion.

Guadalcanal Campaign or Battle of Guadalcanal Codenamed Operation Watchtower by Allied Forces a military campaign fought between August 7, 1942 and February 9, 1943 on and around the island of Guadalcanal in the Pacific theatre\ of World War II It was the first major offensive by Allied forces against the Empire of Japan. August 7, 1942 Allied forces landed on the islands of Guadalcanal, Tulagi and Florida in the southern Solomon Islands The Allies to use Guadalcanal and Tulagi as bases to support a campaign to eventually capture or neutralize the major Japanese base at Rabaul on New Britain. The Allies overwhelmed the outnumbered Japanese defenders, who had occupied the islands since May 1942, and captured Tulagi and Florida, as well as an airfield (later named Henderson Field) that was under construction on Guadalcanal. Surprised by the Allied offensive, the Japanese made several attempts between August and November 1942 to retake Henderson Field

November 1942United States Marines rest in the field during the Guadalcanal campaign

Surprised by the Allied offensive, the Japanese made several attempts between August and November 1942 to retake Henderson Field In December 1942, the Japanese abandoned further efforts to retake Guadalcanal and evacuated their remaining forces by February 7, 1943 in the face of an offensive by the U.S. Army's XIV Corps, conceding the island to the Allies. The Guadalcanal campaign was a significant strategic combined arms victory by Allied forces over the Japanese in the Pacific theatre. Guadalcanal marked the transition by the Allies from defensive operations to the strategic offensive in that theatre and the beginning of offensive operations, including the Solomon Islands, New Guinea, and Central Pacific campaigns, that resulted in Japan's eventual surrender and the end of World War II.

Battle of Savo Island

was a naval battle of the Pacific Campaign of World War II, between the Imperial Japanese Navy and Allied naval forces. The battle took place on August 89, 1942 and was the first major naval engagement of the Guadalcanal campaign. Battle of the Eastern Solomons also known as the Battle of the Stewart Islands took place on 2425 August 1942, and was the third carrier battle of the Pacific campaign of World War II and the second major engagement fought between the United States Navy and the Imperial Japanese Navy during the Guadalcanal Campaign.

 Battle of the Tenaru or the Battle of Alligator Creek -took place August 21, 1942, on the island of Guadalcanal, and was a land battle of the Pacific campaign of World War II, between Imperial Japanese Army and Allied (mainly United States Marine) ground forces. The battle was the first major Japanese land offensive during the Guadalcanal campaign. Battle of Cape Esperance - took place on 1112 October 1942, and - was a naval battle of the Pacific campaign - of World War II between the - Imperial Japanese Navy and United States Navy. - The battle was the second of four major - surface engagements during the - Guadalcanal campaign and took place at the - entrance to the strait between Savo Island and - Guadalcanal in the Solomon Islands.

 Battle of the Santa Cruz Islands -was the fourth carrier battle of the Pacific campaign of World War II and the fourth major naval engagement fought between the United States Navy and the Imperial Japanese Navy during the lengthy and strategically important Guadalcanal campaign. In similar fashion to the battles of Coral Sea, Midway, and theEastern Solomons, the ships of the two adversaries were rarely in direct visual range of each other. Instead, almost all attacks by both sides were mounted by carrier or land-based aircraft.

People

Most Solomon Islanders are dark-skinned people called Melanesians, and about 90 per cent of them live in rural villages. Many of the people build houses on stilts to keep the dwellings cool.

Nationality: Solomon Islander(s). Population (2011 est.): 571,890 Ethnic groups (2010): Melanesian 93%, Polynesian 4%, Micronesian 1.5%, other 1.5%. Religions: Christian 92%--more than one-third Anglican (Archdiocese of Melanesia) 32.8%, Roman Catholic 19%, South Sea Evangelical 17%, United Church (Methodist) 10.3%, Seventh-day Adventist 11.2%. Languages: English (official); about 120 vernaculars, including Solomon Islands pidgin

Education
Education in the Solomon Islands is not compulsory and only 60 per cent of school-age children have access to primary education. From 1990 to 1994, the gross primary school enrolment rose from 84.5 percent to 96.6 percent. Primary school attendance rates were unavailable for the Solomon Islands as of 2001.[ While enrolment rates indicate a level of commitment to education, they do not always reflect children's participation in school.[ Efforts and plans made by the Department of Education and Human Resource Development to expand educational facilities and increase enrolment have been hindered by a lack of government funding, misguided teacher training programs, poor coordination of programs, and a failure of the government to pay teachers. The percentage of the government's budget allocated to education was 9.7 percent in 1998, down from 13.2 percent in 1990. Male educational attainment tends to be higher than female educational attainment. The University of the South Pacific has a Campus in Solomon Islands while the University of Papua New Guinea has also established a foothold in the country at Guadalcanal.

Economy
Fish, timber, palm oil, cocoa, and copra (dried coconut meat) are the main products of the Solomon Islands. Japan buys much of the fish and timber exported by the country. Food, machinery, manufactured goods, and petrol are imported from Australia, Great Britain, Japan, Malaysia, and Singapore. Agriculture: Products--copra, cocoa, palm oil, palm kernels and subsistence crops of yams, taro, bananas, pineapple. Industry: Types--fish canning, sawmilling, boats, rattan and wood furniture, fiberglass products, shell jewelry, tobacco, beer, clothing, soap, nails, handicrafts. Trade: Exports--$322.1 million: timber, fish, cocoa, copra, palm oil. Major markets-China 50.2%, South Korea 5.7%, Thailand 3.3%, Japan 1.8%, Philippines 5.6%, Italy 3.4%, Spain 4.5%. Imports--$305.5 million: mineral fuels, food, machinery and transport equipment, and basic manufactures. Major suppliers--Australia 22.7%, Singapore 24.3%, New Zealand 4.9%, Fiji 4.4%, Papua New Guinea 4.3%, China 3.8%, Japan 3.1%.

Government
Solomon Islands is a parliamentary democracy within the Commonwealth, with a unicameral Parliament and a ministerial system of government. Queen Elizabeth II is represented by a governor general, chosen by the Parliament for a 5-year term The national Parliament has 50 members, elected for 4-year terms. The prime minister, elected by Parliament, chooses the other members of the cabinet. Each ministry is headed by a cabinet member, who is assisted by a permanent secretary, a career public servant, who directs the staff of the ministry. Local Government the country is divided into 10 administrative areas, of which nine are provinces administered by elected provincial assemblies, and the 10th is the town of Honiara, administered by the Honiara Town Council

Political Conditions Solomon Islands governments are characterized by weak political parties and highly unstable parliamentary coalitions.