Map of Solomon Islands | Solomon Islands Flag Facts | Why visit Solomon Islands?
Do you love beaches and exploring new places with different people, rich culture and history? Well, you have come to the right place. Countries in Oceania are enriched with not just nature but history and culture that will leave you amazed and inspired. With not just a lot to enjoy from but also a lot to learn from, Solomon Islands can be your next getaway with relaxing beaches and even better food.
Map of Solomon Islands
Where is the Solomon Islands located on the world map?
Located in Oceania towards the east of Papua New Guinea and northwest of Vanuatu, Solomon Islands is a collection of a large number of Melanesian islands. Its capital is Honiara which is present on Guadalcanal Island. The islands are named by a Spanish navigator, Alvaro de Mendana who was the first-ever European to visit the islands in 1568 and he named them Islas Salomon.
How many islands in Solomon Islands?
The Solomon Islands has its name due to the huge number of smaller islands that come into its territory. There are six main islands namely Malaita, Makira, New Georgia, Santa Isabel, Guadalcanal and Choiseul and 900 smaller islands. All the islands have a rather uniform temperature that is rarely ever extreme.
Solomon Islands belong to which country?
The Solomon Islands is now a country of its own. Like every other island in Oceania, Solomon Islands also had to go through a lot to be able to call themselves an independent state. In the 19th Century, the country was being exploited for labor to work the plantations of several islands including Fiji and Queensland of Australia. Germany and Britain divided the Solomons between each other and the Germans traded the northern islands to Britain for recognition of the German claims in what was then called Western Samoa. The Second World War motivated the people of the Solomon Islands towards constitutional development and the country was named Solomon Islands in 1975.
Solomon Islands Flag Facts
Post independence from the British rule and the constitutional development that the Solomon Islands went through post World War II and after a lot of discussions and a design competition, the flag of Solomon Islands was created and chosen in 1977 and was adopted in the same year.
Solomon Islands Flag Colors
Every country aims towards representing its values through its flag and chooses the right colors in order to do so. The flag of Solomon Islands consists of two triangles that are divided by a thin yellow colored strip. The upper triangle is blue with the canton having five white stars. The lower part of the flag (the lower triangle) is green.
Solomon Islands Flag Meaning
The flag of Solomon Islands was raised on the Independence Day ceremony on July 7, 1979, in Gizo. The flag of the Solomon Islands is also used as a flag of convenience under an Act through which the government earns over $500,000 in annual taxes. The colors of the country’s flag express cultural, regional and political values and meanings. Blue denotes the water of the Pacific Ocean, also the rain and rivers. The green on the opposite depicts the land with trees and crops that grow on its surface and contribute largely to the economy whereas the yellow represents sun rays that separate the land from the ocean. The five stars were initially meant to represent the provinces that the country was divided into but now the number of provinces has increased to six but the number of stars in the flag has remained unchanged.
Population of the Solomon Islands
The current population of the Solomon Islands is 652,858. 60,000 of the total population resides in Honiara which is the capital of Solomon Islands. Other than that, most of the cities do not have a population higher than 7,000. Only around 300 of the smaller islands are inhabited whereas the remaining 600 are uninhabited. Most of the people in Solomon Islands live in rural villages and earn their living from farming or trading. 95% of the population is Christian and the culture has strong familial and clan ties.
Language of the Solomon Islands
There are around sixty or seventy languages that are spoken in the Solomon Islands with English being the official language. The common language or the trade language is Pijin. A big fraction of the languages spoken belong to the family of Austronesian languages. Not to mention, Solomon Islands used to have an indigenous sign language called Rennellese that has gone extinct since there weren’t that many people to talk in that language.
Interesting facts about the Solomon Islands
With its interesting history and strong culture, Solomon Islands is known for many more things in the world. Here are some of the interesting facts that you probably didn’t know about the Solomon Islands
- The Solomon Islands has the largest saltwater lagoon in the world at around 700 kilometers. It is called Marovo Lagoon and it is bordered by the Vangunu, Gatakae and New Georgia islands and even has a double barrier reef system. There are several smaller islands within the Lagoon.
- A smaller island here is named after the former president of the US, John F. Kennedy.
- The highest peak in the country is a volcanic mountain that is 2,335 meters above sea level and is known as Mount Popmanaseu.
- The underwater landscape of the Solomon Islands comprises one of the world’s most active submarine volcanoes. The volcano first erupted in 1939.
Places you should visit in the Solomon Islands
Become one with nature in the Solomon Islands giving yourself a break from the skyscrapers and pollution. Here are some of the things you can do on your visit to the Solomon Islands
- Tenaru Falls; this waterfall is in a remote area in Honiara and requires a guide and permission to go there but it is completely worth the hassle with the beauty of the waterfall that is nothing like the ones that you have seen before.
- Honiara Central Market; the primary place for national internal trading, this market will make you feel like a native. The market has everything from fruits to tonics, crafts and even jewellery.
- Rennell Island and Lake Tegano; it is the largest raised coral reef in the world that covers one-third of the island and is home to several marine species. The place is perfect for snorkelers to experience a completely different marine life.
BOOK HOTEL IN ANY PART OF SOLOMON ISLANDS AT GREAT PRICES
