Solomon Islands

In brief

The Solomon Islands are a country in Melanesia (Oceania). Their capital is Honiara. With 838,645 inhabitants in 2025, it ranks 160th in the world by population, out of the 195 countries recognised by the UN. Their area is 28,896 km². An island nation, the Solomon Islands have no land border.

GDP per capita stands at $2,086 (2025), 154th in the world. Life expectancy at birth is 70.7 years (2024). 31% of the population lives in cities.

History of the Solomon Islands

Settled by Melanesians, the islands were reached in 1568 by the Spaniard Álvaro de Mendaña, who named them after King Solomon’s mines. A British protectorate from 1893, the archipelago was the scene of the Battle of Guadalcanal (1942-1943), a turning point in the Pacific War. The Solomon Islands have been independent since 7 July 1978. Inter-communal violence from 1998 to 2003 led to a regional stabilisation mission.

Geography of the Solomon Islands

An archipelago of nearly a thousand islands, six of them large, such as Guadalcanal, home to Honiara. Volcanic and forested, they peak at Mount Popomanaseu (2,335 m). Marovo Lagoon is one of the largest in the world.

Map of the Solomon Islands

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Flag of the Solomon Islands

The flag of the Solomon Islands is blue, green and yellow. Its official proportions are 1:2 (height to width).

• Green45%
• Blue42%
• Yellow10%
• White3%

Share of the flag’s surface taken by each colour.

What the flag stands for

A blue triangle for water and a green triangle for land, separated by a yellow diagonal for the sun, with five white stars for the five original districts.

Sources: Wikipedia, articles “Solomon Islands” and “Flag of Solomon Islands”.

See also: flags with a star.

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Fact file

Economy and society