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Solomon Islands

General Information about Solomon Islands

The Solomon Islands is an archipelago nation that consists of almost one thousand islands in the South Pacific, to the east of Papua New Guinea. The North Solomon Islands are divided between the Solomon Islands and the Bougainville Provence of Papua New Guinea. The Solomon Islands has a population of over 566,000 people and is believed to have been inhabited by the Melanesian people for thousands of years. The official language spoken in The Solomon Islands is English. Melanesian pidgin is also spoken long with 120 indigenous languages. Almost 33% of Solomon Islanders are members of the Church of Melanesia. There are also some South Seas Evangelicalists, Roman Catholics and Seventh-Day Adventists. The capital and largest city of the Solomon Islands is Honiara which is situated in the Guadalcanal Province and is home to almost 50,000 people. 'Honiara' is actually a misnomer; the original name of the area is Nagoniara which means 'in front of the wind'.

The National Museum and Cutlural centre which is located in the centre of Honiara focuses on traditional culture of the Solomon Islands. Here there are many displays about dance, weaponry and body ornamentation as well as eight traditionally contructed houses (one from each province) and a shop that sells traditional artefacts. The Mataniko Falls are a popular attraction in the Solomon Islands. This waterfall is double sided and plummets into a cave full of stalagmites and bats below. This cave was a hideout for Japanese soldiers during World War II as they tried to advoid being captured by Americans.

Climate

Find Out About The Climate Of The Solomon Islands

The Solomon Islands experiences a monsoonal tropical climate with hot weather conditions and high levels of humidity. The seasons don't vary a great deal with the main differences being a wet and dry season. If your planning a trip between December and March then you should be prepared for some wet weather with cyclones being common, although cyclones can occur during May. July through to September are the best months to visit for ideal weather with averages of 21-31 degrees. The months of April through to November are also popular months to visit. The annual rainfall of the Solomon Islands is approximately 120 inches.

Geography

Geographical Information On The Solomon Islands

Set in the South Pacific Ocean, The Solomon Islands is an an archipelago with a total area of 28,450 square kilometres which includes 910 square kilometres of water. The coastline of Solomon Islands extends for over 5,313 kilometres across all of its many islands. Some of the islands of the Solomon Islands are Choiseul, the Shortland Islands, the New Georgia Islands, Santa Isabel, the Russell Islands, the Florida Islands, Malaita, Guadalcanal, Sikaiana, Maramasike, Ulawa, Uki, San Cristobal, Santa Ana, Rennell, Bellona, and the Santa Cruz Islands. Most of the terrain of the islands are filled with rugged mountains, with some featuring low coral atolls. Found on the main island of Guadalcanal is the highest point of the Solomon Islands and is known as Mount Makarakomburu. Mount Makarakomburu measures over 2,310 metres and is a popular tourist destination.

Economy

Learn About The Economy Of The Solomon Islands

The agricultural industry of the Solomon Islands is the main source of the income contributing just of 40 percent of the economy while employing over 75 percent of the work force. Forestry and fishing is also important to the economy and are amongst the main exports of the Solomon Islands. Other exports to come out of the Solomon Islands are copra, palm oil and cocoa. The islands are rich in natural resources such as lead, zinc, nickel and gold, but unfortunately have been poorly underdeveloped. The Solomon Islands receives much economic aids from many countries with Australia being the main support. The official currency of the Solomon Islands is the Solomon Islands Dollar.

Must Explore would like to wish you an enjoyable stay in Solomon Islands.

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