• Solomon Islands!

    Solomon Islands: Looking up at palm trees. Go Now!

    Solomon Islands
    This Melanesian country is best known for its many islands and beaches... and this natural landscape (pictured) is why most people go. Don't miss out on the unique Melanesian culture and foods though! Begin Your Journey!

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    Tonga: Coastline. Go Now!

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    Vanuatu: Jetty into the ocean. Go Now!

    Vanuatu
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    Federated States of Micronesia: Overlooking some islands. Go Now!

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    This diverse country stretches for thousands of miles and has the diversity to prove it, including the people from Chuuk, Pohnpei, and Yap among others. Begin Your Journey!

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Solomon IslandsSolomon Islands (which should not have the word "the" before its name) was named after the famed King Solomon from the Bible. Spanish explorer Alvaro de Mendana named the islands upon his "discovery" of the islands in 1568, perhaps hoping they contained the gold King Solomon was famed for in the Bible.

Introduction:

The people of the Solomon Islands are ethnically Melanesian and are among the oldest settlers of the South Pacific. Standing near New Guinea and other larger land masses, the people arrived to the islands early, although later immigrating people also passed through, regularly changing the culture to some degree. These people lived off the lands and seas with simple communication and transportation systems. Today this simple life based off the lands and seas continues to exist, however many changes have since been introduced.

Little is known about the earliest settlers of the Solomon Islands from many perspectives, other than their lifestyle, foods, and aspects of their social structure. With the arrival of the Europeans the culture quickly changed and much of their past was likely lost or considerably altered.



With the first Europeans came battles and wars as the people fiercely protected themselves. However, this began to change in the mid-1800s when missionaries arrived to the islands in increasing numbers. Most of the people eventually converted to Christianity, which opened the door to European settlement and colonization. This new religion also changed their culture and lifestyle in many ways, most noticeably in how the people dress.

World War II forever changed the culture and lifestyle. Much of the country's farmland and seas were destroyed as the Japanese lost the lands to the United States in famous battles, such as Guadalcanal. This led to the growth of cities and significant urbanization; it also introduced new technologies and ways of thinking. Despite the many changes in the lifestyle of the Solomon Islands, the people still cling to many aspects of their traditional culture, but the recent past and its introductions are impossible to miss in the daily lives of the people.

The colors of the flag of the Solomon Islands are blue, which represents the ocean, green for the land, and yellow for the sunshine. It also contains five white stars, which represent the five main island groups in the Solomon Islands.

Name: Solomon Islands
Independence: July 7, 1978
Capital: Honiara
Currency: Solomon Islands Dollar
Population: 597,248 (2013 estimate)
Ethnicity: Melanesian
Language: English
Religion: Protestant

Information for Solomon Islands was last updated: March, 2014 ● View our: Sources & Special Thanks