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Solomon Islands
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Customs and Culture
Customs and Culture
Cultural Attributes
The essence of village life and welfare is the wantok or 'one talk' system. Wantoks, who are people of the same language, village, or extended family, share their belongings and give help as needed. When a woman is sick, a wantok may do the gardening and look after the children till she is well. If the wantok runs short of supplies, he or she may request help in return. This system works well at the village level but is more challenging in an urban setting. Solomon Islanders place a high value on family and children their relationship with the land and do not like to be hurried. A third part, perhaps a chief, will resolve disputes.
Archipelago of Ancient Kinship
Social Customs & Etiquette
Greetings
Villagers greet one another by their first names in their language or pijin if they are from different language groups. A standard greeting is: Where have you come from, or where are you going? Formal titles are used with strangers, like 'Mr' or 'Mrs.' One greets a chief according to one's familiarity with him. When arriving at a village, one is expected to inform the chief of the nature of the visit and the length of the stay.
Gestures
Facial expression is a vital part of conversation for Solomon Islanders. When eyebrows are quickly raised, this indicates agreement. Pointing is not done with the hand but with purses, lips, and chin gestures. Clicking the tongue may suggest disapproval or concern. To beckon, one waves the fingers of one hand with the palm down. Shouting is not polite, but nose-picking or spitting in public is not seen as offensive. Male or female friends may hold hands or walk arm in arm, but not members of the opposite sex. Women cross or fold their legs under them in the company of men. Taboos include stepping over a man or for a man to go under a woman's clothing, e.g., a man will not walk under a clothesline.
Visiting
Visiting is a vital part of life in the Solomon Islands. Formal invitations are only for a feast, although townsfolk may inform people of a proposed visit. It is good to call out on approaching a house. Customarily, one takes off the shoes at the door. Women visit women, and men visit men as a general rule. People gather outside on the veranda. The visit is about a story or conversation. Tea and food will be offered if prepared.
Personal Appearance
Dress is casual, with men wearing shorts and T-shirts, and women wearing under-the-knee skirts. Men and women often wear lavalavas (large rectangular pieces of cloth with different wrapping options). Children below four years old usually do not wear clothing. Adults like to wear jewelry such as hair combs, armbands, necklaces made from shells, and teeth of porpoises and flying foxes. Flowers can be tucked behind the ear or braided into the hair.
Diet
A large proportion of the food is grown in family gardens, or wild food from the forest. Staples include cassava, sweet potato, taro, and yam. Leafy greens include pumpkin and taro leaves, watercress, ferns and slippery cabbage. Fish, pork, wild nuts and eggs provide the protein in the diet. Pigs and chickens are bred for special occasions, and wild pigs are hunted. Coconut water can be drunk before it is ripened. Fruit is in abundant supply, and includes bananas, papaya, mangoes, breadfruit, pineapples, bush limes and lemons, and guava. Women cook food over open fires or in stone/earth ovens.
Village breakfast may consist of the left-overs from last night's meal. Tea, coffee and Milo are used more by urban residents. At midday, rural Islanders working in the gardens eat freshly cooked food over the fire, or cooked food from home. The main meal is generally after sunset, will probably include a staple like cassava, sweet potato, fish, vegetables and fruit. Families tend to sit together on the floor of an open-air kitchen or veranda. Traditionally, grace is said before eating. Food is covered with towels or leaves before it is served. One may eat with fingers, or use utensils. The mother and elder girls serve the meal, giving the first serve to the men. Guests will eat with the father, while women and children eat elsewhere. It is etiquette for speeches to be made by the host, reciprocated by the visitor.
Family
The family unit consists of both parents and their children. The members of the extended family keep close ties. Generally, men are responsible for earning an income, fishing, clearing gardens, and building houses. Traditional houses are made from sago leaves lashed to a bamboo frame. Modern homes are timber-framed with glass windows and steel roofs. These are more lasting but more challenging to keep cool. Women usually maintain the gardens, gather and prepare food and firewood, care for young children, and undertake household tasks. Children will help after the age of five.
Dating Customs
The wantoks arranged the traditional marriages. The groom's family customarily paid the bride's parents a bride price of shell money, pigs, or root crops.
Now, young people choose their partners, and it is more acceptable to marry outside your language group. The bride price is still essential on some islands. It may include modern goods such as mattresses, sewing machines, or watches.
The groom's wantok often prepares a generous feast of pig, fish, and root crops the day before the wedding. The groom is led in a procession to the bride's village, where respected elders exchange the bride price. The bride has a tearful farewell to her family. A Christian ceremony usually occurs later, with the bride in white and the groom in a black suit.
Recreation
Recreational activities commonly found on the Solomon Islands:
Diving and Snorkeling: The Solomon Islands are renowned for their stunning coral reefs and diverse marine life. Visitors can explore vibrant underwater ecosystems, shipwrecks, and drop-offs.
Surfing: Some areas in the Solomon Islands, particularly in the Western Province, offer excellent surfing conditions. Surf enthusiasts can enjoy the waves and the relatively uncrowded beaches.
Kayaking and Canoeing: The archipelago's calm lagoons, rivers, and coastal areas provide opportunities for kayaking and canoeing. This allows visitors to explore the pristine waters and picturesque landscapes.
Hiking and Trekking: The islands boast lush rainforests, volcanic landscapes, and traditional villages. Hiking and trekking trails offer opportunities to explore the island's diverse ecosystems, encounter wildlife, and appreciate scenic viewpoints.
Cultural Tours: Visitors can immerse themselves in the rich cultural heritage of the Solomon Islands by participating in cultural tours. These may include visits to traditional villages, witnessing local dances and ceremonies, and learning about traditional customs and crafts.
Bird Watching: The Solomon Islands are home to various unique bird species. Birdwatchers can explore different habitats, from lowland rainforests to highland areas, to spot colorful and endemic bird species.
Fishing: The Solomon Islands offer both deep-sea and sport fishing opportunities. Anglers can try to catch various fish species, including tuna, marlin, and barracuda.
Beach Relaxation: The Solomon Islands provide a perfect setting for relaxation with numerous pristine and often secluded beaches. Visitors can unwind on white sandy beaches, swim in crystal-clear waters, and enjoy the peaceful surroundings.
Cultural Festivals: The Solomon Islands host various cultural festivals throughout the year, featuring traditional dances, music, and ceremonies. These events provide a vibrant and immersive experience of local culture.
Whale and Dolphin Watching: Certain times of the year offer opportunities to witness the migration of whales and dolphins. Guided boat tours allow visitors to observe these majestic marine creatures in their natural habitat.
Holidays
Independence Day
7/7Independence Day
Dates of Interest
- July 7th
Held in the Central Islands Province, this festival celebrates the unique culture and traditions of the Kakamora people, including traditional dances and rituals.
How do people greet each other in the Solomon Islands?
Villagers greet one another by first name in their own language, or in pijin if from different language groups; a standard greeting is 'Where have you come from?' or 'Where are you going?'
Do
- Use formal titles like 'Mr' or 'Mrs' with strangers
- Inform the chief of the nature and length of your visit when arriving at a village
- Greet a chief according to your familiarity with him
What are the dining customs in the Solomon Islands?
The main meal is usually after sunset and includes staples like cassava or sweet potato with fish, vegetables and fruit; families sit together on the floor of an open-air kitchen or veranda.
Do
- Wait for grace, which is traditionally said before eating
- Eat with your fingers or use utensils, as you prefer
- As a guest, expect to eat with the father
Good to know
- The mother and elder girls serve the meal, giving the first serve to the men
- Women and children eat elsewhere from male guests
- Speeches are made by the host and reciprocated by the visitor
- Food is covered with towels or leaves before being served
What etiquette should I know when visiting homes in the Solomon Islands?
Visiting is central to life; formal invitations are only for feasts, and visits are mostly about conversation and storytelling on the veranda.
Do
- Call out as you approach a house
- Take off your shoes at the door
- Accept tea and food if it is offered
Good to know
- Women generally visit women, and men visit men
- People gather outside on the veranda
How should I dress in the Solomon Islands?
Dress is casual: men wear shorts and T-shirts, and women wear under-the-knee skirts; men and women often wear lavalavas (large wrapped cloths).
Good to know
- Adults like to wear jewelry such as shell necklaces, armbands and hair combs
- Flowers may be tucked behind the ear or braided into the hair
What gestures are important in the Solomon Islands?
Facial expression is a vital part of conversation; quickly raised eyebrows indicate agreement, and pointing is done with pursed lips and chin rather than the hand.
Do
- Beckon by waving the fingers of one hand with the palm down
Don’t
- Do not shout, as it is impolite
- Do not step over a man
- As a man, do not walk under a woman's clothing or a clothesline
- Do not hold hands or walk arm in arm with someone of the opposite sex
Good to know
- Clicking the tongue may suggest disapproval or concern
- Same-sex friends may hold hands or walk arm in arm
- Women cross or fold their legs under them in the company of men
What role does family play in the Solomon Islands?
Family and children are highly valued, and extended families keep close ties through the wantok system, where people of the same language, village or family share belongings and help one another.
Good to know
- Men typically earn income, fish, clear gardens and build houses
- Women maintain gardens, prepare food and firewood, and care for children
- Children help out after the age of five
- Do not rush people, as Solomon Islanders do not like to be hurried
What can I do for recreation in the Solomon Islands?
The islands are known for diving and snorkeling among coral reefs and shipwrecks, plus surfing, kayaking, hiking, fishing and beach relaxation.
Good to know
- Explore coral reefs and marine life while diving or snorkeling
- Try surfing in the Western Province
- Take cultural tours to villages, dances and ceremonies
- Go whale and dolphin watching at certain times of year
Last updated: 2026-07-12 · Sources: CountryReports
Photos of Solomon Islands
Photos of Solomon Islands
Travel and Tourism
Travel and Tourism
- Travel Alert Status
- Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution
- Currency
- Solomon Islands dollar (SBD)
- Time Difference
- UTC+11 (16 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
- Climate
- tropical monsoon; few extremes of temperature and weather
- Airports
- 33
Read the full travel guide — health, safety, vaccinations, disease risk, sanitation, and transit details.
View full travel guideRecipes
Recipes
History
History
Historical Eras
Prehistoric Settlement
1000 BCE – 1568
Hunter-gatherer peoples inhabited the larger Solomon Islands as early as 1000 BCE, with material evidence recovered from sites on Santa Ana, Guadalcanal, and Gawa. Later waves of Neolithic Austronesian-speaking migrants from Southeast Asia added to the population, establishing the ancestral communities that would shape the islands' diverse cultures and languages for millennia.
European Contact
1568 – 1893
Spanish explorer Álvaro de Mendaña y Neyra first sighted the islands in 1568, seeking the legendary Isles of Solomon. European contact intensified through the 18th and 19th centuries, bringing explorers, missionaries, and the brutal practice of 'blackbirding'—the coerced recruitment of islanders as laborers for Queensland and Fiji sugar plantations—which provoked widespread violence and massacre.
British Protectorate
1893 – 1942
Britain declared a protectorate over the southern Solomons in 1893, partly to curb the abuses of the labor trade, and absorbed German-administered northern islands by 1900. Christian missionaries converted much of the population, while British and Australian firms established large-scale coconut plantations. Economic development remained slow and largely excluded the indigenous population.
World War II
1942 – 1945
Japan occupied the islands from mid-1942, triggering some of the Pacific War's most ferocious fighting. The Battle of Guadalcanal—including the struggle for Henderson Field and the naval clash off Savo Island—claimed over 7,000 American and 21,000 Japanese lives before Japanese withdrawal in February 1943. The massive Allied presence left a profound cultural and infrastructural legacy, including the relocation of the capital to Honiara.
Late Colonial Period
1945 – 1978
British administration resumed after the war, but indigenous resistance movements such as Marching Rule challenged colonial authority through the late 1940s. Progressive constitutional reforms culminated in a new parliamentary constitution in 1974, self-governance on January 2, 1976, and full independence within the Commonwealth on July 7, 1978.
Independence & Modern Era
1978 – present
Independence brought persistent challenges including ethnic conflict between Guadalcanal and Malaita militias that erupted into open violence in 1998–2000, destabilizing the government and economy. The 2001 Marau Peace Agreement and a 2003 Australian-led multinational intervention force helped restore order. The nation continues to navigate issues of governance, natural disasters, and economic development.
Overview
The European discoverer of the Solomons was the Spanish explorer Alvaro de Mendana Y Neyra, who set out from Peru in 1567 to seek the legendary Isles of Solomon. British mariner Philip Carteret , entered Solomon waters in 1767. In the years that followed, visits by explorers were more frequent.
Missionaries began visiting the Solomons in the mid-1800s. 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 1893. 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. 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. With the outbreak of World War II, most planters and traders were evacuated to Australia, and most cultivation ceased.
From May 1942, when the Battle of the Coral Sea was fought, until December 1943, the Solomons were almost constantly a scene of combat. Although U.S. forces landed on Guadalcanal virtually unopposed in August 1942, they were soon engaged in a bloody fight for control of the islands’ airstrip, which the U.S. forces named Henderson Field. One of the most furious sea battles ever fought took place off Savo Island, near Guadalcanal, also in August 1942. Before the Japanese completely withdrew from Guadalcanal in February 1943, over 7,000 Americans and 21,000 Japanese died. By December 1943, the Allies were in command of the entire Solomon chain. The large-scale American presence toward the end of the war, which dwarfed anything seen before in the islands, triggered various millennial movements and left a lasting legacy of friendship.
Postwar Developments
Following the end of World War II, the British colonial government returned. The capital was moved from Tulagi to Honiara to take advantage of the infrastructure left behind by the U.S. military. A native movement known as the Marching Rule defied government authority. There was much disorder until some of the leaders were jailed in late 1948. Throughout the 1950s, other indigenous dissident groups appeared and disappeared without gaining strength.
In 1960, an advisory council of Solomon Islanders was superseded by a legislative council, and an executive council was created as the protectorate’s policymaking body. The council was given progressively more authority.
In 1974, a new constitution was adopted establishing a parliamentary democracy and ministerial system of government. In mid-1975, the name Solomon Islands officially replaced that of British Solomon Islands Protectorate. On January 2, 1976, the Solomons became self-governing, and independence followed on July 7, 1978.
Timeline of Key Events
1899
Germany cedes the northern Solomon islands to the United Kingdom.
Germany cedes the northern Solomon islands to the United Kingdom, which had declared a protectorate over the southern Solomon islands in 1893.
1942
During World War II the islands are occupied by Japan.
During World War II the islands are occupied by Japan. There is very heavy fighting, especially on and around Guadalcanal. The Japanese are forced from the islands by the Allies in 1945, and British rule is restored.
1976
The islands become fully self-governing.
The islands become fully self-governing.
1978
The islands achieve independence within the British Commonwealth.
The islands achieve independence within the British Commonwealth. Queen Elizabeth II remains head of state.
1998
Fighting breaks out between two rival militias.
The Isatubu Freedom Movement, which says it represents the native people of Guadalcanal, begins to forcibly evict Malaitans, whom they accuse of taking jobs and land. The Malaitan Eagle Force (MEF) is formed in response. At least 20,000 Malaitans are forced off Guadalcanal. Fighting breaks out between the two rival militias.
2001
Marau peace agreement is signed bringing together the two warring factions.
Marau peace agreement is signed bringing together the two warring factions, Marau Eagle Force and Isatabu Freedom Movement. It is aimed at ending two years of conflict.
2009
The Solomon Islands declare a national disaster after heavy rain and flooding.
The Solomon Islands declare a national disaster after heavy rain and flooding claim lives on Guadalcanal island, and people are evacuated from there and nearby Savo island.
Read the full history profile — narrative overview, defining eras, and the complete timeline in one place.
View expanded historyInteresting Facts
Interesting Facts
The Arnavon Islands provide an important nesting area for endangered hawksbill turtles.
See every fact — trivia, oddities, and curious tidbits gathered from across the country.
View all interesting factsGeography and Environment
Geography and Environment
- Terrain
- mostly rugged mountains with some low coral atolls
- Climate
- tropical monsoon; few extremes of temperature and weather
- Natural Hazards
- typhoons, but rarely destructive; geologically active region with frequent earth tremors; volcanic activity
- Current Environmental Issues
- deforestation; soil erosion; many of the surrounding coral reefs are dead or dying
Read the full geography and environment profile — terrain, climate, natural resources, hazards, land use, and international agreements.
View full geographyPeople & Demographics
People & Demographics
Religion
Languages Spoken
Melanesian pidgin in much of the country is lingua franca; English is official but spoken by only 1%-2% of the population.
- Melanesian pidgin
Population
- Population
- 740,424
- Population in Major Urban Areas
- HONIARA (capital) 68,000
- Nationality Noun
- Solomon Islander(s)
- Ethnic Groups
- Melanesian 93%, Polynesian 4%, Micronesian 1.5%, European 0.8%, Chinese 0.3%, other 0.4%
- Language Note
- While English is the official language, there are 65 indigenous languages spoken in the Solomons. Solomon Island Pijin enables islanders from differing language groups to communicate. The vocabulary is English, but the grammar is Melanesian. 93% are Melanesians, 4% are Polynesian, and some Micronesians re-settled from the Gilbert Islands.
Education
- Literacy Definition
- NA
Health Information
- Life Expectancy at Birth
- Life expectancy at birth in the Solomon Islands stands at approximately 74 years overall, with women typically outliving men by several years — female life expectancy hovers around 76 years, while male life expectancy is closer to 72 years. These figures reflect meaningful progress over recent decades, driven by improvements in maternal and child health services, expanded access to basic medical care, and growing international health partnerships. Historically, life expectancy in the Solomon Islands was significantly lower, hampered by high rates of infant and child mortality, limited healthcare infrastructure, and widespread infectious diseases. Malaria has long been one of the most significant public health challenges in the country, and ongoing efforts to reduce transmission through insecticide-treated bed nets, indoor spraying programs, and anti-malarial treatments have contributed to measurable gains in overall population health. Non-communicable diseases are an increasingly prominent concern and now represent a growing burden on the health system. Conditions such as diabetes, hypertension, and cardiovascular disease are becoming more prevalent, particularly in urban areas where lifestyle changes and dietary shifts have accompanied economic development. These trends have the potential to slow or reverse life expectancy gains if not adequately addressed. Access to healthcare remains uneven across the archipelago. While the capital, Honiara, on Guadalcanal island, has the most developed medical facilities, residents of outer islands and rural communities often face significant barriers to receiving timely care. Geographic isolation, limited transport infrastructure, and a shortage of trained medical professionals all contribute to disparities in health outcomes between urban and rural populations. Infant mortality, while declining, remains a key factor influencing overall life expectancy figures. Improvements in prenatal care, skilled birth attendance, and vaccination coverage have helped lower early childhood deaths, supporting the gradual rise in average lifespan. International organizations and bilateral aid programs continue to play an important role in funding and supporting the Solomon Islands' health sector, helping to sustain the upward trajectory in life expectancy seen over the past several decades.
Life Expectancy
- Life Expectancy at Birth
- Life expectancy at birth in the Solomon Islands stands at approximately 74 years overall, with women typically outliving men by several years — female life expectancy hovers around 76 years, while male life expectancy is closer to 72 years. These figures reflect meaningful progress over recent decades, driven by improvements in maternal and child health services, expanded access to basic medical care, and growing international health partnerships. Historically, life expectancy in the Solomon Islands was significantly lower, hampered by high rates of infant and child mortality, limited healthcare infrastructure, and widespread infectious diseases. Malaria has long been one of the most significant public health challenges in the country, and ongoing efforts to reduce transmission through insecticide-treated bed nets, indoor spraying programs, and anti-malarial treatments have contributed to measurable gains in overall population health. Non-communicable diseases are an increasingly prominent concern and now represent a growing burden on the health system. Conditions such as diabetes, hypertension, and cardiovascular disease are becoming more prevalent, particularly in urban areas where lifestyle changes and dietary shifts have accompanied economic development. These trends have the potential to slow or reverse life expectancy gains if not adequately addressed. Access to healthcare remains uneven across the archipelago. While the capital, Honiara, on Guadalcanal island, has the most developed medical facilities, residents of outer islands and rural communities often face significant barriers to receiving timely care. Geographic isolation, limited transport infrastructure, and a shortage of trained medical professionals all contribute to disparities in health outcomes between urban and rural populations. Infant mortality, while declining, remains a key factor influencing overall life expectancy figures. Improvements in prenatal care, skilled birth attendance, and vaccination coverage have helped lower early childhood deaths, supporting the gradual rise in average lifespan. International organizations and bilateral aid programs continue to play an important role in funding and supporting the Solomon Islands' health sector, helping to sustain the upward trajectory in life expectancy seen over the past several decades.
Read the full people and society profile — demographics, health, education, religion, languages, and notable people.
View full people and societyGovernment & Politics
Government & Politics
Country Identity
- Country Name
- SolomonIslands
- Former Name
- British Solomon Islands
Government Structure
- Government Type
- parliamentary democracy tending toward anarchy
- Legal System
- English common law, which is widely disregarded
- Executive Branch
- chief of state: King CHARLES III (since 8 September 2022), represented by Governor General Sir David Tiva KAPU (since 7 July 2024) head of government: Prime Minister Jeremiah MANELE (since 2 May 2024); Deputy Prime Minister Bradley TOVOSIA (since May 2024) cabinet: Cabinet consists of members appointed by the governor general on the advice of the prime minister from among the members of Parliament elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; governor general appointed by the monarch on the advice of Parliament for up to five years; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or the leader of a majority coalition is usually elected prime minister by Parliament; deputy prime minister appointed by the governor general on the advice of the prime minister from among the members of Parliament
- Legislative Branch
- Unicameral National Parliament (50 seats; members elected from single-member constituencies by popular vote to serve four-year terms) Elections: last held on 17 April 2024 (next to be held in 2028) Election results: seats by party - OUR Party 15, Solomon Islands United Party 7, Democratic Alliance Party 5, Ownership Unity Responsibility Party 4, Solomon Islands People First Party 3, Rural and Urban Political Party 2, other parties 7, independents 7
- Judicial Branch
- Court of Appeal
- Suffrage
- 21 years of age; universal
- Constitution
- 7-Jul-78
- Independence
- 7 July 1978 (from UK)
- National Holiday
- Independence Day, 7 July (1978)
Capital City
- Capital Name
- Honiara
- Capital - geographic coordinate
- 9 26 S, 159 57 E
- Capital Time Difference
- UTC+11 (16 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
the name derives from "nagho ni ara," which in one of the Guadalcanal languages roughly translates as "facing the eastern wind"
Military
Branches: no regular military forces; Royal Solomon Islands Police Force
Embassy / Diplomatic Mission
The U.S. Embassy in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea provides assistance for U.S. citizens in Solomon Islands. There is a U.S. Consular Agent in Honiara. The Consular Agent provides general information and applications and can provide limited emergency services. The United States Consular Agency in Honiara is located on Commonwealth Avenue, Point Cruz, telephone (677) 23426, (677) 98367, (677) 94731, or (677) 22539; e-mail ConsularPortMoresby@state.gov.
U.S. Embassy in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea,
Courier Service Address: Douglas Street, adjacent to the Bank of Papua New Guinea, Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea
Mailing Address: PO Box 1492, Port Moresby, N.C.D. 121, Papua New Guinea
Telephone number: (675) 321-1455
After hours duty officer telephone number for American Citizen emergencies: (675) 7200-9439
E-mail: ConsularPortMoresby@state.gov
Read the full government profile — flag symbolism, national anthem, and other national symbols.
View full government detailsEconomy
Economy
The Solomon Islands economy remains heavily reliant on subsistence agriculture, fishing, and forestry, which together support the livelihoods of the majority of the population. Most manufactured goods and petroleum products must be imported. The islands possess significant undeveloped mineral resources, including gold, bauxite, nickel, lead, and zinc, though commercial extraction has been limited and at times contentious.
Following the ethnic tensions and breakdown of law and order in the late 1990s and early 2000s, the Regional Assistance Mission to Solomon Islands (RAMSI), an Australian-led multinational force, arrived in July 2003 to restore stability, rebuild government institutions, and revive the economy. RAMSI formally concluded its mission in 2017, leaving behind improved governance structures, though challenges persist.
Logging has long been a leading export and source of government revenue, but unsustainable harvesting rates have raised concerns about the rapid depletion of natural forests. Fisheries, particularly tuna, remain a vital sector, alongside exports of palm oil, copra, and cocoa. Tourism has grown modestly but remains constrained by limited infrastructure.
The economy has faced renewed strain in recent years, including damage from the November 2021 riots in Honiara, the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on tourism and trade, and ongoing fiscal pressures. In 2019, the government switched diplomatic recognition from Taiwan to the People's Republic of China, and in 2022 signed a security pact with Beijing, developments that have reshaped its external economic relationships. Growth has gradually resumed, supported by infrastructure projects, donor assistance, and preparations for regional events, but the country remains one of the poorest in the Pacific, with high youth unemployment and vulnerability to climate change and natural disasters.
Snapshot
- Currency Name and Code
- Solomon Island Dollar (SBD)
- GDP Real Growth Rate
- 2.6%
Banknotes
Budget & Public Finance
- Fiscal Year
- calendar year
- Annual Budget
- $75,100,000 (USD)
- External Debt
- $180,400,000 (USD)
- Economic Aid
- $23,000,000 (USD)
Labor, Industry & Trade
- Labor Force by Occupation
- agriculture 75%; industry 5%; services 20%
- Industries
- fish (tuna), mining, timber
- Agriculture Products
- cocoa beans, coconuts, palm kernels, rice, potatoes, vegetables, fruit; cattle, pigs; timber; fish
- Export Commodities
- timber, fish, copra, palm oil, cocoa
- Export Partners
- Japan 21.1%, China 18.9%, South Korea 15.6%, Philippines 10%, Thailand 7.8%, Singapore 4.4%
- Import Commodities
- food, plant and equipment, manufactured goods, fuels, chemicals
- Import Partners
- Australia 32.3%, Singapore 20.2%, Fiji 5.1%, New Zealand 5.1%, Papua New Guinea 4%
Energy
- Oil Production
- 0 bbl/day
- Oil Consumption
- 1,270 bbl/day
- Oil Reserves
- 0 bbl/day
- Natural Gas Production
- 0 cu m
- Natural Gas Consumption
- 0 cu m
- Natural Gas Imports
- 0 cu m
- Natural Gas Exports
- 0 cu m
- Natural Gas Reserves
- 0 cu m
Communications
- Telephone System
- domestic: mobile-cellular telephone density is about 50 per 100 persons international: country code - 677; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)
- Internet Country Code
- .sb
News & Weather
News & Weather
Current Weather
Latest News
UNESCO-Aschberg Programme Supports Copyright Reform and Artists' Rights in Solomon Islands - UNESCO
UNESCO · 17h ago
In the Solomon Islands, Health Clinics Become a Key Component of Evangelism - Adventist Review
Adventist Review · 17h ago
US and Solomon Islands discuss deepening ties, return of Peace Corps - Reuters
Reuters · 6d ago
Top Chinese South Pacific security partner to let US patrol its waters - South China Morning Post
South China Morning Post · 6d ago
US and Solomon Islands Hold Talks to Deepen Ties - globalpost.com
globalpost.com · 2d ago
UNESCO-Aschberg Programme Supports Copyright Reform and Artists' Rights in Solomon Islands - EIN News
EIN News · 11h ago
Reengaging the Solomon Islands: A Strategic Opportunity for the United States - CSIS | Center for Strategic and International Studies
CSIS | Center for Strategic and International Studies · 52d ago
At least 10 people are feared dead after Gold Ridge mine collapse in the Solomon Islands - Pacific Media Network
Pacific Media Network · 10h ago
News via Google News
Climate Overview
tropical monsoon; few extremes of temperature and weather
Videos
Videos
1 curated YouTube videos.
Source: YouTube
Frequently Asked Questions
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the population of Solomon Islands?
How do people greet each other in the Solomon Islands?
What are the dining customs in the Solomon Islands?
What etiquette should I know when visiting homes in the Solomon Islands?
How should I dress in the Solomon Islands?
What gestures are important in the Solomon Islands?
What role does family play in the Solomon Islands?
What can I do for recreation in the Solomon Islands?
What is the capital of the Solomon Islands?
Where is the Solomon Islands located?
What are the ocean and sea borders of the Solomon Islands?
What religion is practiced in the Solomon Islands?
What currency is used in the Solomon Islands?
What languages are spoken in the Solomon Islands?
What is the terrain and geography of the Solomon Islands like?
What is the Solomon Islands known for?
Last reviewed 2026