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SOLOMON ISLANDS, an island state in the southwestern part of the Pacific Ocean, in Melanesia, between 5 and 12 ° S. latitude. and 155 and 170°E It occupies most of the archipelago of the same name (except for the islands of Bougainville and Buka), the island groups of Santa Cruz, Swallow, Duff, as well as the Rennell, Bellona and other islands. The largest islands of the country are Guadalcanal, Santa Isabel. San Cristobal, Malaita and Choiseul. There are over 900 islands in the country. The total length of the coastline is 5313 km. The area of ​​the Solomon Islands is 28,450 sq. km.

Nature.

The Solomon Islands stretch in two chains from the northwest to the southeast for more than 1400 km. Most of the islands of the archipelago are volcanic peaks of an underwater ridge. Mountain ranges occupy almost their entire surface, only narrow lowlands stretch along the coast. A rather wide coastal lowland exists only on the northeastern coast of Guadalcanal. On the same island is the highest point in the country - Mount Makarakomburu (2447 m.). On the islands there are extinct and active volcanoes, hot springs, earthquakes often occur. Many islands are framed by coral reefs; in addition to volcanic islands, there are coral atoll islands.

The Santa Cruz island group includes seven volcanic islands: Ndeni, Utupua, Vanikoro, Tinakula, and others. They lie on an underwater mountain range and are surrounded by coral reefs. The Swallow group of islands is formed by 12 small islets - the remains of a raised atoll. Duff Islands - 10 volcanic islands. The peaks of underwater volcanoes are the eastern islands of Anuda, Miter and Tikopia. Sikaiana and Ontong Java (Lord Howe) are coral atolls, while Rennell and Bellona are raised coral islands.

The climate is equatorial-tropical, moderated by the influence of the ocean. From April to November, the weather is relatively dry and cool, with southeast trade winds blowing. From November to April, the hot and humid season lasts, northwest monsoons dominate, sometimes turning into hurricanes. The average monthly temperature in February is +27°С, in August +24°С. The amount of annual precipitation is 2500–3500 mm, and in the Honiara region - 2100 mm, in more humid areas 8000 mm.

On all the large islands there are many mountain rivers that fall steeply from the slopes. There are few lakes. The most common fertile red earth soils occur on river terraces and in river deltas. The mountains of the volcanic islands are covered with dense moist forests, in which valuable tropical tree species grow. Low-lying areas are used for growing coconut palms, sweet potatoes, taro, yams, rice, cocoa and other crops (1.5% of the area is cultivated). The lowlands are often swampy. The vegetation of the northeastern plains of Guadalcanal is represented by savannahs.

Minerals: gold placers, deposits of iron and ferronickel ores and magnesites, bauxites, reserves of phosphorites.

Population.

Population. The population in July 2003 was estimated at 509,190. 43% of the population is under the age of 15, 54% is between the ages of 15 and 64, and 3% is over 65. The average age is 18.2 years. The average life expectancy is 69.6 years for men, 74.7 years for women.

Population growth in 2003 was 2.83%. Birth rate - 32.45 per 1000 people, mortality - 4.12 per 1000 people, infant mortality - 22.88 per 1000 newborns.

The largest city is the capital of the country Honiara (44 thousand inhabitants). 30% of the population lives on the island of Malaita.

The absolute majority of the inhabitants of the islands are Melanesians (93%). 4% are Polynesians from outlying atolls; 1.5% are Micronesians; 0.8% - Europeans; 0.3% - Chinese; 0.4% - others.

The official language is English, but only 1-2% of the population speaks it. The language of interethnic communication is Melanesian Pidgin English. The peoples of the islands speak a total of 120 languages.

Religiously, 45% of the population belongs to the Anglican Church, 18% to the Roman Catholic, 12% to the Methodist and Presbyterian. 9% are Baptists, 7% are Seventh-day Adventists, 5% are other Protestants. 4% of residents adhere to local traditional beliefs.

State device.

Until July 7, 1978, they were the possession of Great Britain, since 1978 - an independent state, in the form of a parliamentary democracy. According to the 1978 constitution, the head of state is the monarch of Great Britain, who simultaneously bears the title of king (queen) of the Solomon Islands. Currently Queen Elizabeth II. On the islands, the monarch is represented by the Governor-General (a citizen of the Solomon Islands), appointed by him on the advice of Parliament for a term of at least 5 years. John Lapley has been Governor General since 1999.

Legislative power belongs to the unicameral National Parliament of 50 deputies elected for a term of 4 years in single-member districts by popular vote of citizens over 21 years of age.

Executive power is vested in the government headed by the prime minister. The prime minister is elected by parliament. It is usually the leader of the party or coalition that has the majority of seats in parliament. The prime minister forms the government. The Deputy Prime Minister and members of the Cabinet of Ministers are appointed by the Governor General on the advice of the Prime Minister from among the members of Parliament. Prime Minister since December 17, 2001 - Allan Kemakeza, leader of the People's Union Party.

The English legal system is preserved. The Supreme Court is composed of chief and junior judges. Territorial courts have been set up in the administrative units to deal primarily with land disputes. Appeals are heard by the Supreme Court. Traditional customary law is widely applied locally.

Administratively, the Solomon Islands are divided into 9 provinces and the capital territory. Provincial councils are elected by the population and have a fairly wide range of responsibilities: they are in charge of communications, health care, and education.

Political parties.

People's Union Party(PNS) is a political party of social democratic orientation. It was formed in 1980 as a result of the unification of the People's Progressive Party led by Solomon Mamaloni (head of government in 1974-1976), part of the United Party of the Solomon Islands, the Rural Union Party. In 1981-1984, the leader of the PNS, S. Mamaloni, headed the coalition government, in 1984-1989 the party was in opposition, but in 1989 it won the general election. S. Mamaloni served as prime minister in 1989-1993 and 1994-1997, but left the party in 1990. In 2000, the leader of the PNS, A. Kemakeza, became deputy prime minister of the government of national unity, created after bloody inter-ethnic clashes. In the general elections of 2001, the PNS acted under the slogans of declaring a federal republic, creating a special department under the prime minister to establish peace and revitalize the economy, introduce a code of conduct for political leaders, and automatically remove deputies who left the party from which he was elected. Having received about 40% of the votes and 16 seats in parliament out of 50, the PNS formed a coalition government with the support of some independent deputies (a total of 18 independents were elected to parliament). The party leader is Allan Kemakeza (Prime Minister since 2001). In the 2006 elections, the party received only 6.3% and lost the elections, as a result, Prime Minister Kemakeza resigned.

Solomon Islands Alliance for Change Coalition- was formed in 1997 as an alliance of a number of political parties led by the leader of the liberal party, Bartholomew Yulufaalu (including the National Labor Party, the United Party and independents). She won the 1997 general election, and B. Yulufaalu took the post of prime minister. The coalition declared its intention to establish a “genuine democracy” in the Solomon Islands, to carry out political and economic reforms with the support of the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund, as well as donor countries and organizations. Yulufaalu's government fell as a result of inter-ethnic clashes in 2000. In the elections of 2000, the Alliance promised to change the policy and constitution, restore a trusted police force, carry out economic reforms and reconstruction of the country, and implement monetary and tax policies that would promote the development of the private sector of the economy. The organization collected 40% of the vote and won 13 seats in parliament. Is in opposition. The leaders are Bartholomew Yulufaalu (Prime Minister 1997–2000) and Francis Billy Hilley (Prime Minister 1993–1994). In the December 5, 2001 elections, the Alliance won 5 out of 50 seats. In the April 5, 2006 elections, the Alliance won 12 seats.

Liberal Party was formed by Bartholomew Yulufaalu in 1988. He was its leader until his death in May 2007. In the April 5, 2006 elections, the party won 2 seats in parliament

People's Progressive Party(NPP) is one of the oldest parties in the Solomon Islands, founded in 1973 by S. Mamaloni. She was in power in 1974-1976, and in 1980 she merged with part of the United Party to form the People's Union Party. In 2000, the NPP was re-established under the leadership of the Prime Minister of the Transitional Government, Manasseh Sogaware (2000–2001). The party promised to keep peace in the islands, revive the economy, decentralize political power to the provinces, reform the education system, revitalize and maintain traditional cultural values, promote village development, and establish harmonious relations with other countries, including Australia and New Zealand. In the 2001 elections, the party collected 20% of the vote and won 2 seats in parliament. The leader of the NPP is Manasse Sogavare (Prime Minister in 2000-2001). In the December 5, 2001 elections, the party won 3 seats out of 50 in parliament.

Labor Party- formed in 1988 by trade union activists who sought to contribute to the development of parliamentary democracy. Labor has served in two coalition governments, including the Alliance for Change government from 1997–2000. In the 2001 elections, she put forward slogans for a transition to a federalist state system, an economic conference to develop plans for reorganizing the tax system, an immediate freeze on all debt relief in the country and a dialogue with donor countries regarding their participation in the restoration of the economy of the islands. The party won 1 seat in parliament. Leaders - Joses Tuanuku, Tony Kagovai.

United Democratic Party(UDP) - created in 1980 on the basis of part of the former United Party led by Peter Kenilorea (head of government in 1976-1981). The UDP was successful in the 1980 elections, and Kenilorea remained prime minister until 1981, and after the 1984 elections he headed a coalition government (until 1986). In the 2001 elections, she called for the restoration of peace, law and order, better governance, transparency in public spending and the establishment of a fair system of compensation for damage to property during ethnic clashes in 2000. Leader - John Maetia. In 2003, the UDP agreed with the PPP to merge. After a long decline, by the 2010 elections the party gained strength again. Its new leader, Joel Moffat Conophilia, proclaimed that God had punished the country for the fact that the Solomon Islands voted against the people of Israel at the UN. In 2003, the UDP agreed with the NPP on the creation of a single organization.

Democratic Party– founded in 2005 by lawyer Gabriel Suri. The main idea of ​​the new party is "ethical leadership", because leadership is based on a relationship with God and eternal values. John Kenyapsia was elected general secretary of the party. In the 2006 elections, the party won 3 seats. In May, the party joined the Sogaware broad coalition. But already in November 2007, the party stopped supporting Sogaware, on the contrary, the Democrats voted for a vote of no confidence, and Derek Sikua became the new prime minister. The Democrats entered the broad Sikua coalition, in which they played a key role. The party was an important factor in the implementation of reforms and the creation of an anti-corruption commission. During the election campaign for the 2010 parliamentary elections, the new leader of the party, Steve Avana, announced a course to improve living standards in rural areas and change the electoral system. The party won 13 seats, winning the most seats in parliament. However, he failed to become Prime Minister without obtaining the required number of votes. The party went into opposition, but some of its members began to work in the government.
In November 2011, Matthew Wale became the new leader of the party. By this time, the party, although it was in parliament, but almost three-quarters of the party members, including Steve Abana, went to work in the government.

National Party. In the April 5, 2006 elections, the party won 4 out of 50 parliamentary seats.

Rural Promotion Party of the Solomon Islands, successor to the Rural Union Party. In the April 5, 2006 elections, the party won 4 out of 50 parliamentary seats.

Association of Independent Members. In the April 5, 2006 elections, the party won 13 out of 50 parliamentary seats.

Armed forces, police.

There is no army on the islands. The forces of the Royal Solomon Islands Police Force, headed by a police commissioner (police commissioners operated on the ground), disintegrated during interethnic clashes in 2000. Subsequently, the police forces were re-created. Organized National Intelligence and Surveillance Forces.

The Solomon Islands is a member of the UN and its specialized organizations, the Commonwealth and regional associations (the Pacific Forum, the Pacific Community, etc.). The country maintains close ties with other countries of the Melanesian group - Papua New Guinea, Vanuatu and Fiji, as well as with New Zealand, Australia, Great Britain, Japan, Taiwan and the countries of the European Union.

Economy.

Most of the population is employed in agriculture, fishing and forestry (75% in 2000). Only 5% of the able-bodied population is employed in industry, and 20% in the service sector. Most industrial goods and petroleum products are imported. The islands are rich in natural resources (lead, zinc, nickel, gold), but they are poorly exploited.

The GDP of the Solomon Islands in 2001 was estimated at 800 million US dollars, which corresponded to 1,700 dollars per capita. In 2001, the real decline in GDP was 10%. In 2000, the share of agriculture in GDP was 42%, industry - 11%, services - 47%. The inflation rate in 2001 was 1.8%.

The main products of agriculture and forestry are cocoa beans, coconuts, palm kernels, copra, palm oil, rice, sweet potatoes, vegetables, fruits, timber. Cattle and pigs are raised. Bauxite deposits have been explored on some islands, gold and silver are mined in a small amount. They produce canned fish, furniture, clothes, souvenirs. Before ethnic clashes, tourism developed, tourists from Australia, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, and the USA visited the Solomon Islands.

The volume of exports in 2001 was estimated at 47 million US dollars. The main export items are timber, fish, copra, palm oil, cocoa beans. Top export partners in 2002: Japan (21%), China (19%), South Korea (16%), Philippines (9%), Thailand (8%) and Singapore (4%). The volume of imports in 2001 was 82 million USD, the main partners in 2002 were Australia (31%), Singapore (20%), New Zealand (5%), Fiji (5%), Papua New Guinea (4.5% ). The main import items are food, fuel, machinery and vehicles, consumer goods, and chemicals.

The Solomon Islands depend on economic and financial assistance from abroad. As of 2001, they received $28 million, mainly from Japan, Australia, China and New Zealand. The amount of external debt in 2001 reached 137 million dollars. USA.

The monetary unit is the Solomon Islands dollar (5.1 Solomon Islands dollars was equal to 1 US dollar in 2000).

The islands do not railways. Of the 1360 km of roads, only 34 km. have a hard coating. More than half of the roads are owned by plantation owners. Communication between the islands is carried out on different types of ships (mainly boats) and with the help of aircraft. The main ports and harbors are Honiara, Aola Bay, Lofung, Noro, Viru Harbor, Yandina. The main airfields are Henderson and Kukum on the island of Guadalcanal and Munda on the island of New Georgia. There is also approx. 30 small airports.

The Solomon Islands government became insolvent in 2002. Following the intervention of the Solomon Islands Regional Assistance Mission in 2003, the government made changes to the budget. Domestic debt has been renegotiated and negotiations are underway to renegotiate external debt. The main financial aid comes from Australia, New Zealand, the EU, Japan and China.
Most of the population lives off the production of agricultural products, fisheries and forestry. But only 1% of the land is used for agriculture.

The main crops are copra, palm oil, cocoa and palm fruit.

Most industrial goods and petroleum products are imported. The islands are rich in such minerals as lead, zinc, nickel and gold, but the mining industry is undeveloped. Due to ethnic conflicts and growing tension in the country, the main enterprises were closed, the treasury was not filled, which led to an economic collapse. Gradually, with the arrival of peacekeeping forces with the restoration of order, the country is experiencing a relatively small economic recovery.

GDP per capita - 3,300 dollars. USA (as of 2011).

Society.

A significant part of the population of the Solomon Islands still lives in a traditional society, preserving tribal and communal structures. Folk songs, dances, music, folklore have been preserved. Wood carvers, potters, weavers, etc. are famous. The country has its own poets, collections of poems are published. A national museum was opened, a Museum Association was created, a library and botanical gardens were organized.

Since the late 1950s, colleges have been established. There are Teachers College for Boys (1959), the Catholic Teachers' Institute of Co-education in Vutulak (1961), the Technical Institute in Honiara (1969), the Trade School, the School of Nursing at the Central Hospital in Honiara, etc. In 1977, a branch of the South Pacific Ocean was opened in Honiara. university.

The number of telephone subscribers in 1997 was 8 thousand, there were 658 mobile phones. There were 3 radio stations, including the government broadcasting service. There were 57,000 radios and 3,000 televisions in the country. In 2002 there were 8400 Internet users.

The weeklies "Solomon Star", "Observer" and others are published. The government published the newspaper "Solomon News Drum".

Story.

Settlement of the islands.

The settlement of the Solomon Islands began no later than 1 thousand BC. The first to appear here were probably the Papuan tribes from New Guinea and the Bismarck archipelago; groups of Papuans still live on the islands of Vella Lavella, Rendova, Savo, Russell and New Georgia. Then the Melanesians moved to the islands; their pottery, found on the islands of Santa Ana and Swallow, has been dated to 140–670 AD. Later, Polynesians also appeared on some of the islands.

By the time the first Europeans appeared in the 16th century. about 200,000 people are believed to have lived on the islands. In the interior of the large islands, people were engaged in agriculture, clearing the forest and growing yams. Fishing has been developed in coastal areas. Villages in the coastal strip consisted of several dozen houses, and in the hinterland - of two or three, in which the closest relatives and their families lived. The population united in unions, occupying an area of ​​​​several tens of square meters. km. every; the association was based on kinship and common language. The origin was determined in some places along the female line, in others - along the male line.

Economic ties were maintained between the unions, a regular exchange of goods was carried out, and shells were used as money. The markets were on the coast of all the most major islands; the market at Auki on the northwest coast of Malaita was especially famous. By the 19th century stone tools were almost never used, they were supplanted by iron.

Fierce and violent skirmishes often broke out between the unions. At the head of the unions were leaders who in the coastal regions had significant administrative powers and handed them down by inheritance. They kept order, led the economic life, sacrifices and military operations, had the right to sentence their fellow tribesman to death. In some places, the chiefs used other members of the community to work in their garden, to build a house and canoes. In the hinterland, the rights of leaders were less, their power was not inherited.

The islanders believed in the spirits of their ancestors, who had a special power - "mana" and could inhabit objects or living beings.

The emergence of Europeans.

The first European to see the Solomon Islands (in 1568) was the Spanish navigator Alvaro Mendaña de Neira, who set off with two ships from Peru in search of rich lands in the Pacific Ocean. The Spaniards believed that they had discovered the legendary land of Ophir, from where the biblical king Solomon exported gold in ancient times; therefore the archipelago was given the name of the Solomon Islands. In 1574, Mendanya received the title of Marquis from the King of Spain and the order to organize a new expedition. He was supposed to find gold mines, build three cities on the islands and manage them. But only in 1595 Mendanya managed to set off on a new voyage on 4 ships, accompanied by 300 people. He failed to land as he had intended on Guadalcanal and established a colony on the Santa Cruz Islands, where he soon died of illness. Due to illness and constant skirmishes with the islanders, the Spanish settlers evacuated to the Philippines. In 1606, Pedro de Quiros, a member of the Mendaña expedition, tried to organize a new colony, which he called "New Jerusalem". But he did not manage to find any precious metals. Suffering from tropical fever, the Europeans withdrew after a month.

The Dutch expedition of Jacob Lehmer and Willem Schouten in 1616 failed to find the Solomon Islands. Passed by them in 1643 and another Dutch navigator Abel Tasman.

The second discovery of the islands took place already in the 18th century. In 1767, a British ship under the command of Captain Philip Carteret discovered the Santa Cruz Islands and other islands of the Solomon archipelago, once discovered by Mendanya. Believing that this was a previously unknown land, Carteret named them after Queen Charlotte. An attempt to land on the shore was repulsed by the warlike islanders. Almost at the same time, in 1768, the French navigator Louis-Antoine de Bougainville discovered the islands of Buka, Bougainville and Choiseul. A great contribution to the study of the Solomon Islands was made by the French captain Jean-Francois-Marie de Surville. In 1769, he traveled almost the entire chain of islands up to the southeastern tip of the archipelago, described the coasts of the islands of Choiseul, Santa Isabel, Malaita and San Cristobal, and discovered a number of new ones. Surville's expedition was accompanied by armed skirmishes with the islanders.

In subsequent years, the following sailed in the waters of the archipelago: a ship under the command of the Spaniard Francisco Antonio Maurel (1780), the American ship "Alliance" (1787), the French expedition of Jean-Francois La Perouse (1788) and the English expedition of John Shortland (1788). After this, visits by European courts became frequent: at the end of the 18th and the first half of the 19th centuries. there were British warships and merchant ships of the British East India Company, trading and research ships of France, American merchants trading with China, whalers, sandalwood traders, sea animal hunters.

European missionaries settled in the Solomon Islands later than in other archipelagos of Oceania, due to the hostility of the local population. In 1845, a mission led by the Catholic Bishop Jean Epalier landed on the island of Santa Isabel, but in a skirmish with the islanders, the bishop was mortally wounded. Attempts to open missions in other parts of the island also ended in failure, with four more missionaries killed. The survivors left Santa Isabel in 1848. Since the early 1830s, plans for the conversion of the inhabitants of the Solomon Islands to Christianity were put forward by the Anglicans. Bishop of New Zealand A. Selvin and D. Patterson in the 1850s-1850s tried to launch missionary activities on the islands, but also did not succeed. Patterson was killed by the islanders on Nukapu in 1871. In 1875-1885 Alfred Penny was a missionary on Santa Cruz. In 1898 Bishop Vidor created a Catholic mission in Rua Sura in the northeast of Guadalcanal; a year later, another Catholic mission appeared on this island. In 1902, a Methodist mission was opened in Rovian, led by George Brown. The Methodists soon gained a dominant position in the western part of the archipelago. Evangelicals appeared in the Solomon Islands in 1904, and Seventh-day Adventists in 1914.

From 1870, European slave traders and recruiters began to deliver the inhabitants of the Solomon Islands to work on plantations in Fiji, and from 1871 - in the Australian colony of Queensland. In Fiji, they were used on cotton plantations, and then, as in Australia, on sugar cane. They were also sold to New Caledonia and Samoa. The islanders put up armed resistance. Slave traders mercilessly killed those who resisted or those who tried to escape, staged bloody punitive expeditions and burned villages. The British authorities issued orders that ordered the recruitment of islanders on plantations only with the help of government agents, but this did not change the situation, since the agents were closely connected with the planters and shipowners. After 1890, the Solomon Islands became the main supplier of forced laborers to Fiji and Queensland. They had to work in extremely difficult conditions, and the mortality rate was very high. According to some reports, during the period 1863–1914, merchants transported about 40,000 inhabitants of the Solomon Islands to European plantations in Australia and Oceania. According to others, by 1904, when the cessation of recruitment to Queensland was officially announced, at least 19 thousand people were taken there, of which only 14 thousand survived and returned to their homeland. Recruitment in Fiji continued officially until 1911, and of the 10,000 who were taken home, less than half returned home.

In 1885, Germany, which began to seize the island of New Guinea, turned its gaze to the Solomon Islands. An agreement was reached between Germany and Great Britain on the division of spheres of influence in the archipelago. The islands of Choiseul, Santa Isabel and Bougainville were recognized as German sphere, Guadalcanal, Savo, Malaita and San Cristobal as British. In 1893, taking advantage of the bloody clashes between the islanders and recruiters, Great Britain proceeded to directly seize the Solomon Islands.

In June 1893, British Captain Gibson established British protectorate over the southern group of islands, including Guadalcanal, Savo, Malaita, San Cristobal and New Georgia. In June 1897, Captain Pollard annexed the islands of Rennell, Bellona and Sikaina Atoll. In August 1898, the islands of Santa Cruz and Tikopia became part of the protectorate, and in October, the islands of Duff, Anita and Fatutana. Finally, under the Anglo-German treaty of 1899, Great Britain received the rest of the islands of the archipelago - Santa Isabel, Choiseul, Shortland and the Ontong Java Atoll. Only Bougainville and Buka went to German New Guinea. By the time the British protectorate was established, about 50 European merchants and planters had already settled on the islands. Merchants bought goods from the population and delivered them by sea to Australia.

British protectorate.

Power in the protectorate was exercised by British resident commissioners, whose residence was in Tulagi. The first of these, C. M. Woodford (1896–1918), arrived in June 1896. Administratively, the Resident Commissioner was subordinate to the British High Commissioner for the Western Pacific, whose residence was in Fiji. There were no legislatures in the Solomon Islands; laws were issued on behalf of the king by the high commissioner. In 1921, an Advisory Council was created under the Resident Commissioner, which, in addition to it, included up to 7 members, including 3 officials. The local administration was represented by two commissars and four district commissars subordinate to them.

The colonial administration received very small amounts for the management of the protectorate, which were not enough for the development of health care and education. Various epidemics and other diseases (tuberculosis, malaria, etc.) were widespread. There was only one government hospital, opened on Tulagi in 1910. The rest of the medical institutions and all the schools were in the hands of the missionaries. Intertribal clashes did not subside, and there were not enough funds to organize a serious police force.

From the beginning of the 20th century large European plantations began to be created on the islands, which produced, first of all, copra. In 1905, Levers Pacific Plantation began buying up land for coconut plantations, and by 1940 it owned over 8,000 hectares. earth. The local population was very reluctant to agree to work for them, and the farms experienced a constant shortage of labor. In 1928, according to official figures, more than 6 thousand people worked on the plantations, in 1934 - only 3.5 thousand. From 1931 until the Second World War, copra production in the archipelago experienced a deep crisis caused by a sharp drop in copra prices. Trade since the beginning of the 20th century. was in the hands of the Australian trading companies Burns Philp, Malaita Company, as well as the company that absorbed the latter in the 1930s, W.R. Carpenter.

The islanders have repeatedly opposed the taxes levied by the British authorities. Often there were clashes. So, in 1927 in Malaita locals killed district commissioner W. R. Bell and the policemen accompanying him. To suppress the rebellion, the Resident Commissioner sent a detachment of European volunteers, supported by a British cruiser sent from Sydney. Almost 200 people were arrested - the entire male population of the rebellious village. 25 people died during the investigation, 6 were sentenced to death, and 18 to various prison terms. In the mid-1930s, the inhabitants of Gizo Island refused to pay personal tax, and the authorities arrested 40 people.

Between the two world wars, the islands began to hear the first calls for increased participation of the population in governance. Anglican priest Richard Follows in 1939 urged the inhabitants of the islands of Santa Isabel, Savo and Nggela to demand the creation of an advisory council with representatives of the indigenous inhabitants. On the island of Santa Isabel, the "chair and ruler" movement (these objects served as symbols of power) arose in support of this demand, but it was suppressed, and Follows was expelled from the Solomon Islands.

By the beginning of World War II, only a small military force was stationed in the Solomon Islands: a group of Australian shooters guarding the seaplane base near Tulagi, and defensive units of officers and 120 volunteers. These units were clearly not enough to hold back the advance of the Japanese army.

In March 1942, Japanese forces began a systematic bombardment of the Solomon Islands; The resident commissioner fled to Malaita, and the workers employed on the European plantations were sent home. The population happily destroyed the documents of the protectorate administration and smashed its buildings.

In April 1942, Shortland was captured, and on May 3, Japanese naval forces under the command of Admiral Goto approached Tulagi and landed an assault force that captured the island. The Japanese units managed to occupy the western part of the archipelago, the islands of Guadalcanal, Nggela and Santa Isabel, and also set up a post on the northwestern tip of Malaita. They immediately set about building military installations, primarily airfields. The airfield for 60 aircraft in the north of the island of Guadalcanal was supposed to become, according to their plans, a strategic base for bombing large areas located south and west of the islands.

However, in August 1942, US troops landed on Guadalcanal, Tulagi and neighboring islands. The American forces were joined by New Zealanders, Australians and other allies.

Despite the crushing attacks of the Japanese forces and heavy losses, the allies managed to gain a foothold in the territory they occupied. In December 1942, the number of American troops on Guadalcanal reached 50 thousand, and the Japanese - 25 thousand. Local residents helped the American units, acting as scouts, guides, rescuing pilots and sailors, and even creating small partisan detachments. At the end of December 1942, the Japanese command decided to leave Guadalcanal and fortify itself on the islands of the New Georgia group. In February 1943, the remnants of the Japanese units left the island.

After that, the fighting moved to the central part. In February 1943, the Americans occupied the Russell Islands, building a radar station, a torpedo boat base, and an airfield there. In April, they managed to repel the largest Japanese air attack since Pearl Harbor in 1941, and in June-July, along with Fijian and Tongan commandos, landed on New Georgia. Within a month, 30,000 Allied forces broke the fierce resistance of 38,000 Japanese. In August - September, Arundel Island was cleared of Japanese troops. From July to October 1943, fierce naval battles took place in the inter-island water area. In early October 1943, the last Japanese units left Kolombangar Island, and then Vella Lavella. By December 1943 the battle for the Solomon Islands was over.

Even during the fighting, an anti-British movement of the indigenous population unfolded, called the “Marching Rule”, or “Maasina Ruru” (from the English words “rule” - board and “marching” - goes, walking, walking, or from the local word “masinga” - Brotherhood). Closely interacting with the American troops, receiving high pay for their maintenance work and observing huge warehouses of various goods, the islanders hoped that the Americans would bring them prosperity and free them from British rule. But in 1944, the Americans told one of the leaders of the Nori movement that after the end of hostilities they would leave, returning power to the British. However, many inhabitants of the islands believed that they would return and bring abundance with them (on this basis, the “cargo” cult developed on many islands in Oceania).

Already in 1944, actions of disobedience to the British authorities began. In the same area in Malaita where the uprising of 1927 took place, the inhabitants refused to recognize the authority of the headman appointed by the resident commissioner. In 1945–1946, the Marching Rule movement spread to the islands of Guadalcanal, Malaita, Olava, San Cristobal, and later to Florida. Its leaders removed the colonial elders and appointed their own. The indigenous people left the villages and settled in the new "towns" they created, which were essentially fortified camps. They had meeting houses for discussing common problems and warehouses for goods that the islanders believed were to be delivered by American ships. The leader of the movement on Guadalcanal, Jacob Vouza, declared himself paramount chief of the island; residents refused to pay taxes, attacked representatives of the colonial authorities, set up roadblocks.

The rise of the movement took place in difficult post-war conditions. The Solomon Islands were heavily affected by the fighting. Many buildings and houses were destroyed, coconut plantations were abandoned, planters and traders left the islands. Recovery was slow. The administrative center was moved from the devastated Tulagi to Honiara on the island of Guadalcanal, where the American command post was located during the fighting.

Initially, the British authorities tried to negotiate with the Marching Rule participants, then moved on to reprisals. Voza was arrested and sent to Fiji, the islanders were ordered to demolish the fortifications. The police, supported by warships, destroyed the main traffic centers. In September 1947 the leaders of the Marching Rule were put on trial in Honiara, charged with terrorism and robbery, and sentenced to hard labor for a term of one to six years. In 1949, about 2,000 islanders were sentenced to prison terms for refusing to destroy the fortifications they had erected. The protest movement reorganized into the "Federal Council". Despite the repressions and arrests of leaders, it lasted until the mid-1950s.

The British authorities undertook a series of administrative reforms. In 1948, they divided the protectorate first into two parts - North and South, and then into four districts headed by district commissars. The districts, in turn, were divided into sub-districts, which were controlled by foremen appointed by the resident commissioner. Under the resident commissioner and foremen, there were appointed advisory councils. In 1952, the residence of the British High Commissioner for the Western Pacific was moved from Fiji to Honiara, and on January 1, 1953, the post of Resident Commissioner of the Solomon Islands was abolished, and the administration of the islands passed to the High Commissioner. An important step was the formation in 1956 of the local council of Malaita with the aim of strengthening the participation of the population in matters of local government. By 1964, local councils were established in almost all districts.

The economy of the islands developed. In 1959, copra production finally surpassed pre-war levels for the first time. In the 1960s and 1970s, it slowly grew, with the proportion of islanders exceeding that of European planters. Since the second half of the 1950s, cocoa has been cultivated in the archipelago.

The movement against the colonial authorities did not stop. In 1957, the local prophet Moro on Guadalcanal began to preach the inevitability of a return to pre-colonial times and the restoration of a traditional way of life. Moro and a number of his associates were arrested, but his popularity grew rapidly, and after his release, the movement spread along the entire coast of the island, and by 1964 covered half of Guadalcanal. Moreau's supporters demanded complete independence. They raised money and set up their own plantations. In 1965 Moreau offered the British High Commissioner £2,000 in exchange for Guadalcanal's independence. The proposal was rejected, but the British authorities did not dare to resort to harsh repression.

On October 18, 1960, they enacted a new constitution. Instead of the Advisory Council under the High Commissioner, the Executive and Legislative Councils were created. Their members were also appointed, but they now included islanders (6 out of 21 members of the Legislative and 2 out of 8 members of the Executive Councils). In 1961-1962, the protectorate judiciary was reorganized: instead of the Court of High Commissioner, the Supreme Court of the Western Pacific was created, consisting of a chief justice in Honiara and two judges (on the Gilbert and Ellis Islands and on the New Hebrides). Magistrates' courts were established throughout the Protectorate.

A new constitution for the islands was adopted in 1964 and put into effect on February 1, 1965. The natives now made up 8 of the 21 members of the Legislative Council and 3 of the 10 members of the Executive Council. At the same time, 8 members of the Legislative Council were elected. In Honiara, the elections were direct. In other districts - indirect. 2 elected organized the first political party - the Democratic, but already in 1967 it collapsed. In 1967, a new constitution expanded the number of elected members of the Legislative Council to include indigenous representatives. In 1968, two deputies formed the United National Party of the Solomon Islands, but it also disintegrated shortly after the elections.

The constitution, put into force by the British authorities on April 10, 1970, replaced the Legislative and Executive Councils with a new body, the Government Council, all of whose members were elected. The High Commissioner was obliged to consult with the Government Council on state and political issues, but this did not hinder his actions in solving problems related to defense, foreign relations, internal security, police management, and appointments to the civil service. In December 1970, the council voted to grant independence to the Solomon Islands in 1975. A Special Committee on Constitutional Development was formed. In 1972, his proposals for a government responsible to an elected legislature were accepted by the Government Council. In 1973 elections were held for a new council. New parties emerged - the United Party of the Solomon Islands (OPSO) led by Benedikt Kinika and the People's Progressive Party (PPP) Solomon Mamaloni.

In 1974, in accordance with the new constitution, the Government Council was transformed into the Legislative Assembly. S. Mamaloni, the leader of the NPP, became the chief minister. In 1975, he resigned due to a scandal over an agreement he signed with an American company to issue commemorative coins, but was again re-elected and led a delegation that went to London to negotiate the granting of independence to the country.

In January 1976, the Solomon Islands were declared a self-governing state. In July 1976 parliamentary elections were held. The OPSO and the NPP by this time had actually disintegrated due to internal disagreements, and their members acted as independents. 8 seats went to the new National Democratic Party (NDP) led by Bartholomew Yulufaalu, which was supported by the trade unions. In July 1976, the Legislative Assembly elected Peter Kenilorea, a former OPSO leader, as Chief Minister. In 1977, negotiations were held in London on granting independence. The Constitutional Conference decided that on July 7, 1978, the Solomon Islands would become an independent state.

Independent state.

After the declaration of independence, the government of Kenilorea remained in power, who took over as prime minister. From the very beginning, he had to face economic problems, a lack of funds for socio-economic development, and threats of secession of the Western Isles. The latter was averted after the Western Solomon Islands Council was paid $7,000 in 1979. Before the 1980 elections there was a regrouping of political forces. The NPP and most of the OPSO merged into the People's Union Party (PNS), headed by Mamaloni. Prime Minister Kenilorea, along with his supporters, created a new OPSO, or United Democratic Party. After the elections, Kenilorea headed the new government from representatives of his party and independent deputies, the PNS and the NDP were in opposition. However, already in August 1981 the ruling coalition fell apart, as the independents refused to support Kenilorea. Mamaloni returned to power, including representatives of the PNS, the NDP and independents in his cabinet. During his reign (1981–1984), the country experienced signs of economic growth. PDP leader Yulufaalu, who took over as finance minister, undertook a number of important financial and tax reforms. So, in 1983, he managed to strengthen the Solomon Islands dollar, equating it with the Australian dollar. The government expanded local government by passing the Provincial Government Act in 1981. However, his credibility was undermined by a conflict with the chief of Folofu, who did not allow elections to be held in his area, and a strike organized by the employees' union in September 1984 demanding higher wages. During the 1984 elections, the PNS managed to slightly increase the number of its seats in parliament, but the overall balance of power changed not in its favor.

In November 1984, Kenilorea formed a new government with the participation of his United Party, independents and the new Ano Segufenula party. His cabinet paid $1,000 in compensation to Chief Folof, but after settling the conflict, it ran into other problems. The Minister of Agriculture has been charged in connection with the scandal over the sale of administrative buildings, which caused a new nationwide strike of civil servants. The government was forced to conduct an investigation, and the minister was removed. In addition, in 1986, Cyclone Namu hit the islands, one of the strongest in the history of the archipelago. It claimed 90 lives, caused millions of dollars in property damage, and significantly undermined the government's prestige. Finally, the prime minister himself was accused of having spent the aid received from France on the restoration of his native village on the island of Malaita. As a result, Kenilorea was forced in December 1986 to cede the post of head of government to his deputy Ezekiel Alebua.

In the general elections of 1989, the opposition PNS won a complete victory, winning 21 out of 38 seats. The opposition included the United Party, the Liberal Party (former NDP) and the Nationalist Front for Progress (NFP). "Ano Segufenula" did not receive a single seat and soon disbanded. Mamaloni formed a new one-party cabinet. However, he didn't last long. Disagreements between the prime minister and the chairman of the Kausimae party escalated in the ruling PNS. In mid-1990, conflict and an open split ensued. Mamaloni removed 5 ministers and announced his withdrawal from the GNA. He created a new "government of national unity and reconciliation", including in it 5 representatives of the opposition, including Kenilorea, who left the ranks of the United Party, Sam Alasia, who was previously elected on the lists of the NFP, and others. Later, the supporters of the government officially took shape in a political organization - " Group for National Unity and Reconciliation (GNEP).

In 1993, the GNEP won 21 seats out of 47 in parliament, but the rest of the parties united in the "National Coalition Partnership" (NCP) and removed it from power. Francis Billy Hilley was elected prime minister.

The NKP government (1993–1994) introduced a number of reforms (including the creation of a constituency development fund), but was unable to stay in power for long. As early as mid-1994, the Minister of Finance was forced to resign due to allegations of corruption, and the Minister of the Interior was accused of illegally issuing a casino license in Honiara. In October 1994, the NKP began to disintegrate. Billy Hilly formed a new minority government, but it fell within two weeks. On November 7, 1994, Mamaloni, the leader of the GNEP, returned to the post of head of the cabinet, transformed into the Progressive Party of National Unity and Reconciliation of the Solomon Islands (PPNEP).

Mamaloni promised that his government would try to make the most of the country's natural resources to increase income, create jobs and provide services to the population. In an effort to conserve resources, the cabinet tried to halt predatory logging and refused to issue new fishing licenses to companies. Measures were taken to develop tourism, a new air terminal in Honiara was opened with the help of Japan, and road construction was expanded. The priority project was the launch of a gold mine in Gold Ridge. The government also signed leases with landowners and the Australian mining company Ross Mining.

In December 1996, Parliament passed the Provincial Government Act, which abolished the system of provincial governments introduced in 1981 and replaced them with regional assemblies. The premier of the province of Guadalcanal obtained from the judicial authorities the annulment of the act, the government filed an appeal.

In early February 1997, differences intensified in the ruling PPNEP. Mamaloni ousted Deputy Prime Minister Danny Philip and replaced him with Francis Samala, leader of the formerly opposition National Action Party.

The general elections of 1997 again led to a change of power. PPNEP won 24 seats in parliament out of 50, and the coalition of opposition parties, the Alliance for Change, won 26. economic reforms with the support of the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund, as well as donor countries and organizations. The economic turmoil in Asia led to a sharp decline in the forest industry, as well as an overall reduction in production by 10% in 1998. The government implemented wage cuts for civil servants and cuts in budget spending. Economic situation in the Solomon Islands improved slightly in 1999 due to a significant increase in world gold prices and the expansion of gold production in the country. But soon the authorities had to face the most severe crisis in the history of the existence of an independent state.

Interethnic conflict and reconstruction.

In early 1999, the long-awaited conflict between the Gwale people on the island of Guadalcanal and settlers from the neighboring island of Malaita led to armed clashes. The emerging "Revolutionary Army of Guadalcanal" began attacking Malaitas in rural areas, forcing them to leave the island. The fighters, mostly young men armed with homemade weapons, originated from the south coast of Guadalcanal, where traditional customs were strong. They later renamed their organization the Isatabu Freedom Movement (the ancient Aboriginal name for Guadalcanal). About 20 thousand Malaitans found refuge in Honiara, many returned to their native island. On the contrary, the Gwale fled from Honiara; the city became a Malaitan enclave. The Malaita Eagle Force (CMO) began to form. The Solomon Islands government turned to the Commonwealth for help, and former Fiji Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka was appointed to mediate. On June 28, 1999, after a series of meetings, a peace agreement was signed in Honiara.

However, the problems were not resolved, and in June 2000 fighting between the parties resumed. The Malaitans took over the police arsenal at Auki on their home island, allied with opposition elements in the police force and took control of Honiara, where they occupied another arsenal of modern weapons in Rova.

June 5, 2000 SMO seized the Parliament of the country. They accused the Yulufaalu government of failing to protect the lives and property of the Malaitans. The prime minister was captured and forced to resign. In the days that followed, fighting broke out in the capital between the CFR and the Isatabu Freedom Movement. On June 15, the CFR handed over control of Honiara to the police. On June 30, Parliament elected the leader of the People's Progressive Party, Manasseh Sogavare, as the new head of government, who until 1999 served as finance minister, but came into conflict with Yulufaalu. Sogaware formed the "Coalition for National Unity, Reconciliation and Peace" cabinet, putting forward a program to resolve ethnic conflicts, rebuild the economy and more evenly distribute the income from the development of the country.

But Sogaware could not handle the problems of the country. His government has been repeatedly accused of corruption, failure to maintain the economy and restore order. At least 100 people have been killed since the clashes began in 1999, approx. 30 thousand people (mainly Malaitans) were forced to leave their homes, and the economy of Guadalcanal was destroyed.

Growing pressure from society, business and the international community prompted the CFR, the Isatabu Freedom Movement and the government to sign a new peace agreement on October 15, 2000 in the Australian city of Townsville. Its observance was to be monitored by a group of international observers consisting of 35 Australians, 14 New Zealanders and 4 police officers from the Cook Islands, Vanuatu and Tonga. The agreement provided for the dissolution of the armed formations, a general amnesty for all warring parties, the reform of the police and the inclusion of officers who joined the CFR and the Isatabu Freedom Movement. In the course of the implementation of the agreement, in the 20 months up to June 25, 2002, more than 2,000 weapons were handed over to international observers. But the most powerful weapon was never handed over, and some of the former militia fighters got out of control of the commanders and joined criminal groups.

The inter-ethnic conflict and its consequences had a disastrous effect on the economy of the islands. Exports, estimated in 1991 at 150 million dollars, fell in 2001 to 55 million, government revenues fell by more than half. The Gold Ridge gold mine, which provided a significant portion of export revenue in 1999 and early 2000, was destroyed in June 2000 and closed. Government attempts to replenish the treasury with taxes in 2001 failed, and the provision of assistance from abroad almost ceased. The government went on to stop public investment and sent employees on unpaid leave. A heavy burden on finances was the payment of compensation to refugees and participants in the conflict.

During the confrontation, a significant part of the industry was put out of action, including the production of palm oil, mining, and also partially - forestry. Essential services in the capital were under threat due to frequent power cuts, interruptions in the supply of water and fuel. After Telikom's solar panels were looted, telecommunications services in Malaita stopped working. By some estimates, the conflict weakened the economy of the Solomon Islands by 40%.

Solomon Islands in the 21st century

During the period of the Sogaware government, there were scandals and internal contradictions. In 2001, a week before the dissolution of parliament, Allan Kemakeza, the leader of the People's Union Party (PNS), was removed from his post as deputy prime minister, accused of misusing funds to pay compensation to people who lost their property during the conflict.

In the December 2001 elections, the GNA was successful, and Kemakeza became prime minister. His party entered into a coalition with some independent MPs led by former finance minister Snyder Reaney, who has now received the post of deputy prime minister and minister of national planning.

The country continues to experience economic difficulties. During the first quarter of 2002, copra production fell by 77% compared to the same period in 2001, cocoa production by 55% and timber production by 13%. The catch of fish increased by 2 times, but was mostly consumed in the domestic market. According to the authorities, the process of economic recovery will require at least 10 years. The first signs of a revival have appeared, but many mines, fishing and agricultural enterprises are still closed.

In December 2002, the government signed an agreement with the international organization Royal Assembly of Nations and Kingdoms to provide the Solomon Islands with $2.6 billion. "Bougainville Revolutionary Army" from Papua New Guinea.

The authorities of the Solomon Islands are still in a difficult position. Former participants and victims of the armed conflict are dissatisfied with the pace and amount of compensation, and in December 2002 the secretary of the Ministry of Finance, New Zealander Lloyd Powell was forced to flee the country, fleeing the threats of former fighters of the armed formations. There are divisions within the ruling party. In February 2003, a number of its members criticized Prime Minister Kemakeza's visit to South Korea and planned to replace him with Treasury Secretary Michael Maina.

As part of the fight against financial abuse, the government took action in May 2003 against the "Family Charity Fund", whose leaders issued threats against commercial banks. In protest against these threats, the banks closed for one day and resumed their work only after the arrest of the fund's leaders.

The Kemakeza government is counting on the help of other states, primarily Japan, to restore the economy. In 2003, the Prime Minister held talks in Tokyo for Japanese assistance in establishing public services, establishing commercial rice cultivation in Malaita and Choiseul, developing an international airport at Henderson, and supplying copra to Japan.

During 2002 and 2003 clashes and conflicts intensified, and in June 2003 the prime minister asked for help from abroad. Peacekeeping forces from Australia and other countries of the Pacific region arrived in the country under the auspices of the Regional Assistance Mission to the Solomon Islands. The military contingent ensured the restoration of law and order and the disarmament of militants on Guadalcanal. 4,000 people were arrested: members of the government, police leadership, group leaders, including one of the most prominent leaders of the Guadalcanal Revolutionary Army, Harold Keke. The Malaita Eagles criminal group laid down its arms. Peace began to gradually restore in the country, and the military presence of peacekeepers was reduced.

In December 2004, an Australian police officer was killed by a local resident. The peacekeepers returned, but, nevertheless, even after the incident, the presence of the military was reduced.

Although the People's Union Party was defeated in the 2006 parliamentary elections, Deputy Prime Minister Snyder Reaney managed to win the support of independent members of parliament, and he was elected prime minister and formed a government. However, he was soon accused of accepting bribes from Chinese businessmen and bribing MPs. Chinese businessmen were accused of trying to influence the political situation in the country. This led to new riots, in particular, pogroms of the Chinese diaspora. In this regard, the forces of the mission were again increased.

In May 2006, Rini was forced to resign or face a vote of no confidence. Manasseh Sogavare was nominated for the post of prime minister. He received the majority of votes in the parliamentary vote on May 4, 2006 and again became the country's prime minister.

During this period, mainly civilian specialists remained in the country who advised the government on economic and financial issues, which caused sharp criticism from Sogaware, who accused the Regional Mission of interfering in domestic politics.

On December 13, 2007, Sogaware was removed from office in a vote of no confidence. Several ministers from his government went into opposition.

On December 30, 2007, the parliament elected a new prime minister. They became the former Minister of Education, opposition candidate Derek Sikua. The new prime minister supported the mission, and with his arrival the situation regarding peacekeepers has changed.

He remained in office until 25 August 2010. Elections were held in August 2010 and Danny Philip became the new prime minister. In November 2011, he resigned due to the fact that he was also going to announce a vote of no confidence.

On April 2, 2007, a tsunami hit the country, which was caused by a strong earthquake of magnitude 8. As a result, more than 50 people died and thousands of people were left homeless.

The political parties in the Solomon Islands are rather weak, they form unstable coalitions, and in this regard, the parties are often declared a vote of no confidence, including prime ministers.

Problems in the economic and political development of the country, the inability of governments to resolve internal conflicts leads to the fact that the viability of the state is greatly reduced, and in fact such a state can be called a "failed state".

Literature:

Oceania. Directory. M., 1982
Rubtsov B.B. Oceania. M., 1991



Useful data for tourists about the Solomon Islands, cities and resorts of the country. As well as information about the population, currency of the Solomon Islands, cuisine, features of visa and customs restrictions of the Solomon Islands.

Geography of the Solomon Islands

The Solomon Islands is a state in the southwestern part of the Pacific Ocean, in Melanesia, occupying most of the archipelago of the same name, as well as some other island groups.

The Solomon Islands stretch in two chains from the northwest to the southeast for more than 1400 km. Most of the islands of the archipelago are volcanic peaks of an underwater ridge. Mountain ranges occupy almost their entire surface, only narrow lowlands stretch along the coast. A rather wide coastal lowland exists only on the northeastern coast of Guadalcanal. On the same island is the highest point in the country - Mount Makarakomburu (2447 m.). On the islands there are extinct and active volcanoes, hot springs, earthquakes often occur. Many islands are framed by coral reefs; in addition to volcanic islands, there are coral atoll islands.

State

State structure

The Solomon Islands is a parliamentary democracy with elements of a constitutional monarchy. The head of state is the monarch of Great Britain, represented by a governor-general. Executive power is vested in the government headed by the prime minister. The prime minister is elected by parliament. Legislative power is vested in the unicameral National Parliament.

Language

State language: English

English, although it is the official language, is spoken by only 1-2% of the inhabitants. The language of interethnic communication is Melanesian Pidgin English. The peoples of the islands speak a total of 120 languages.

Religion

45% of the population belongs to the Anglican Church, 18% - to the Roman Catholic, 12% - to the Methodist and Presbyterian. 9% are Baptists, 7% are Seventh-day Adventists, 5% are other Protestants. 4% of residents adhere to local traditional beliefs.

Currency

International name: SBD

The Solomon Islands dollar is equal to 100 cents. In circulation in the archipelago are banknotes in denominations of 2, 5, 10 and 50 dollars, as well as coins in denominations of 1, 2, 5, 10, 20 and 50 cents and 1 dollar.

Often US and Australian dollars are accepted for payment, especially in the southern regions of the country.

In cities, travel checks are quite easy to exchange and apply, it is possible to use and credit cards, they are mainly served by three large banks in the capital - ANZ, Westpac and NBSI. In the provinces, the use of credit cards and checks is difficult, it is preferable to use cash.

Popular Attractions

Solomon Islands Tourism

Popular hotels

Tips

Tipping is not accepted, but in case of good service, you can leave the staff 5% of the bill or an additional 1-2 dollars. According to Polynesian tradition, tips are a gift and must be given away, so almost all establishments do not have them at all. A smile and a simple "thank you" are considered sufficient compensation for services rendered.

Office Hours

Banks are usually open from Monday to Friday, from 08.30-9.00 to 15.00.

Medicine

All tap water in the country should be considered potentially hazardous to health.

Safety

Theft and other violent acts against tourists are quite rare, but in crowded areas, pickpockets and well-organized fraudulent groups should be wary. In no case is it recommended to exchange money on the street.

There are a lot of dangerous animals on the territory of the islands - these include numerous local blood-sucking insects that are carriers of many diseases, various arthropods (primarily the Javanese centipede and scorpions), some of the 20 varieties of reptiles, as well as numerous species of poisonous fish and sea snakes.

Emergency Phones

Unified Rescue Service (fire department, police and ambulance) - 911.

The Solomon Islands are an archipelago largely unaffected by tourism. Quite a small number of people visit this poor country. But, despite this, they attract with the genuine naturalness of everything that you have to either see or visit.

Back in the 16th century, these islands were discovered by the Spaniard A. Medanya. It was the Spaniards who were of the opinion and suggested that in ancient times this archipelago belonged to Solomon, the biblical king. Hence the origin of the name. Already in the 20th century, Great Britain established its power over the islands. But soon the Solomon Islands received internal self-government, and then independence.

This area attracts by the fact that it has practically nothing that would be created artificially in order to please tourists. Therefore, it will be very comfortable and interesting here, first of all, for those travelers who are looking for natural extraordinary

After all, every part of this small country will not disappoint its guests, as it has rightfully earned a reputation as the best place in the world, where, as if, nature itself has created all the conditions for fishing, snorkeling and diving. Here the water and air are particularly clean. And the animal and vegetable world will surprise any tourist with its diversity and beauty.

The Solomon Islands are enough in which to have their own taboos. And all visitors should know about them. So, on the islands of Bu-su and Laulasi, the taboos are red and black, since they are considered the colors of blood here. They should be avoided when choosing jewelry or clothing for a trip.

Certain taboos are still surrounded by the life of villages on the islands. It is impossible to explain the meaning of all. But when visiting any local settlements, you must be careful and limit your curiosity to the maximum. Since the term "taboo" here is given the meaning not only of prohibition, but also of sacredness or holiness. And this should not be forgotten.

In addition, property rights are also very important here. Therefore, it is most likely that a flower, fruit or tree by the roadside belongs to someone. Since many islanders live by selling what they grow, when you pick a fruit, be prepared to leave the owner a decent compensation.

A guest on the islands must be fully dressed. While the clothes of local residents may be different, or absent altogether. A woman should not be or stand above a man. It is also forbidden to swim under canoes where women are. After all, after that it is subject to destruction. And for many residents it is the only way to get food.

The Solomon Islands have preserved a tradition in which, as in all world cultures, taboos are called upon to protect their society, playing the role of certain codes or moral prescriptions. Following them, it is not customary to punish uninitiated people. Although foreigners fall into this category, it is nevertheless advisable to observe local customs.

For those who love a varied and eventful holiday, the Solomon Islands will be an ideal option. Mainly because their entire territory consists of nine provinces, each of which has something to show even the most jaded visitor.

What are those provinces where the locals, despite the rapid development of civilization in general and the predominance of European elements in clothing in particular, continue to wear short skirts and

Not all resort islands, like the Solomon Islands, have retained to a large extent their primitive cultural appearance. In all the villages, traditional houses predominate here. They are rectangular light huts with wicker walls on pillars and made of palm leaves.

Although buildings of the European type are found here, but only in large settlements. Traditionalism is also quite closely intertwined with modernity. The local population preserves applied arts, original dances and songs, folklore relatively well, however, modern culture is still being introduced.

Solomon islands- a state in the western part of the Pacific Ocean, east of New Guinea, located on the southeastern part of the islands of the same name.

The name of the country is associated with the legend of the country of Ophir, where the treasures of King Solomon are hidden.

Official name: Solomon islands

Capital: Honiara

The area of ​​the land: 28,450 sq. km

Total population: 610 thousand people

Administrative division: The state is divided into 7 provinces and 1 city.

Form of government: A constitutional monarchy.

Head of State: The Queen of Great Britain, represented by the Governor General.

Composition of the population: 92% - Melanesians, 4% - Polynesians, 1.5% - Micronesians, 1% - Europeans.

Official language: English, a pidgin (a mixture of Melanesian and English) is also common among the inhabitants of the country.

Religion: 45% of the population belongs to the Anglican Church, 18% - to the Roman Catholic, 12% - to the Methodist and Presbyterian. 9% are Baptists, 7% are Seventh-day Adventists, 5% are other Protestants. 4% of residents adhere to local traditional beliefs.

Internet domain: .sb

Phone country code : +677

Climate

Subequatorial monsoon, very hot and humid.

The air temperature throughout the year is practically unchanged - + 25-30 C. From the end of April to the beginning of November (local winter), the weather is relatively dry and cool (+ 24-27 C), due to the southeast trade winds blowing at this time ( sometimes the direction of the winds shifts to the northern or even western rhumbs - this is a clear harbinger of storms and hurricanes).

In summer (December-January - April-March) north-western winds prevail, and the air temperature rises to + 26-32 C with air humidity of about 90%.

Up to 3500 mm of precipitation falls per year (in Honiara - 2250 mm). The maximum amount of rain falls in the period from December to March, and the windward shores of the islands both in summer and winter receive 15-30% more precipitation than the leeward ones.

Hurricanes are most likely in the summer, however, most of the paths of tropical typhoons lie much east and south of the coast of the Solomon Islands, so here they are noticeably less likely than on the more eastern islands to reach destructive power.

Geography

An island nation in the southwestern Pacific Ocean, east of Papua New Guinea. It occupies the southeastern part of the Solomon Islands archipelago (with the exception of the islands of Bougainville and Buka, which are geographically part of the same archipelago, but politically belonging to Papua New Guinea) and nearby islands (a total of 992 islands and reefs, 347 of them are inhabited).

To the west (Murua Island and Pocklington Reef) and north (Nukumanu Atoll) it borders papua new guinea, in the east - with Tuvalu, in the southeast - with Vanuatu (Torres Islands), in the south - with French overseas territories (Bampton reef, all maritime borders).

The Solomon Islands group consists of six large islands (Choiseul, Santa Isabel, Malaita, San Cristobal, Guadalcanal and New Georgia), forming a double chain in the center of the archipelago, and approximately 20 medium-sized islands (Vella Lavella, Florida, Rennell, Santa Cruz, etc.), as well as a huge number of small islands and reefs scattered around them.

The group stretches over 1,800 km from Shortland Island in the west to Tikopia and Anuta Islands in the east, and nearly 1,000 km from Ontong Jawa (Lord Howe) in the north to Indispensable Reefs in the south. The Santa Cruz Islands (Vanikoro (Laperusa), Ndeni, Utupua, Tikopia, etc.) lie 230 km southeast of the main group.

The total area of ​​the islands is 27.5 thousand square meters. km (1.35 million sq. km together with adjacent waters), thus it is the third largest island group in the region.

Flora and fauna

Vegetable world

Mangroves and coconut groves protect the coastal strips of most of the islands, while the interior is covered with dense rainforest with a colossal plant species diversity - about 4,500 of their varieties grow on the islands, and more and more species are discovered every year.

Many of the coastal natural forests of the large islands have been reduced by agriculture and logging (timber exports account for up to 12% of the country's GDP), but the interior is still largely impenetrable due to high density of vegetation and difficult terrain.

The mountains of the volcanic islands are covered with dense moist forests, in which valuable tropical tree species grow. Low-lying areas are used for growing coconut palms, sweet potatoes, taro, yams, rice, cocoa and other crops (1.5% of the area is cultivated). The lowlands are often swampy. The vegetation of the northeastern plains of Guadalcanal is represented by savannahs.

Animal world

A few endemic mammals (bats, marsupial couscous, rats and mice) are mostly nocturnal, so it is unlikely to meet them. On the other hand, the crowns of the forest are literally teeming with all kinds of birds (about 223 species), insects (only butterflies, about 130 species), and under the canopy all kinds of amphibians and reptiles (about 70 species) have found their homes.

Every year, thousands of rare birds, reptiles, amphibians, fish and butterflies are exported from the Solomon Islands for sale in Asia, North America and Europe. On the shores of the islands, the rarest sea turtles regularly (from November to February) lay their eggs. The isolated group of Santa Cruz Islands has a much smaller species composition of native flora and fauna than the main chain.

Dangerous plants and animals

There are a lot of dangerous animals on the territory of the islands - these include numerous local blood-sucking insects that are carriers of many diseases, various arthropods (primarily the Javanese centipede and scorpions), some of the 20 varieties of reptiles, as well as numerous species of poisonous fish and sea snakes.

It is recommended to move around the territory of the country accompanied by an experienced guide or guide, since the impenetrable local jungle is a potential source of threat in the form of many latently dangerous animals (for example, forest ants and leeches). The same rule is recommended for organizing dives in local waters.

Attractions

The main attraction of the Solomon Islands is nature.

Like neighboring Vanuatu, this land, still almost isolated from the outside world, is an example of amazing natural contrasts and endless opportunities for various adventures, where almost impenetrable jungles, high mountain peaks, mighty volcanoes, countless atolls, the purest mountain rivers with waterfalls side by side. and blue lagoons.

It is believed that no other Pacific archipelago has a more diverse nature with such a complex combination of geology and climatic conditions.

The archipelago is practically unaffected by tourism, since there are few people on Earth who want to visit this poor and isolated country. But many are attracted here by the genuine naturalness of everything that happens to be seen or visited.

There is practically nothing artificial here or created specifically to please tourists, and the nature of the islands, without much exaggeration called extraordinary, creates a reputation for them, perhaps one of the last places on the planet, as if specially designed for extreme types of recreation.

Here are truly unique conditions for diving, snorkeling, studying the history of the Second World War, ethnography, sailing and sport fishing.

Banks and currency

Solomon Islands dollar (S$, SI$ or SBD), equal to 100 cents. In circulation are banknotes in denominations of 50, 20, 10, 5 and 2 dollars, coins of 1 dollar, as well as 50, 20, 10, 5, 2 and 1 cents.

Money can be exchanged at banks, specialized exchange offices (bureaux de change), some hotels, as well as large shops and restaurants.

Exchange machines that work with major world currencies can be found near bank offices and large shops in Honiara. National Bank of the Solomon Islands (NBSI) offers a full range of currency exchange and other transactions with it almost throughout the country.

In provincial areas, the easiest way to change money is at branches of the NBSI bank, which has a network of about 50 local agencies, which are usually located in shops or post offices.

It is possible to use credit cards of the world's main payment systems (as a rule, they are served by three large banks in the capital - ANZ, Westpac and NBSI). In the provinces, the use of credit cards is difficult, it is preferable to pay in cash. There are three automated teller machines (ATMs) in Honiara.

Traveler's checks can be cashed at the offices of major banks (the same ANZ, Westpac and NBSI) in the main cities of the country. To avoid additional costs associated with exchange rate fluctuations, it is recommended that you bring checks in Australian dollars or pounds sterling.

Banks are usually open from Monday to Friday, from 08.30-9.00 to 15.00.

Often US and Australian dollars are accepted for payment, especially in the southern regions of the country.

Useful information for tourists

The archipelago is almost unaffected by tourism, few people visit this poor country, but they are attracted to the Solomon Islands by the genuine naturalness of everything that happens to be seen or visited.

There is practically nothing artificial or created specifically to please tourists. Those travelers looking for extraordinary natural settings will not be disappointed in any part of this small country - the islands have a well-deserved reputation as perhaps the best place in the world, as if by nature intended for scuba diving, snorkeling and fishing.

Tipping is not accepted, but in case of good service, you can leave the staff 5% of the bill or an additional 1-2 dollars.

Black and red (the color of blood) colors are taboo on Laulasi and Bu-su, and visitors should take this into account when choosing clothes and jewelry for the trip.

Village life in the Solomon Islands is still surrounded by so many taboos. It is impossible to explain the meaning of all of them, but when visiting settlements one should be careful and limit one's curiosity as much as possible.

The term "taboo" means "sacred" ("holy") as well as "forbidden", so it's worth keeping in mind. Property rights are very important here - a tree, fruit or flower by the roadside most likely belongs to someone. For many islanders, income depends on what they grow, so the locals can expect a decent compensation if you pick a fruit that was intended for sale.

Clothing (or lack of it) among the islanders may vary, but travelers must be fully dressed. In many areas, it is considered "taboo" for a woman to stand above a man, and even more so a man, even a foreigner, should not deliberately take a place below a woman.

It is also forbidden to swim under a canoe in which there are women - it will probably have to be destroyed later, and for many islanders canoes are the only means of obtaining food.

As in all cultures of the world, taboos play the role of moral prescriptions or codes and are designed to protect the community, so it is not customary to punish the uninitiated, which includes foreigners. Nevertheless, compliance with local customs is desirable.

SOLOMON ISLANDS

General information

Geographical position. Solomon Islands - a state located on 30 islands and many atolls in the South Pacific Ocean, east of New Guinea. The state includes almost the entire group of the Solomon Islands, with the exception of the islands of Bougainville and Buka. The largest of them are Guadalcanal, New Georgia, Santa Isabel, Malaita, San Cristobal and Vella Lavella, as well as the Santa Cruz Islands.

Square. The territory of the Solomon Islands occupies 27,556 sq. km.

Main cities, administrative divisions. The capital of the Solomon Islands is Honiara (39 thousand people). Administrative-territorial division of the country: 7 provinces.

Political system

The Solomon Islands are part of the Commonwealth. The head of state is the Queen of Great Britain, represented by the Governor General. The head of government is the prime minister. The legislature is the National Parliament.

Relief. The Solomon Islands are of volcanic origin. Active volcanoes: Balbi, Bagana. The highest point in the country - Mount Popomanso (2331 m) is located on the island of Guadalcanal.

Geological structure and minerals. The bowels of the country contain reserves of gold, lead, zinc, nickel, phosphorites

Climate. The climate of the Solomon Islands is subequatorial, very humid. Average monthly temperatures from +26°С to +28°С. Precipitation falls from 2,500 to 7,500 mm per year. From May to October, the southeast trade wind prevails, from December to March, the northwest equatorial monsoon.

Soils and vegetation. Most of the islands are covered with evergreen forests (palms, ficuses), savannahs are located in the driest places, mangroves predominate along the banks.

Animal world. The fauna of the Solomon Islands is represented by rats, mice, crocodiles, lizards, snakes, giant frogs.

Population and language

The population of the Solomon Islands is about 441 thousand people, the average population density is about 16 people per 1 sq. km. km. Ethnic groups: Melanesians-93%, Polynesians - 4%, Micronesians - 1.5%, Europeans - 0.8%, Chinese - 0.3%. Languages: English (official), pidgin (local dialect based on in English), about 80 local dialects.

Religion

Anglicans - 34%, evangelicals - 24%, Catholics - 19%, pagans.

Brief historical outline

The first European to visit the islands and give them a name was the Spanish navigator Alvaro de Mendaña de Neira in 1568. The northern part of the archipelago was discovered in 1768 by Luis Antoine de Bougainville. In 1885, the islands came under the control of Germany, but in 1893, almost the entire archipelago, with the exception of Bougainville and Buka, was transferred to Great Britain. After the First World War, Australia received a mandate to administer the islands of Bougainville and Buka, while the southern part remained a protectorate of Britain. The Solomon Islands gained independence on July 7, 1978.

Brief economic essay

The basis of the economy is agriculture. The main agricultural crop is the coconut palm; cocoa, bananas, spices, and rice are also cultivated. Fishing. Lumbering. Export of fish, timber, copra, cocoa beans, palm oil.

The monetary unit is the Solomon Islands dollar.