Solomon Islands

Solomon Islands

Solomon Islands

Solomon Islands - Find Mobile Phones, Internet. Country Code
Internet Domain name TLD - .sb
Calling code - 677
 -  -
Flag - Coat of arms
Motto :"To Lead is to Serve"
Anthem :God Save Our Solomon Islands
Capital
(and largest city) - Honiara
Latitude: 9°28′S Longitude:159°49′E  /  9.467°S 159.817°E  / -9.467;159.817
Demonym - Solomon Islander
Government - Constitutional monarchy and parliamentary system
Monarch - Queen Elizabeth II
Governor General - Frank Kabui
Prime Minister - Derek Sikua
Independence
from the UK - 7 July 1978
Area
Total - 28,896 km (142nd)
11,157 sq mi
Water (%) - 3.2%
Population
2009 estimate - 523,000 - (170th
Density - 18.1/km (189th)
46.9/sq mi
GDP (PPP) - 2009 estimate
Total - $1.514 billion2 -
Per capita - $2,8182 -
GDP (nominal) - 2009 estimate
Total - $657 million2 -
Per capita - $1,2232 -
HDI (2007) - 0.552 (medium ) (136th
Currency - Solomon Islands dollar (SBD
Time zone - (UTC+11
Drives on the - left
Face on Lapita pottery sherd from Nenumbo site in the Solomon Islands in the 1970's. Researcher was Roger C. Green while at the University of Auckland. The fragment, which measures 3 inches across is thought to date back to 1000 BC. -
Solomon Islands en-us-Solomon Islands.ogg /ˈsɒləmən ˈaɪləndz/
1 - Name
2 - History
2.1 - Second World War
2.2 - Tensions
  • 2.3 - 2007 earthquake and tsunami
  • 3 - Politics
    4 - Provinces
    5 - Foreign relations
    6 - Military
    7 - Geography
    8 - Economy
    9 - Energy
    10 - Demographics
    10.1 - Health
    11 - Religion
    12 - Culture
    12.1 - Sport
    12.2 - Education
    13 - See also
    14 - References
    15 -

    Name
    The country's official name, as established in the Constitution of Solomon Islands - and as used by government5 - 6 - as well as by the country's press7 - 8 - , is "Solomon Islands", with no definite article. Its name is thus reflected in international organisations such as Regional Assistance Mission to Solomon Islands.9 - In other English-speaking countries, however, the definite article is often added.10 -
    History
    History of the Solomon Islands
     -
    Solomon Island warriors with spears in ornamented war canoe in 1895.
    It is believed that Papuan speaking settlers began to arrive around 30,000 BC. Austronesian speakers arrived circa 4,000 BC also bringing cultural elements such as the outrigger canoe. It is between 1,200 and 800 BC that the ancestors of the Polynesians, the Lapita people, arrived from the Bismarck Archipelago with their characteristic ceramics.11 - The first European to visit the islands was the Spanish navigator Álvaro de Mendaña de Neira, coming from Peru in 1568. The people of Solomon Islands were notorious for headhunting and cannibalism before the arrival of the Europeans.12 -

    Missionaries began visiting the Solomons in the mid-19th century. They made little progress at first, because "blackbirding" (the often brutal recruitment of laborers for the sugar plantations in Queensland and Fiji) led to a series of reprisals and massacres. The evils of the labor trade prompted the United Kingdom to declare a protectorate over the southern Solomons in June 1893. This was the basis of the British Solomon Islands Protectorate . In 1898 and 1899, more outlying islands were added to the protectorate;in 1900 the remainder of the archipelago, an area previously under German jurisdiction, was transferred to British administration apart from the islands of Buka and Bougainville which remained under German administration as part of German New Guinea (until they were occupied by Australia in 1914, after the commencement of the First World War). Traditional trade and social intercourse between the western Solomon Islands of Mono and Alu (the Shortlands) and the traditional societies in the south of Bougainville, however, continued without hindrance. Under the protectorate, missionaries settled in the Solomons, converting most of the population to Christianity. In the early 20th century, several British and Australian firms began large-scale coconut planting. Economic growth was slow, however, and the islanders benefited little.


    Second World War
    Main articles:Solomon Islands campaign and Battle of Guadalcanal
    US marines rest in the field during the Guadalcanal Campaign in 1942.
    With the outbreak of the Second World War, most planters and traders were evacuated to Australia, and most cultivation ceased. Some of the most intense fighting of the Second World War occurred in the Solomons. The most significant of the Allied Forces' operations against the Japanese Imperial Forces was launched on August 7, 1942 with simultaneous naval bombardments and amphibious landings on the Florida Islands at Tulagi 13 - and Red Beach on Guadalcanal. The Battle of Guadalcanal became an important and bloody campaign fought in the Pacific War as the Allies began to repulse Japanese expansion. Of strategic importance during the war were the coastwatchers operating in remote locations, often on Japanese held islands, providing early warning and intelligence of Japanese naval, army and aircraft movements during the campaign.14 - Sergeant-Major Jacob Vouza was a notable coastwatcher who after capture refused to divulge Allied information in spite of interrogation and torture by Japanese Imperial forces. He was awarded a Silver Star by the Americans. Islanders Biuku Gasa and Eroni Kumana would be noted by National Geographic for being the first to find the shipwrecked John F. Kennedy and his crew of the PT-109. They suggested using a coconut to write a rescue message for delivery by dugout canoe, which was later kept on his desk when he became the president of the United States.
     -
    The aircraft carrier USS Enterprise (CV-6) under aerial attack during the Battle of the Eastern Solomons.
    The Solomon Islands was one of the major staging areas of the South Pacific and was home to the famous VMF-214 "Black Sheep" Squadron commanded by Major Greg "Pappy" Boyington. The Slot was a name for New Georgia Sound, when it was used by the Tokyo Express to supply the Japanese garrison on Guadalcanal. Of more than 36,000 Japanese on Guadalcanal, about 15,000 were killed or missing, 9,000 died of disease, and 1,000 were captured.15 -

    Tensions
    Commonly referred to as the tensions or the ethnic tension , the initial civil unrest was mainly characterised by fighting between the Isatabu Freedom Movement (also known as the Guadalcanal Revolutionary Army) and the Malaita Eagle Force (as well as the Marau Eagle Force). (Although much of the conflict was between Guales and Malaitans, Kabutaulaka (2001) and Dinnen (2002) argue that the 'ethnic conflict' label is an oversimplification. For detailed discussions of the tensions, see also Fraenkel (2004) and Moore (2004).)

    In late 1998, militants on the island of Guadalcanal commenced and had a campaign of intimidation and violence towards Malaitan settlers. During the next year, thousands of Malaitans fled back to Malaita or to the capital, Honiara (which, although situated on Guadalcanal, is predominantly populated by Malaitans and Solomon Islanders from other provinces). In 1999, the Malaita Eagle Force (MEF) was established in response.

    The reformist government of Bartholomew Ulufa'alu struggled to respond to the complexities of this evolving conflict. In late 1999, the government declared a four month state of emergency. There were also a number of attempts at reconciliation ceremonies but to no avail. He also requested assistance from Australia and New Zealand in 1999 but this was rejected.

    In June 2000, Ulufa'alu was kidnapped by militia members of the MEF who felt that although he was a Malaitan, he was not doing enough to protect their interests. Ulufa'alu subsequently resigned in exchange for his release. Manasseh Sogavare, who had earlier been Finance Minister in Ulufa'alu's government but had subsequently joined the opposition, was elected as Prime Minister by 23-21 over Rev. Leslie Boseto. However Sogavare's election was immediately shrouded in controversy because six MPs (thought to be supporters of Boseto) were unable to attend parliament for the crucial vote (Moore 2004, n.5 on p. 174).

    In October 2000, the Townsville Peace Agreement,16 - was signed by the Malaita Eagle Force, elements of the IFM and the Solomon Islands Government. This was closely followed by the Marau Peace agreement in February 2001, signed by the Marau Eagle Force, the Isatabu Freedom Movement, the Guadalcanal Provincial Government and the Solomon Islands Government. However, a key Guale militant leader, Harold Keke, refused to sign the Agreement, causing a split with the Guale groups. Subsequently, Guale signatories to the Agreement led by Andrew Te'e joined with the Malaitan-dominated police to form the 'Joint Operations Force'. During the next two years the conflict moved to the Weathercoast of Guadalcanal as the Joint Operations unsuccessfully attempted to capture Keke and his group..

    New elections in December 2001 brought Sir Allan Kemakeza into the Prime Minister’s chair with the support of his People's Alliance Party and also the Association of Independent Members. Law and order deteriorated as the nature of the conflict shifted:there was continuing violence on the Weathercoast whilst militants in Honiara increasingly turned their attention to crime and extortion. The Department of Finance would often be surrounded by armed men when funding was due to arrive. In December 2002, Finance Minister Laurie Chan resigned after being forced at gunpoint to sign a cheque made out to some of the militants. Conflict also broke out in Western Province between locals and Malaitan settlers. Renegade members of the Bougainville Revolutionary Army (BRA) were invited in as a protection force but ended up causing as much trouble as they prevented.

    The prevailing atmosphere of lawlessness, widespread extortion and ineffective police prompted a formal request by the Solomon Islands Government for outside help. With the country bankrupt and the capital in chaos, the request was unanimously supported in Parliament.

    In July 2003, Australian and Pacific Island police and troops arrived in the Solomon Islands under the auspices of the Australian-led Regional Assistance Mission to Solomon Islands (RAMSI). A sizable international security contingent of 2,200 police and troops, led by Australia and New Zealand, and with representatives from about 20 other Pacific nations began arriving the next month under Operation Helpem Fren. Since this time some commentators have considered the country a failed state.17 -

    In April 2006 allegations that the newly elected Prime Minister Snyder Rini had used bribes from Chinese businessmen to buy the votes of members of Parliament led to mass rioting in the capital Honiara. A deep underlying resentment against the minority Chinese business community led to much of Chinatown in the city being destroyed. Tensions had also been increased by the belief that large sums of money were being exported to China. China sent chartered aircraft to evacuate hundreds of Chinese who fled to avoid the riots. Evacuation of Australian and British citizens was on a much smaller scale. Further Australian, New Zealand and Fijian police and troops were dispatched to try to quell the unrest. Rini eventually resigned before facing a motion of no-confidence in Parliament, and Parliament elected Manasseh Sogavare as Prime Minister.

    Further reading

    Randell, N. (2003) The White Headhunter Carroll &Graf Publishers, New York
    Dinnen (2002), ‘Winners and losers:politics and disorder in the Solomon Islands 2000-2002’, The Journal of Pacific History , Vol.37, No.3, pp. 285–98.
    Fraenkel, J. (2004) The Manipulation of Custom:from Uprising to Intervention in the Solomon Islands , Pandanus Books, Sydney
    Moore, C. (2004) Happy Isles in Crisis:the Historical Causes for a Failing State in Solomon Islands , 1998–2004, Asia Pacific Press, Canberra
    Kabutaulaka, T (2001) Beyond ethnicity:the political economy of the Guadalacanal crisis in Solomon Islands, SSGM Working Paper 01/1

    2007 earthquake and tsunami
    2007 Solomon Islands earthquake and tsunami
    On 2 April 2007, the Solomon Islands were struck by a major earthquake followed by a large tsunami. Initial reports indicated that the tsunami, which mainly affected the small island of Gizo, was several metres in height (perhaps as high as 10 metres (33 ft) according to some reports, 5 metres (16 1/3 ft) according to the Foreign Office). The tsunami was triggered by an 8.1 magnitude earthquake, with an epicenter 217 miles (349 km) northwest of the island's capital, Honiara, at Lat -8.453 Long 156.957 and at a depth of 10 kilometres (6.2 miles).18 -

    According to the United States Geologic Survey the earthquake struck at 20:39:56 UTC on Sunday, 1 April 2007. Since the initial event and up until 22:00:00 UTC on Wednesday, 4 April 2007, more than 44 aftershocks of a magnitude of 5.0 or greater were recorded in the region.

    The death toll from the resulting tsunami was at least 52 people, and the tsunami destroyed more than 900 homes and has left thousands of people homeless.19 -

    Land thrust from the quake has extended out from the shoreline of one island, Ranongga, by up to 70 meters (230 ft) according to local residents.20 - This has left many once pristine coral reefs exposed on the newly formed beaches.


    Politics
    Politics of the Solomon Islands
     -
    The National Parliament building was a gift from the United States
    The Solomon Islands is a constitutional monarchy and have a parliamentary system of government. Queen Elizabeth II is the Monarch of the Solomon Islands and the head of state;she is represented by the Governor-General who is chosen by the Parliament for a five-year term. There is a unicameral parliament of 50 members, elected for four-year terms. However, Parliament may be dissolved by majority vote of its members before the completion of its term. Parliamentary representation is based on single-member constituencies. Suffrage is universal for citizens over age 21.21 - The head of government is the Prime Minister, who is elected by Parliament and chooses the other members of the cabinet. Each ministry is headed by a cabinet member, who is assisted by a permanent secretary, a career public servant, who directs the staff of the ministry.

    Solomon Islands governments are characterized by weak political parties (see List of political parties in Solomon Islands) and highly unstable parliamentary coalitions. They are subject to frequent votes of no confidence, and government leadership changes frequently as a result. Cabinet changes are common.

    Land ownership is reserved for Solomon Islanders. The law provides that resident expatriates, such as the Chinese and Kiribati, may obtain citizenship through naturalization. Land generally is still held on a family or village basis and may be handed down from mother or father according to local custom. The islanders are reluctant to provide land for nontraditional economic undertakings, and this has resulted in continual disputes over land ownership.

    No military forces are maintained by the Solomon Islands, although a police force of nearly 500 includes a border protection unit. The police also are responsible for fire service, disaster relief, and maritime surveillance. The police force is headed by a commissioner, appointed by the governor-general and responsible to the prime minister. On 27 December 2006, the Solomon Islands Government said it had taken steps to prevent the country's Australian police chief from returning to the Pacific nation. On 12 January 2007, Australia replaced its top diplomat expelled from the Solomon Islands for political interference in a conciliatory move aimed at easing a four-month dispute between the two countries.

    On 11 July 2007, the Solomon Islands swore in Julian Moti as their Attorney General. Moti is currently wanted in Australia for child-related sex offences. Australian Prime Minister John Howard called the move "quite extraordinary". Australia's Foreign Minister Alexander Downer has described the country as the "laughing stock" of the civilised world.22 - However the Australian charges against Moti relate to events in Vanuatu, and parallel charges which the courts in Vanuatu dismissed in the 1990s. Julian Moti has attracted Australian attention because he advised the Solomons Government to inquire into the role of Australian police in provoking the 2006 Honiara riots.

    On 13 December 2007, Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare was toppled by a vote of no confidence in Parliament,23 - following the defection of five Ministers to the Opposition. It was the first time a Prime Minister lost office in this way in the Solomon Islands. On 20 December, Parliament elected the Opposition's candidate (and former Minister for Education) Derek Sikua as Prime Minister, with 32 votes to 15.24 - 25 -


    Provinces
    Provinces of the Solomon Islands, as of 1989 (click to enlarge).
    Provinces of the Solomon Islands
    For local government, the country is divided into 10 administrative areas, of which nine are provinces administered by elected provincial assemblies, and the 10th is the town of Honiara, administered by the Honiara Town Council.

    Central
    Choiseul
    Guadalcanal
    Isabel
    Makira-Ulawa
    Malaita
    Rennell and Bellona
    Temotu
    Western
    Honiara, Town

    Foreign relations
    Foreign relations of the Solomon Islands
    Solomon Islands is a member of the United Nations, Commonwealth, South Pacific Commission, South Pacific Forum, International Monetary Fund, and the European Union / African, Caribbean, and Pacific (ACP) countries (EEC/ACP) (Lomé Convention).

    The political stage of the Solomon Islands is further influenced by its diplomatic importance to the Republic of China on Taiwan and the People's Republic of China. The Solomon Islands gives diplomatic recognition to the ROC, recognizing it as the sole-legitimate Government of all of China, giving Taiwan vital votes in the United Nations. Lucrative investments, political funding and preferential loans from both the ROC and PRC are increasingly manipulating the political landscape of the Solomon Islands.

    Relations with Papua New Guinea, which had become strained because of an influx of refugees from the Bougainville rebellion and attacks on the northern islands of the Solomon Islands by elements pursuing Bougainvillean rebels, have been repaired. A peace accord on Bougainville confirmed in 1998 has removed the armed threat, and the two nations regularized border operations in a 2004 agreement.


    Military
    Although the locally recruited British Solomon Islands Protectorate Defence Force was part of Allied forces taking part in fighting in the Solomons during the Second World War, the country has not had any regular military forces since independence. The various paramilitary elements of the Royal Solomon Islands Police (RSIP) were disbanded in 2003 following the intervention of the Regional Assistance Mission to Solomon Islands (RAMSI), and the RSIP was disarmed. RAMSI has a small military detachment headed by an Australian commander with responsibilities for assisting the police element of RAMSI in internal and external security. The RSIP still operates two Pacific class patrol boats (RSIPV Auki and RSIPV Lata ) which constitute the de facto navy of the Solomon Islands.

    In the long-term it is anticipated that the RSIP will resume the defense role. The police force is headed by a commissioner, appointed by the governor general and responsible to the Minister of Police, National Security &Correctional Services.

    The police budget of the Solomon Islands has been strained due to a four-year civil war. Following Cyclone Zoe's strike on the islands of Tikopia and Anuta in December 2002, Australia had to provide the Solomon Islands government with 200,000 Solomon dollars ($50,000 Australian) for fuel and supplies for the patrol boat Lata to sail with relief supplies. (Part of the work of RAMSI includes assisting the Solomon Islands Government to stabilise its budget.)

    Equipment :

    Pandur 6X6 APC
    Toyota Land Cruiser SUV
    Toyota 4Runner pickup
    20 6 metres (20 ft) rigid hull inflatable boats - donated by Australian Federal Police
    3 13 metres (43 ft) 20 rigid hull patrol boats - donated by Australian Federal Police
    modified Yamaha Motor Company WZ250 off road motorcycles

    Geography
    Geography of the Solomon Islands
     -
    The Solomon Islands from the air
    The Solomon Islands is a wide island nation that lies East of Papua New Guinea and consists of many islands:Choiseul, the Shortland Islands;the New Georgia Islands;Santa Isabel;the Russell Islands;Nggela (the Florida Islands);Malaita;Guadalcanal;Sikaiana;Maramasike;Ulawa;Uki;Makira (San Cristobal);Santa Ana;Rennell and Bellona;the Santa Cruz Islands and three remote, tiny outliers, Tikopia, Anuta, and Fatutaka. The distance between the westernmost and easternmost islands is about 1,500 kilometres (930 mi). The Santa Cruz Islands (of which Tikopia is part), are situated north of Vanuatu and are especially isolated at more than 200 kilometres (120 mi) from the other islands. Bougainville is geographically part of the Solomon Islands, but politically Papua New Guinea.

    The islands' ocean-equatorial climate is extremely humid throughout the year, with a mean temperature of 27 °C (80 °F) and few extremes of temperature or weather. June through August is the cooler period. Though seasons are not pronounced, the northwesterly winds of November through April bring more frequent rainfall and occasional squalls or cyclones. The annual rainfall is about 3050 mm (120 in).

    The Solomon Islands archipelago is part of two distinct terrestrial ecoregions. Most of the islands are part of the Solomon Islands rain forests ecoregion, which also includes the islands of Bougainville and Buka, which are part of Papua New Guinea, these forests have come under pressure from forestry activities. The Santa Cruz Islands are part of the Vanuatu rain forests ecoregion, together with the neighboring archipelago of Vanuatu. Soil quality ranges from extremely rich volcanic (there are volcanoes with varying degrees of activity on some of the larger islands) to relatively infertile limestone. More than 230 varieties of orchids and other tropical flowers brighten the landscape.

    The islands contain several active and dormant volcanoes. The Tinakula and Kavachi volcanoes are the most active.


    Economy
    Economy of the Solomon Islands
    Its per capita GDP of $600 ranks Solomon Islands as a lesser developed nation, and more than 75% of its labor force is engaged in subsistence and fishing. Most manufactured goods and petroleum products must be imported. Until 1998, when world prices for tropical timber fell steeply, timber was Solomon Islands main export product, and, in recent years, Solomon Islands forests were dangerously overexploited. Other important cash crops and exports include copra and palm oil. In 1998 Ross Mining of Australia began producing gold at Gold Ridge on Guadalcanal. Minerals exploration in other areas continued. However in the wake of the ethnic violence in June 2000, exports of palm oil and gold ceased while exports of timber fell. The islands are rich in undeveloped mineral resources such as lead, zinc, nickel, and gold.

    Solomon Islands' fisheries also offer prospects for export and domestic economic expansion. However, a Japanese joint venture, Solomon Taiyo Ltd., which operated the only fish cannery in the country, closed in mid-2000 as a result of the ethnic disturbances. Though the plant has reopened under local management, the export of tuna has not resumed. Negotiations are underway which may lead to the eventual reopening of the Gold Ridge mine and the major oil-palm plantation.

    Tourism, particularly diving, is an important service industry for Solomon Islands. Growth in that industry is hampered, however, by lack of infrastructure and transportation limitations.

    The Solomon Islands Government was insolvent by 2002. Since the RAMSI intervention in 2003, the government has recast its budget. It has consolidated and renegotiated its domestic debt and with Australian backing, is now seeking to renegotiate its foreign obligations. Principal aid donors are Australia, New Zealand, the European Union, Japan, and the Republic of China.

    Recently, the Solomons courts have re-approved the export of live dolphins for profit, most recently to Dubai, United Arab Emirates. This practice was originally stopped by the government in 2004 after international uproar over a shipment of 28 live dolphins to Mexico. The move has resulted in criticism from both Australia and New Zealand as well as several conservation organisations.


    Energy
    A team of renewable energy developers working for the Pacific Islands Applied Geoscience Commission (SOPAC) and funded by the Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Partnership (REEEP), have hatched a scheme that enables these communities to access renewable energy, such as solar, without raising substantial sums of ready cash. They also use water and wind power. If the islanders were not able to pay for solar lanterns with cash, reasoned the project developers, they can pay with crops.26 -

    Demographics
    Demographics of the Solomon Islands
    As of 2006 the majority 552,438 people on the Solomon Islands are ethnically Melanesian (94.5%). Polynesian (3%) and Micronesian (1.2%) are the two other significant groups.27 - There are a few thousand ethnic Chinese.
    The number of local languages listed for Solomon Islands is 74, of which 70 are living languages and 4 are extinct, according to Languages of the World . - On the central islands, Melanesian languages (predominantly of the Southeast Solomonic group) are spoken. On the outliers, Rennell and Bellona to the south, Tikopia, Anuta and Fatutaka to the far east, Sikaiana to the north east, and Luaniua to the north (Ontong Java Atoll, also known as Lord Howe Atoll), Polynesian languages are spoken. Immigrant populations of Gilbertese (i-Kiribati) and Tuvaluans speak Micronesian languages. While English is the official language, only 1-2% of the population speak English;the lingua franca is Solomons Pijin.

    Health
    Female life expectancy at birth was at 66.7 years and male life expectancy at birth at 64.9 in 2007.30 - 1990-1995 fertility rate was at 5.5 births per woman.30 - Government expenditure on health per capita was at US$ 99 (PPP).30 - Healthy life expectancy at birth is at 60 years.30 -

    Religion
    Religion in the Solomon Islands
    The religion of Solomon Islands is about 97% Christian with following denominations:the Anglican Church of Melanesia 32.8%, Roman Catholic 19%, South Seas Evangelical Church 17%, Seventh-day Adventist 11.2%, United Church 10.3%, Christian Fellowship Church 2.4%, other Christian 4.4%. The remaining 2.9% practice indigenous religious beliefs.31 - According to the most recent reports, Islam in the Solomon Islands is made up of approximately 350 Muslims.32 -

    Culture
     -
    A Malaitan Chief.
    Culture of the Solomon Islands
    In the traditional culture of the Solomon Islands, age-old customs are handed down from one generation to the next, allegedly from the ancestral spirits themselves, to form the cultural values to Solomon Islands.

    Radio is the most influential type of media in the Solomons Islands due to language differences, illiteracy33 - , and the difficulty of receiving television signals in some parts of the country. The Solomon Islands Broadcasting Corporation (SIBC) operates public radio services, including the national stations Radio Happy Isles and Wantok FM , and the provincial stations Radio Happy Lagoon and, formerly, Radio Temotu . There is one commercial station, PAOA FM, that broadcasts in the Solomons. There is one daily newspaper Solomon Star (www.solomonstarnews.com) and one daily online news website Solomon Times Online (www.solomontimes.com) , 2 weekly papers Solomons Voice and Solomon Times , and 2 monthly papers Agrikalsa Nius and the Citizen's Press . There are no TV services based in the Solomon Islands, although satellite TV stations can be received. There is free-to-air access to ABC Asia Pacific (from Australia's ABC) and BBC World News.

    Solomon Islands writers include the novelists Rexford Orotaloa and John Saunana and the poet Jully Makini.

    Music of the Solomon Islands

    Sport
    The Solomon Islands national football team became the first team to beat New Zealand into qualifying for a play-off spot against Australia for qualification to the World Cup 2006. They were defeated 7-0 in Australia and 2-1 at home.

    On June 14, 2008, the national Solomon Island Futsal team won the Oceania Futsal Championship in Fiji to qualify them for the 2008 FIFA Futsal World Cup which was held in Brazil from September 30 to October 19, 2008. Solomon Islands is the futsal defending champions in the Oceania region. Just recently,when? ] the national Solomon Island Futsal team won the Oceania Futsal Championship in Fiji. They defeated the host nation Fiji, 8-0, to claim the title.

    The Solomon Islands' beach soccer team is considered the best team in Oceania,[ ] and has qualified for the last three FIFA Beach Soccer World Cups.

    The Solomon Islands national rugby union team has been playing internationals since 1969.

    The Solomon Island rugby league team competed in the world cup.[ ]when? ]


    Education
    Education in the Solomon Islands
    Primary school attendance is far from universal in the Solomon Islands, particularly in Malaita.

    34 - Male educational attainment tends to be higher than female educational attainment.34 - The University of the South Pacific has a campus on Guadalcanal.35 -

    See also
    Outline of the Solomon Islands
    Lau Lagoon
    States headed by Elizabeth II
    General Information and Updated References
  • Department of Economic and Social Affairs Population Division (2009) (.PDF). World Population Prospects, Table A.1. 2008 revision. United Nations . un.org/esa/population/publications/wpp2008/wpp2008_text_tables.pdf
  • ^ a b c d "Solomon Islands". International Monetary Fund . imf.org/external/pubs/ft/weo/2010/01/weodata/weorept.aspx?sy=2007&ey=2010&scsm=1&ssd=1&sort=country&ds=.&br=1&c=813&s=NGDPD%2CNGDPDPC%2CPPPGDP%2CPPPPC%2CLP&grp=0&a=&pr.x=52&pr.y=1
  • National Parliament of Solomon Islands
    Central Bank of Solomon Islands
    "More Victims Ready to Testify in Next Hearings", Solomon Times , March 11, 2010
    "Council of Women condemns beating", Solomon Star , March 11, 2010
    RAMSI
    "Country profile:Solomon Islands", BBC
    Kirch, Patrick Vinton (2002). On the Road of the Winds:An Archaeological History of the Pacific Islands. Berkley, California:University of California Press. ISBN 0-520-23461-8
    " From primitive to postcolonial in Melanesia and anthropology ". Bruce M. Knauft (1999). University of Michigan Press. p.103. ISBN 0-472-06687-0
    1 The Tulagi Battle
    "2 The Battle for Guadalcanal". NPR:National Public Radio.
    3'Sea power:a naval history ". Elmer Belmont Potter, Chester William Nimitz (1960). p.709.
    Untitled Document at www.commerce.gov.sb
    Solomon Is:Failed State or Not Failed State
    "Solomon Islands earthquake and tsunami", Breaking Legal News - International, 04-03-2007
    "Aid reaches tsunami-hit Solomons", BBC News , 2007-04-03
    Quake lifts Solomons island metres from the sea
    CIA - The World Factbook - Solomon Islands
    "Solomons a 'laughing stock'", - SBS World News , - 2007-07-11
    Sireheti, Joanna., &Joy Basi, - "Solomon Islands PM Defeated in No-Confidence Motion", - Solomon Times , - 13 December 2007
    Tuhaika, Nina., - "New Prime Minister for Solomon Islands", - Solomon Times , - 20 December 2007
    "Solomon Islands parliament elects new PM", - ABC Radio Australia, - 20 December 2007
    renewableenergyworld.com/rea/news/article/2009/04/solomon-islands-solar-a-new-microfinance-concept-takes-root?cmpid=WNL-Wednesday-April8-2009
    CIA World Factbook. Country profile:Solomon Islands URL Accessed 2006-10-21
    Spiller, Penny: Riots highlight Chinese tensions", BBC News, Friday, 21 April 2006, 18:57 GMT
    hdrstats.undp.org/en/countries/data_sheets/cty_ds_SLB.html
    Centre for Intercultural Learning, Foreign Affairs Canada. "Country Insights:Solomon Islands" . intercultures.ca/cil-cai/country_overview-en.asp?print=1&ISO=SB&lvl=8
    BBC News. Country profile:Solomon Islands URL Accessed 2006-05-04
  • ^ a spc.int/prism/Country/SB/Stats/Publication/DHS07/factsheet/SOL-DHS_1-Pop.pdf
  • usp.ac.fj/index.php?id=campuses
    Government
    Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet
    Department of Commerce, Industries and Employment
    Chief of State and Cabinet Members
    General information
    Solomon Islands entry at The World Factbook
    Solomon Islands from UCB Libraries GovPubs
    Solomon Islands at the Open Directory Project
    Wikimedia Atlas of Solomon Islands
    News media
    The Solomon Star daily newspaper
    Solomon Times Online online newspaper
    Travel
    Solomon Islands travel guide from Wikitravel
    Exploring Solomons Travel Wiki with information on bushwalking, mountain biking, camping, kayaking and village stays
    Solomon Islands Travel Guide from Travellerspoint
    Solomon Islands Travel Guide
    Medals and awards of the Solomon Islands
    Regional Assistance Mission to Solomon Islands (RAMSI)
    The People First Network, PFnet from the Ministry of Provincial Government and Rural Development
    Provincial Profiles (1999)
    Solomon Islands SchoolNet
    Promoting Solomons magazine
    One Laptop Per Child (OLPC) in Solomon Islands
    Robert Viking O'Brien's retelling of a Solomon Islands folktale with the original in Pijin
    Solomon Islands General Information and Updated References

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    Phone : (+677) 21576
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    Our Telekom Solomon Islands: Our Telekom Solomon Islands - Connecting the Isles. Our Telekom is dedicated to connecting the beautiful islands of the Solomon Islands.

    Bmobile


    Company : Bmobile
    Website :  Bmobile

    Phone : 1555 / 8444101
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    Bmobile Solomon Islands: Bmobile Solomon Islands - Mobile Solutions for You. Bmobile offers reliable mobile solutions for everyone in the Solomon Islands.


    Phones in Solomon Islands


    Phones in Solomon Islands . (677) Find the best mobile phone companies in Solomon Islands. Search smartphones and unlimited plans. SB List by company, city, name, number, website and packages with internet services.
    Solomon Islands : Malaita, Guadalcanal, Isabel, Makira, Temotu, Central, Western, Choiseul, Rennell and Bellona

    Mobile Phone Companies


    List of cell phone companies in Solomon Islands :

    Our Telekom

    Bmobile

    What is the best mobile phone company in Solomon Islands?
    Compare the best options in list of mobile phone companies in Solomon Islands.
    These companies offer various plans, including unlimited data, family plans, international plans, and prepaid plans.
    Mobile phone companies in Solomon Islands offer a wide range of services and plans to meet the needs of consumers. Whether you need unlimited data, a family plan, an international plan or a prepaid plan, there is a mobile phone company that can meet your needs. It is important to compare the different options available to find the plan that is right for you.
    Solomon Islands 677 - Reverse lookup is a service to find the company or customer by phone number. Find dial codes, country code and mobile phones by company and city.
    Yellow Pages
    Solomon Islands find cell phone numbers in mobile phone companies and stores.
    SB Find telephone numbers in the phone book and yellow pages.
    White Pages
    Solomon Islands Find address and telephones numbers.
    677 Country code for international phone calls, whatsapp and text messages. SLB
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