Where are the solomon islands on the world map. Map of the Solomon Islands In which country are the Solomon Islands
SOLOMON ISLANDS
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 Solomon Islands, except for 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 division. The capital of the Solomon Islands is Honiara (39 thousand people). Administrative-territorial division of the country: 7 provinces.
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.
The Solomon Islands are an archipelago located in the Near Oceania. The westernmost point of the archipelago - the Bougainville Autonomous Region belongs to Papua -, and the rest of the islands belong to the Solomon Islands of the same name.
The total length of the archipelago is 1100 kilometers and the width is 600 kilometers. The total land area of the Solomon Islands is approximately 40,000 square kilometers.
Story
The appearance of the first people on the islands occurred during the Paleolithic period, about 28,000 years ago. The first wave of settlers came from New Guinea, but they settled only on western islands archipelago. The islands were fully settled only by the twentieth century thanks to the Europeans.
In 1567, the first expedition to the Solomon Islands took place, led by Alvaro de Mandana. During the expedition, such islands of the archipelago as Ramos, San Jorge, San Dimas, San Marcos, San Cristobal and many others were explored.
Interest in the Solomon Islands was caused by the legend of the Incas, according to which the Mines of King Solomon and a lot of gold were kept on these islands. Unfortunately, the Spaniards did not find treasures, but thanks to this, the archipelago got its name.
From the middle of the nineteenth century, missionaries became interested in the archipelago, they arrived on the islands with the aim of inducing the natives to Christianity. But significant progress was not made, as other Europeans at this time began to kidnap local residents and force them to work on plantations, because of this, the level of trust between the natives and the missionaries fell sharply.
From 1863 to 1904, the slave trade flourished in the Pacific Ocean, and the inhabitants of the Solomon Islands fully felt this phenomenon, because during this time about 100,000 people were kidnapped or taken into slavery.
In 1970, the Government Council was created on the islands, in 1974 their own constitution appeared, in 1976 the islands achieved self-government, in 1978 full independence was achieved.
Hurricanes
Various cyclones and hurricanes often come to the archipelago. So in 1992, the island of Tikopia was devastated by a cyclone. And in 2002, another cyclone, Zoya, devastated several islands, isolating about 3,000 people.
Geography
The Solomon Islands are made up of two parallel mountain ranges, in an area of high seismic activity. The largest islands are composed of volcanoes. The archipelago is dominated rainforests, swamps, jungle. The shores of the islands are often covered with a fringe of coral reefs. The most high point archipelago - the island of Bougainville with maximum height 3123 meters.
Climate
The climate is equatorial, the average temperature is +27 degrees Celsius. The average annual rainfall is 3600 mm, the islands have high humidity. Due to high temperatures and high humidity in the archipelago, there is a big problem with malarial mosquitoes.
Almost the entire archipelago is designated by the World Wildlife Fund. The Solomon Islands are also located in the Coral Triangle.
Solomon Islands Living and Dead
General information
Official name - Solomon islands. The state is located in the southwestern part of the Pacific Ocean. The area is 28,450 km2. Population - 571 890 people. (for 2011). The official language is English. The capital is the city of Honiara. The monetary unit is the Solomon Islands dollar.
Solomon Islands - an archipelago in the South Pacific Ocean, with a length of 1670 km. It includes 992 islands (of which 347 are inhabited), 10 large volcanic and mountainous islands and 4 groups of small islands. The largest islands: Buka and Bougainville (part of the state). The islands are located in an active seismic zone, earthquakes are frequent here, there are active volcanoes. Many islands are surrounded by coral reefs. Most of the Solomon Islands are volcanic peaks of an underwater ridge. Thorny chains occupy almost their entire surface, only narrow lowlands stretch near the coast. Length coastline 5,313 km.
The country is characterized by a hot climate with a long wet season (up to 8-10 months per year). Average monthly temperatures are +26+28°С. Precipitation falls over 2,000 mm per year. There are strong hurricanes during the winter months.
Story
For many centuries, life on the Solomon Islands, scattered by volcanic eruptions across the expanses of the Pacific Ocean, was relatively quiet and peaceful. The tropical diversity of flora and fauna here was complemented by a diverse ethnic picture.
For Europeans, this island world was discovered by the Spaniards Alvaro Mendanya de Neira (1541-95) and Pedro Sarmiento de Gamboa (1532-92). Copying complex local names was not accepted then, so the islands were called the Solomon Islands, since it seemed to the Spaniards that this was the legendary country of Ophir, where the treasures of King Solomon were hidden.
Mendanya in 1595 became the founder of the first colony on the islands, but at the same time he made a serious mistake: one of the local leaders was killed during the development of new lands. After that, a war began with the natives, who had not previously been aggressive. Mendanya soon died of a nervous strain, and his wife became leader of the colony, but was soon forced to flee with the remaining soldiers.
The next visit of Europeans to the islands took place in 1767. The Englishman Philip Carteret (1733-1796) got lost in the ocean and ended up in the Solomon Islands.
However, the first European inhabitants began to move to the islands only in the middle of the 19th century. The first settlers were missionaries. An unenviable fate awaited them, they were eaten by the islanders: here cannibalism was part of the rites. Moreover, human skulls were important sacred symbols and functioned as money until the beginning of the 20th century!
Realizing that more determined people needed to penetrate the island, the Europeans changed tactics. First, businessmen strengthened here under the cover of soldiers, then in 1893 it declared its protectorate over the Solomon Islands, and only then it came to missionaries.
During the Second World War (1939-45), part of the islands was occupied by the Japanese and large and very stubborn battles took place here. The most famous is the battle for the island of Guadalcanal, which began on August 7, 1942 and lasted until February 9, 1943. During the battle on land, on water and in the air, the soldiers showed fierce stubbornness, resulting in heavy losses on both sides. Many ships were then sunk and ended up at the bottom of the Silark Strait, which after these events became known as Iron Bottom (From the English. "Iron Bottom"). The "cemetery" of the ships has remained there to this day and attracts divers from all over the world.
The victory was of strategic importance. Although on some islands, Japanese detachments continued to fight even after the surrender of their camp in 1945.
The post-war reality dictated changes around the world. In July 1978, the Solomon Islands gained independence from, remaining a member of the British Commonwealth. This organization unites the former colonies. The Queen of England is symbolically considered the head of the Commonwealth, but the real power does not belong to her.
The young independent state has many problems. He is haunted by the elements of nature. In April 2007, a tsunami up to three meters high hit the islands, causing destruction and loss of life. There are ethnic conflicts between the inhabitants of the islands. A low standard of living remains the norm for most of the population. The Solomon Islands issue requires truly Solomonic wisdom to solve difficult problems.
Attractions Solomon Islands
Honiara- the capital of the islands is located on the northern coast of Guadalcanal, in a vast bay between the Cape Esperance and Lunga Point peninsulas, in the very place that de Mendanya once called Puento Cruz. Small and pretty picturesque sea port Honiary originates from a tiny fishing village, whose name Naho-ni-Ara can be translated as "the place where the east and southeast winds collide" (such "flowery" names are generally very characteristic of local dialects). The city is very young - most of its modern buildings were built immediately after the end of World War II, when it was necessary to find a place for the new capital of the archipelago (Tulagi was badly damaged during the fighting, and the place for it was not chosen the best). In 1952, Honiara officially became the capital of the Solomon Islands.
10 km from the capital are the most beautiful "bilateral" Mataniko waterfalls. The waters of the river of the same name break here from a high cliff right into a cave filled with graceful stalactites and stalagmites, and then disappear somewhere in the depths of the island. Around you can find many fairly large and, importantly, clean water bodies suitable for swimming, and an extensive population of swallows and bats lives in the cave itself. During the Second World War, this cave served as a shelter for the last soldiers of the Japanese garrison of Guadalcanal, and its surroundings became the scene of fierce battles (according to various estimates, from 400 to 600 soldiers of the imperial army died in the cave itself, literally resisting to the last bullet).
On the mountain Mount Austin towering american memorial park with a detailed description of the battles for the island, as well as the Japanese Peace Memorial with its four white monoliths. From here are held organized tours to places whose names speak for themselves - to the shore of Iron Bottom Sound, to the ridge of Bludy Ridge, Alligator Creek and Red Beach, to the Japanese memorial at Poha River and its Vilu Village Museum (also dedicated to the history of the battles for Guadalcanal), Lunga Point and Tetere Bay.
Perpetually clouded volcanic Savo Island, lying in the Iron Bottom Sound, is a paradise for divers and fans of other species active rest. The almost complete lack of infrastructure is compensated by an abundance of sunken ships (it was here that the famous Battle of Savo Island took place), a constantly smoking volcano crater and many practically boiling mineral springs, several ancient cult sites - megapodes, as well as a lively bird community and magnificent crystal clear waters.
On Florida island you can see the old headquarters of the British colonial administration with its hospital and headquarters, as well as the old Port Parvis, which served first as a base for the British Navy, and then for the Japanese Imperial Navy.
A islet Anukha widely known for its white sandy beaches.
The largest salt lagoon in the world - Marovo(occupies approximately 150 by 96 km), located on the island of New Georgia to the north of Wangunu Island. This is a huge body of water with a narrow strip coral beaches along the entire perimeter and amazingly blue water is a candidate for entry into the List world heritage UNESCO. Literally thousands of islands frame the Marovo lagoon, from tiny coral reefs to massive volcanic rocks up to 1600 meters high, many of which still show signs of active volcanic activity, but are quite accessible to visit. Laguna Marovo - the best place for relaxing by the sea, is a unique combination of the scenic beauties of wildlife and the rich traditions of the locals (the shores of the lagoon are inhabited by two separate tribes - Marovo and Roviana). Noteworthy are the Matikuri Resort, Rogosakena Eco Resort and Uepi Island Resort, as well as a section of the traditional World Heritage Village, considered the best tourist village in the country. Logging is limited here in order to preserve the unique composition of flora and fauna inherent in this area, excellent conditions have been created for sea fishing (the lagoon is connected to the open sea by almost a hundred passages in reefs, so the species composition of its inhabitants is more than impressive), and the traditional handicrafts of local residents made of wood and shells are widely known far beyond the borders of the country.
Rennell Island considered the largest elevated atoll on the planet, but the main feature of its uniqueness is that it occupies almost the entire southern part elongated lake tengano- the biggest freshwater lake in the South Pacific Ocean (now its area is about 15.5 thousand hectares), on which there was a place for 200 islands, and for large bird colonies, and for many rare species of flora, primarily orchids. It is not difficult to guess that in the era of the formation of the island, the lake was a vast lagoon, which, as the land surrounding it rose above the water, gradually became desalinated, although the water still remains slightly brackish. Therefore, now here you can find completely unique species of once marine fish, turned into freshwater by nature itself (the only analogue is Lake Titicaca in the South American Andes). Due to its unique natural conditions and specific ecology, the eastern part of the island, together with Lake Tengano, was declared a National Wildlife Park (an area of 37 thousand hectares), which was subsequently included in the UNESCO World Wildlife Heritage List.
Solomon Islands Cuisine
Local cooking is a mixture of European traditions, as well as cuisine principles. South-East Asia and Oceania. The latter, by the way, is very simple and adapted to local conditions.
On the islands you will also find Polynesian, Melanesian traditions. These are reflected in the ubiquitous use of: yam, cassava sago (tapioca), taro, fish, char-grilled meat, coconut.
All this is seasoned with a small amount of spices. All countries in the region use an earthen oven called umu. In addition, there are options for cooking and decorating dishes that came from outside.
Alcoholic drinks can be bought without problems. They are produced locally, they are also brought from, and New Zealand. Recommends trying local wine and beer.
Solomon Islands on the map
8 387The Solomon Islands is a state in the southwestern part of the Pacific Ocean, in Melanesia. It occupies the main part of the archipelago of the same name with several other island groups located to the east of the island. In total, it includes 992 islands with a total area of 28,450 sq. km. The population is just over 515 thousand people, the capital is the city of Honiara.
The largest island of the archipelago, Guadalcanal or Guadalcanal, has an area of 5,302 sq. km. It is covered with tropical vegetation on the slopes of ancient volcanoes with a height of about 2,000 m. Only a narrow coastal strip surrounding the island is suitable for life here, which in the northern part passes into a small flat area. South coast the islands are very rocky. The humid climate and swampy shores are not very comfortable for life, but almost 40% of the population lives on this island. The capital with administrative institutions is located here.
The main part of the vegetation of the islands is evergreen forests with palm trees and ficuses. The animal world is diverse, there are rats, bats, crocodiles, lizards, snakes, wild pigeons, parrots, etc.
The climate in the Solomon Islands is subequatorial, humid. During the year, the temperature is about +27 °C and hardly changes, and the precipitation is more than 2,300 mm per year. In April-November, the islands are dry and cool - such weather is determined by the trade winds from the southeast. The heat and humidity in January-April are brought to the Solomon Islands by the northwest monsoons. Humidity throughout the year remains unchanged - almost 90%.
