Solomon Islands map in Russian. Capital of the Solomon Islands, flag, history of the country
The Solomon Islands is an archipelago located in the Middle Oceania. The westernmost point of the archipelago - Autonomous Region Bougainville belongs to Papua - and the rest of the islands belongs to the eponymous state of the Solomon Islands.
The total length of the archipelago is 1,100 kilometers and the width is 600 kilometers. The total land area of the Solomon Islands is approximately 40,000 square kilometers.
History
The first humans appeared on the islands during the Paleolithic period, about 28,000 years ago. The first wave of settlers came from New Guinea, but they settled only on the western islands of the archipelago. The islands were completely inhabited 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, São 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 the 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 persuading 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 dropped dramatically.
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, a 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 consists of two parallel mountain ranges, in an area of high seismic activity. The largest islands are composed of volcanoes. The archipelago is dominated by tropical forests, swamps, and jungles. The shores of the islands are often fringed with coral reefs. The highest point of the archipelago is Bougainville Island with a maximum height of 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 the high temperatures and high humidity in the archipelago, there is a big problem with malaria mosquitoes.
Almost the entire archipelago is designated by the World Wildlife Fund. Also, the Solomon Islands are located in the Coral Triangle region.
Solomon Islands Living and Dead
The content of the article
SOLOMON ISLANDS, an island state in the southwestern Pacific Ocean, in Melanesia, between 5 and 12 ° S latitude. and 155 and 170 ° E. It occupies most of the archipelago of the same name (except for the Bougainville and Buca islands), the island groups of Santa Cruz, Swallow, Duff, as well as the Rennell, Bellona and other islands. The largest islands of the country are Guadalcanal and Santa Isabel. San Cristobal, Malaita and Choiseul. There are more than 900 islands in the country. The total length of the coastline is 5313 km. The area of the Solomon Islands is 28,450 sq. km.
Nature.
The Solomon Islands stretch in two chains from northwest to southeast for more than 1400 km. Most of the islands of the archipelago are volcanic peaks of the underwater ridge. Mountain ranges occupy almost their entire surface, only narrow lowlands stretch along the coast. There is a fairly wide coastal lowland only on the northeastern coast of Guadalcanal. On the same island is the highest point of the country - Mount Makarakomburu (2447 m.). On the islands there are extinct and active volcanoes, hot springs, earthquakes often occur. Many islands are lined with coral reefs; in addition to volcanic islands, there are coral atoll islands.
The island group of Santa Cruz includes seven volcanic islands: Ndeni, Utupua, Vanikoro, Tinakula, etc. They lie on an underwater ridge and are surrounded by coral reefs. The Swallow group of islands is formed by 12 small islets - the remains of an uplifted atoll. Duff Islands - 10 volcanic islands. The tops of the underwater volcanoes are the eastern islands of Anuda, Miter and Tikopia. Sikaiana and Ontong Java (Lord Howe) are coral atolls, while Rennell and Bellona are raised coral islands.
The climate is equatorial-tropical, tempered by the influence of the ocean. From April to November, the weather is relatively dry and cool, with southeastern trade winds blowing. A hot and humid season lasts from November to April; northwest monsoons dominate, sometimes turning into hurricanes. The average monthly temperature in February is + 27 ° С, in August + 24 ° С. The amount of annual precipitation is 2500–3500 mm, and in the region of Honiara - 2100 mm, in more humid regions - 8000 mm.
All large islands have many mountain rivers that fall steeply from the slopes. There are few lakes. The most common fertile red earth soils occurring on river terraces and river deltas. The mountains of the volcanic islands are covered with dense humid forests, which are home to valuable tropical trees. Low-lying areas are used for the cultivation of coconut trees, sweet potatoes, taro, yams, rice, cocoa and other crops (1.5% of the area is cultivated). Lowlands are often swampy. The vegetation of the northeastern plains of Guadalcanal is represented by savannas.
Mineral resources: gold placers, deposits of iron and ferronickel ores and magnesites, bauxite, phosphorite reserves.
Population.
Population... The population in July 2003 is estimated at 509,190. 43% of the population is under the age of 15, 54% are between the ages of 15 and 64, and 3% are over 65. The average age is 18.2 years. Average life expectancy is 69.6 years for men, 74.7 years for women.
Population growth in 2003 was 2.83%. Birth rate - 32.45 per 1000 people, mortality - 4.12 per 1000 people, infant mortality - 22.88 per 1000 newborns.
The largest city is the capital of the country, Honiara (44 thousand inhabitants). 30% of the population lives on the island of Malaita.
The vast majority of the inhabitants of the islands are Melanesians (93%). 4% are Polynesians from remote atolls; 1.5% are Micronesians; 0.8% are Europeans; 0.3% are Chinese; 0.4% - others.
The official language is English, but only 1–2% of residents speak it. The language of interethnic communication is Melanesian Pidgin English. The peoples of the islands speak a total of 120 languages.
Religiously, 45% of the population is Anglican, 18% Roman Catholic, 12% Methodist and Presbyterian. 9% are Baptists, 7% are Seventh-day Adventists, 5% are other Protestants. 4% of residents adhere to local traditional beliefs.
State structure.
Until July 7, 1978, they were the possession of Great Britain, since 1978 - an independent state, in the form of a parliamentary democracy. According to the 1978 constitution, the head of state is the monarch of Great Britain, who simultaneously bears the title of king (queen) of the Solomon Islands. Currently Queen Elizabeth II. On the islands, the monarch is represented by the governor-general (a citizen of the Solomon Islands), who is appointed by him on the advice of parliament for a period of at least 5 years. Since 1999, John Lapley has been Governor General.
Legislative power belongs to the unicameral National Parliament of 50 deputies, elected for a term of 4 years in single-mandate constituencies by popular vote of citizens over the age of 21.
Executive power belongs to the government headed by the prime minister. The prime minister is elected by parliament. It usually becomes the leader of the party or coalition with the majority of seats in parliament. The prime minister forms the government. The deputy prime minister and cabinet ministers are confirmed by the governor general on the advice of the prime minister from among the members of parliament. Prime Minister since December 17, 2001 - Allan Kemakeza, leader of the Popular Union Party.
The English court system is preserved. The Supreme Court is composed of chief and junior justices. In administrative units, territorial courts have been created, which deal mainly with land disputes. Appeals are heard by the Supreme Court. Local customary law is widespread.
Administratively, the Solomon Islands is subdivided into 9 provinces and a metropolitan area. The provincial councils are elected by the population and have a fairly wide range of responsibilities: they are in charge of communications, health care, education.
Political parties.
Party of the People's Union(PNS) is a political party with a social democratic orientation. It was formed in 1980 as a result of the unification of the People's Progressive Party led by Solomon Mamaloni (head of government in 1974-1976), part of the United Party of the Solomon Islands, the Party of the Rural Union. In 1981-1984 the leader of the PNS S. Mamaloni headed the coalition government, in 1984-1989 the party was in opposition, but in 1989 it won the general elections. S. Mamaloni served as prime minister in 1989-1993 and 1994-1997, but left the party in 1990. In 2000, the leader of the PNC, A. Kemakeza, became Deputy Prime Minister of the Government of National Unity, created after bloody interethnic clashes. In the 2001 general elections, the PNC came out under the slogans of the proclamation of a federal republic, the creation of a special department under the prime minister to establish peace and revitalize the economy, introduce a code of conduct for political leaders, and automatically remove deputies who left the party from which he was elected. Having received about 40% of the votes and 16 seats in parliament out of 50, the NTC formed a coalition government with the support of a part of independent deputies (a total of 18 independent deputies were elected to parliament). The leader of the party is Allan Kemakeza (prime minister since 2001). In the 2006 elections, the party won only 6.3% and lost the elections, as a result of which Prime Minister Kemakeza resigned.
Solomon Islands Alliance for Change Coalition- was formed in 1997 as an alliance of a number of political parties led by the leader of the liberal party Bartholomew Yulufalu (including the National Party of the Labor Party, the United Party and the Independents). She won the 1997 general election, and B. Yulufalu took over as prime minister. The coalition announced its intention to establish "true democracy" in the Solomon Islands, to carry out political and economic reforms with the support of the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund, as well as donor countries and organizations. Yulufalu's government collapsed as a result of ethnic clashes in 2000. In the 2000 elections, the Alliance pledged to implement policy and constitutional changes, rebuild credible police forces, carry out economic reforms and rebuilding the country, and implement monetary and fiscal policies that would foster private sector development. The organization collected 40% of the vote and won 13 parliamentary seats. It is in opposition. Leaders are Bartholomew Yulufalu (Prime Minister 1997-2000) and Francis Billy Hillie (Prime Minister 1993-1994). In the elections on December 5, 2001, the alliance won 5 out of 50 seats. In the elections on April 5, 2006, the Alliance won 12 seats.
Liberal Party was formed by Bartholomew Yulufalu in 1988. He was its leader until his death in May 2007. In the elections on April 5, 2006, the party won 2 seats in parliament
People's Progressive Party(NPP) is one of the oldest parties in the Solomon Islands, created in 1973 by S. Mamaloni. She was in power in 1974-1976, and in 1980 merged with a part of the United Party to form the Popular Union Party. In 2000, the NCE was re-established under the leadership of the Prime Minister of the Transitional Government, Manasse Sogavare (2000-2001). The party pledged to maintain peace in the islands, revitalize the economy, decentralize political power to the provinces, reform the education system, revitalize and maintain traditional cultural values, promote rural development, and establish harmonious relations with other countries, including Australia and New Zealand. In the 2001 elections, the party collected 20% of the vote and won 2 seats in parliament. The leader of the NPP is Manasse Sogavare (Prime Minister in 2000-2001). In the elections on December 5, 2001, the party won 3 out of 50 seats in parliament.
Labor Party- formed in 1988 by trade union activists who sought to contribute to the development of parliamentary democracy. Labor has participated in two coalition governments, including the Alliance for Change government in 1997-2000. In the 2001 elections, she put forward slogans for a transition to a federalist state structure, an economic conference to develop plans to reorganize the tax system, an immediate freeze of all debt relief benefits in the country and a dialogue with donor countries regarding their participation in the restoration of the island's economy. The party won 1 seat in parliament. Leaders - Joses Tuanuku, Tony Kagovai.
United Democratic Party(UDP) - created in 1980 on the basis of a part of the former United Party led by Peter Kenilorea (head of government in 1976-1981). The ODP was successful in the 1980 elections, and Kenilorea remained as prime minister until 1981, and after the 1984 elections he headed the coalition government (until 1986). In the 2001 elections, she called for the restoration of peace, law and order, better governance, transparency in public spending and the establishment of a fair system of compensation for damage to property during the 2000 interethnic clashes. Leader - John Maetia. In 2003, the UDP agreed with the PNP to merge. After a prolonged decline, by the 2010 elections, the party gained strength again. Its new leader, Joel Moffat Conofilia, proclaimed that God punished the country for the fact that the Solomon Islands voted against the people of Israel at the UN. In 2003, the CCP agreed with the NPP to create a unified organization.
Democratic Party- founded in 2005 by lawyer Gabriel Suri. The main idea of the new party is “ethical leadership”. leadership is based on a relationship with God and eternal values. John Kenyapsia was elected general secretary of the party. In the 2006 elections, the party won 3 seats. In May, the party joined the broad Sogaware coalition. But already in November 2007, the party stopped supporting Sogavare, on the contrary, the Democrats voted for a vote of no confidence, and Derek Sikua became the new prime minister. The Democrats entered the broad Sikua coalition, in which they played a key role. The party was an important factor in the implementation of reforms and the creation of the anti-corruption commission. During the pre-election campaign of the 2010 parliamentary elections, the new party leader Steve Avana proclaimed a course for improving the standard of living in rural areas and changing the electoral system. The party won 13 seats, winning the most seats in parliament. However, he was unable to become prime minister without gaining the required number of votes. The party moved into opposition, but some of its members began to work in the government.
In November 2011, Matthew Weil became the new leader of the party. By this time, the party, although it was in parliament, but almost three quarters of the party members, including Steve Abana, went to work in the government.
National Party... In the elections on April 5, 2006, the party won 4 out of 50 parliamentary seats.
Solomon Islands Rural Promotion Party, successor to the Rural Union Party. In the elections on April 5, 2006, the party won 4 out of 50 parliamentary seats.
Association of Independent Members... In the elections on April 5, 2006, the party won 13 out of 50 parliamentary seats.
Armed forces, police.
There is no army on the islands. The Royal Solomon Islands Police Force, led by a Police Commissioner (with local police commissariats), disintegrated during the 2000 interethnic clashes. Subsequently, the police force was re-established. The National Intelligence and Surveillance Forces are organized.
The Solomon Islands is a member of the UN and its specialized organizations, the Commonwealth and regional associations (Forum of the Pacific Countries, the Pacific Community, etc.). The country maintains close ties with other countries of the Melanesian group - Papua New Guinea, Vanuatu and Fiji, as well as with New Zealand, Australia, Great Britain, Japan, Taiwan and the countries of the European Union.
Economy.
Most of the population is employed in agriculture, fishing and forestry (75% in 2000). The industry employs only 5% of the working-age population, in the service sector - 20%. Most manufactured goods and petroleum products are imported. The islands are rich in natural resources (lead, zinc, nickel, gold), but they are poorly developed ..
The GDP of the Solomon Islands in 2001 was estimated at $ 800 million, which corresponded to $ 1,700 per capita. In 2001, the real drop in GDP was 10%. In 2000, the share of agriculture in GDP was 42%, industry - 11%, services - 47%. The inflation rate in 2001 is 1.8%.
The main products of agriculture and forestry are cocoa beans, coconuts, palm seeds, copra, palm oil, rice, sweet potatoes, vegetables, fruits, timber. Cattle and pigs are raised. On some islands, bauxite deposits have been explored, gold and silver are mined in small volumes. Produce canned fish, furniture, clothing, souvenirs. Tourism developed before ethnic clashes, the Solomon Islands was visited by tourists from Australia, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, and the United States.
Exports in 2001 were estimated at $ 47 million. The main export items are timber, fish, copra, palm oil, cocoa beans. Major export partners in 2002: Japan (21%), China (19%), South Korea (16%), Philippines (9%), Thailand (8%) and Singapore (4%). The volume of imports in 2001 - 82 million USD, the main partners in 2002 were Australia (31%), Singapore (20%), New Zealand (5%), Fiji (5%), Papua New Guinea (4.5% ). The main imports are food, fuel, machinery and vehicles, consumer goods, and chemicals.
The Solomon Islands is dependent on economic and financial assistance from abroad. As of 2001, they received US $ 28 million, mainly from Japan, Australia, China and New Zealand. The amount of external debt in 2001 reached $ 137 million. USA.
The monetary unit is the Solomon Islands dollar ($ 5.1 Solomon Islands was equal to $ 1 in 2000).
There are no railways on the islands. Out of 1360 km of highways, only 34 km. have a hard surface. More than half of the roads are owned by plantation owners. Communication between the islands is carried out by different types of ships (mainly by boats) and by aviation. The main ports and harbors are Honiara, Aola Bay, Lofung, Noro, Viru Harbor, Yandina. The main airfields are Henderson and Cucum on Guadalcanal Island and Munda on New Georgia Island. Also available approx. 30 small airports.
The Government of the Solomon Islands became insolvent in 2002. Following the intervention of the Regional Assistance Mission for the Solomon Islands in 2003, the government amended the budget. The domestic debt has been revised and negotiations are under way to revise the external debt. The main financial assistance comes from Australia, New Zealand, the EU, Japan and China.
Most of the population lives off the production of agricultural products, fishing and forestry. But only 1% of the land is used for agriculture.
The main crops are copra, palm oil, cocoa and palm fruit.
Most manufactured goods and petroleum products are imported. The islands are rich in minerals such as lead, zinc, nickel and gold, but the mining industry is undeveloped. Due to ethnic conflicts and growing tensions in the country, the main enterprises were closed, the treasury was not replenished, which led to an economic collapse. Gradually, with the arrival of peacekeeping forces with the restoration of order, the country has seen a relatively small economic recovery.
GDP per capita - $ 3,300 United States (as of 2011).
Society.
A large part of the population of the Solomon Islands continues to live in a traditional society, retaining ancestral and communal structures. Folk songs, dances, music, folklore have been preserved. Wood carvers, potters, weavers, etc. are famous. The country has its own poets, collections of poems are published. A national museum was opened, a Museum Association was created, a library and botanical gardens were organized.
Colleges began to form in the late 1950s. There are the Teachers 'College for Young Men (1959), the Catholic Teachers' Institute for Coeducational Education in Wutulak (1961), the Technical Institute in Honiara (1969), the Trade School, the School of Nursing at the Central Hospital in Honiara, etc. university.
The number of telephone subscribers in 1997 was 8 thousand, there were 658 mobile phones. There were 3 radio stations in operation, including the government broadcasting service. There were 57 thousand radios and 3 thousand televisions in the country. In 2002, there were 8,400 Internet users.
The weeklies "Solomon Star", "Observer" and others are published. The government published the newspaper "Solomon News Dram".
History.
Settlement of the islands.
The settlement of the Solomon Islands began no later than 1,000 BC. The first to appear here were probably the Papuan tribes from New Guinea and the Bismarck archipelago; groups of Papuans still inhabit the islands of Vella Lavella, Rendova, Savo, Russell and New Georgia. Then the Melanesians settled on the islands; their pottery, found on the islands of Santa Ana and Swallow, dates from AD 140–670. Later, the Polynesians also appeared on parts of the islands.
By the time the first Europeans appeared in the 16th century. the islands are thought to have a population of about 200,000. In the interior of the large islands, people engaged in agriculture, clearing forests and growing yams. Fishing was developed in the coastal areas. The villages in the coastal zone consisted of several dozen houses, and in the inland areas - of two or three, in which the closest relatives and their families lived. The population was united in unions, occupying an area of several tens of square meters. km. each; the association was based on kinship and common language. Origin was determined in some places by the female line, in others by the male line.
Economic ties were maintained between the unions, there was a regular exchange of goods, and shells were used as money. Markets were located on the coast of all the major islands; especially famous was the market at Auki on the northwest coast of Malaita. By the 19th century. stone tools were almost not used anymore, they were supplanted by iron.
Fierce and violent skirmishes often broke out between the alliances. The unions were headed by chiefs who, in the coastal regions, possessed significant administrative powers and passed them on by inheritance. They kept order, supervised economic life, sacrifices and military actions, had the right to sentence a fellow tribesman to death. In some places, the chiefs employed other members of the community to work in their vegetable garden, to build a house and canoe boats. In the interior regions, the rights of the leaders were less, their power was not inherited.
The islanders believed in the spirits of their ancestors, possessing a special power - "mana" and able to infiltrate objects or living beings.
The emergence of Europeans.
The first European to see the Solomon Islands (in 1568) was the Spanish navigator Alvaro Mendanha de Neira, who set out with two ships from Peru in search of rich lands in the Pacific Ocean. The Spaniards believed that they had discovered the legendary land of Ophir, from where in ancient times the biblical king Solomon exported gold; therefore the archipelago was named the Solomon Islands. In 1574 Mendanha received the title of Marquis from the King of Spain and the order to organize a new expedition. He was to find gold mines, build three cities on the islands and manage them. But only in 1595 Mendanier managed to set off on a new voyage on 4 ships, accompanied by 300 people. He failed to land, as he intended, on the island of Guadalcanal and founded a colony on the islands of Santa Cruz, where he soon died of illness. Due to illness and continuous clashes with the islanders, Spanish settlers were evacuated to the Philippines. A member of the Mendanyi expedition, Pedro de Quiros in 1606 tried to organize a new colony, which he called the "New Jerusalem". But he did not manage to find any precious metals either. Suffering from tropical fever, the Europeans retreated a month later.
The Dutch expedition of Jacob Lehmer and Willem Schouten in 1616 failed to find the Solomon Islands. Another Dutch navigator Abel Tasman passed them in 1643.
The islands were rediscovered as early as the 18th century. In 1767, a British ship under the command of Captain Philip Carteret discovered the Santa Cruz Islands and other islands of the Solomon Archipelago, once discovered by Mendanya. Believing that this was a previously unknown land, Carteret named them after Queen Charlotte. The attempt to land ashore was repulsed by the warlike islanders. At almost the same time, in 1768, the French explorer Louis-Antoine de Bougainville discovered the islands of Bouca, Bougainville and Choiseul. The French captain Jean-François-Marie de Surville made a great contribution to the study of the Solomon Islands. In 1769, he passed almost the entire chain of islands up to the southeastern tip of the archipelago, described the coasts of the Choiseul, Santa Isabel, Malaita and San Cristobal islands and discovered a number of new ones. Surville's expedition was accompanied by armed clashes with the islanders.
In subsequent years, a ship under the command of the Spaniard Francisco Antonio Maurel (1780), the American ship Alliance (1787), the French expedition of Jean-Francois La Perouse (1788) and the English John Shortland (1788) sailed in the waters of the archipelago. After this, visits by European ships became frequent: in the late 18th and first half of the 19th centuries. it was visited by British warships and merchant ships of the British East India Company, merchant and research ships of France, American merchants who traded with China, whalers, traders of sandalwood, hunters for sea animals.
European missionaries settled in the Solomon Islands later than in other archipelagos in Oceania, due to the hostility of the local population. In 1845, a mission led by the Catholic bishop Jean Epalier landed on the island of Santa Isabel, but in a skirmish with the islanders, the bishop was mortally wounded. Attempts to open missions in other parts of the island also failed, with four more missionaries killed. The survivors left Santa Isabel in 1848. From the early 1830s, plans for the conversion of the inhabitants of the Solomon Islands to Christianity were put forward by the Anglicans. Bishop A. Selvin and D. Patterson of New Zealand tried to launch missionary activities on the islands in the 1850s and 1850s, but they also did not succeed. Patterson was killed by the islanders on Nukapu in 1871. In 1875-1885 Alfred Penny conducted missionary work in Santa Cruz. In 1898, Bishop Vidor established a Catholic mission in Rua Sura in the northeast of Guadalcanal; a year later, another Catholic mission appeared on this island. In 1902, a Methodist mission headed by George Brown opened in Roviana. The Methodists soon assumed a dominant position in the western part of the archipelago. Evangelicals appeared in the Solomon Islands in 1904, and Seventh-day Adventists in 1914.
From 1870, European slave traders and recruiters began to bring residents of the Solomon Islands to work on a plantation in Fiji, and from 1871 - in the Australian colony of Queensland. In Fiji, they were used on cotton plantations, and then, as in Australia, on sugar cane. They were also sold to New Caledonia and Samoa. The islanders put up armed resistance. Slave traders mercilessly killed those who resisted or those who tried to escape, organized bloody punitive expeditions and burned villages. The British authorities issued directives requiring only government agents to recruit Islanders on the plantation, but this did not change the situation, since the agents were closely associated with the planters and shipowners. After 1890, the Solomon Islands became the main supplier of forced laborers to Fiji and Queensland. They had to work in extremely difficult conditions, and the mortality rate was very high. According to some reports, during the period 1863-1914 merchants transported about 40 thousand inhabitants of the Solomon Islands to European plantations in Australia and Oceania. According to others, by 1904, when the termination of recruitment to Queensland was officially announced, at least 19 thousand people were taken out there, of which only 14 thousand survived and returned to their homeland. Recruitment in Fiji continued officially until 1911, with less than half of the 10,000 taken home returning home.
In 1885, Germany, which began to seize the island of New Guinea, turned its attention to the Solomon Islands. An agreement was reached between Germany and Great Britain on the division of spheres of influence in the archipelago. The islands of Choiseul, Santa Isabel and Bougainville were recognized as the German sphere, and Guadalcanal, Savo, Malaita and San Cristobal were recognized as British. In 1893, taking advantage of the bloody clashes between the islanders and recruiters, Great Britain began a direct seizure of the Solomon Islands.
In June 1893, British Captain Gibson established a British protectorate over the southern group of islands, including Guadalcanal, Savo, Malaita, San Cristobal and New Georgia. In June 1897, Captain Pollard annexed the Rennell, Bellona and Sikain Atolls. In August 1898, the islands of Santa Cruz and Tikopia became part of the protectorate, and in October, the islands of Duff, Anita and Fatutana. Finally, under the Anglo-German treaty of 1899, Great Britain received the rest of the islands of the archipelago - Santa Isabel, Choiseul, Shortland and Ontong Java Atoll. Only Bougainville and Buka went to German New Guinea. By the time the British protectorate was established, about 50 European traders and planters had already settled on the islands. Merchants bought goods from the population and delivered them by sea to Australia.
British protectorate.
Power in the protectorate was exercised by British resident commissioners, whose residence was in Tulagi. The first of them, Ch.M. Woodford (1896-1918), arrived in June 1896. Administratively, the Resident Commissioner was subordinate to the British High Commissioner for the Western Pacific, whose residence was in Fiji. The Solomon Islands did not have its own legislature; laws were issued on behalf of the king by the high commissioner. In 1921, under the resident commissar, an Advisory Council was created, which, in addition to him, consisted of up to 7 members, including 3 officials. The local administration was represented by two commissars and four district commissars subordinate to them.
The colonial administration received very small sums for the administration of the protectorate, which were not enough for the development of health care and education. Various epidemics and other diseases (tuberculosis, malaria, etc.) were spread. There was only one government hospital, opened in Tulagi in 1910. The rest of the hospitals and all schools were in the hands of the missionaries. Tribal clashes did not subside, there were not enough funds to organize a serious police force.
Since the beginning of the 20th century. large European plantations began to be created on the islands, on which, first of all, copra was produced. In 1905, Levers Pacific Plantation began buying land for coconut plantations, and by 1940 it owned more than 8,000 hectares. land. The local population was very reluctant to agree to work for them, and the farms experienced a constant shortage of workers. In 1928, according to official data, more than 6 thousand people worked on the plantations, in 1934 - only 3.5 thousand. From 1931 to the Second World War, copra production in the archipelago experienced a deep crisis caused by a sharp drop in copra prices. Trade from the beginning of the 20th century. was in the hands of the Australian trading companies Burns Philp, Malaita Company, and also the WR Carpenter company, which acquired the latter in the 1930s.
The islanders have repeatedly opposed the taxes levied by the British authorities. There were frequent clashes. For example, in 1927 on Malaita, local residents killed the District Commissioner W.R. Bell and the police officers accompanying him. To suppress the riot, the Resident Commissioner sent a detachment of European volunteers with the support of a British cruiser sent from Sydney. Almost 200 people were arrested - the entire male population of the rebellious village. 25 people died during the investigation, 6 were sentenced to death, and 18 - to various terms of imprisonment. In the mid-1930s, residents of the Isle of Guizot refused to pay their personal tax, and the authorities arrested 40 people.
In the period between the two world wars, the first calls for increased participation of the population in government began to be heard on the islands. The Anglican priest Richard Falls in 1939 called on the inhabitants of the islands of Santa Isabel, Savo and Ngguela to demand the creation of an advisory council with the participation of representatives of the indigenous inhabitants. On the island of Santa Isabel, the chair and ruler movement arose in support of this demand (these objects served as symbols of power), but it was suppressed, and Follous was expelled from the Solomon Islands.
By the outbreak of World War II, only a small military force was stationed in the Solomon Islands: a group of Australian riflemen guarding a seaplane base near Tulaga, and a defensive unit of officers and 120 volunteers. These units were clearly not enough to hold back the advance of the Japanese army.
In March 1942, Japanese forces began systematic bombing of the Solomon Islands; the resident commissioner fled to Malaita, and dismissed the workers employed on European plantations to their homes. The population happily destroyed the documents of the protectorate administration and destroyed its buildings.
In April 1942, Shortland was captured, and on May 3, Japanese naval forces under the command of Admiral Goto approached Tulagi and landed troops that captured the island. The Japanese units managed to occupy the western part of the archipelago, the islands of Guadalcanal, Nggelu and Santa Isabel, as well as place a post on the northwestern tip of Malaita. They immediately began building military facilities, primarily airfields. The 60-aircraft airfield in the north of Guadalcanal was to become, according to their plans, a strategic base for bombing large areas located to the south and west of the islands.
However, in August 1942, US troops landed on Guadalcanal, Tulagi and neighboring islands. The American forces were joined by New Zealanders, Australians and other allies.
Despite the crushing attacks of Japanese forces and heavy losses, the Allies managed to gain a foothold in the territory they occupied. In December 1942, the number of American troops on Guadalcanal reached 50 thousand, and the Japanese - 25 thousand. Local residents helped the American units, acting as scouts, guides, rescuing pilots and sailors, and even creating small partisan detachments. At the end of December 1942, the Japanese command decided to leave Guadalcanal and fortify on the islands of the New Georgia group. In February 1943, the remnants of the Japanese units left the island.
After that, the fighting moved to the central part. In February 1943, the Americans occupied the Russell Islands, erecting a radar station, a torpedo boat base and an airfield there. In April, they managed to repel the largest Japanese air attack since Pearl Harbor in 1941, and in June-July, along with Fijian and Tongan commandos, they landed in New Georgia. Within a month, the 30,000-strong Allied forces broke the fierce resistance of 38,000 Japanese. In August - September, Arundel Island was cleared of Japanese troops. From July to October 1943, fierce naval battles took place in the inter-island water space. In early October 1943, the last Japanese units left Kolombangara, and then Vella Lavella. By December 1943, the battle for the Solomon Islands was over.
Even during the fighting, an anti-British movement of the indigenous population developed, which received the name "Marching Rul", or "Maasina Ruru" Brotherhood). By closely communicating with the American troops, receiving high wages for their maintenance and observing the huge warehouses of various goods, the islanders hoped that the Americans would bring them prosperity and free them from British rule. But in 1944 the Americans told one of the leaders of the Nori movement that after the end of hostilities they would leave, returning power to the British. However, many of the inhabitants of the islands believed that they would return and bring abundance with them (on this basis, the cult of "cargo" developed on many islands of Oceania).
Already in 1944, actions of disobedience to the British authorities began. In the same area on Malaita where the 1927 uprising took place, residents refused to recognize the authority of the headman, appointed by the Resident Commissioner. In 1945-1946, the Marching Rul movement spread to the islands of Guadalcanal, Malaita, Ulava, San Cristobal, and later to Florida. Its leaders removed the colonial elders and appointed their own. The indigenous people left the villages and settled in the new "towns" they created, which were essentially fortified camps. They had meetinghouses for discussing common problems and warehouses for goods that the islanders believed were to be delivered by American ships. The leader of the movement on Guadalcanal, Jacob Vousa, declared himself the supreme leader of the island; residents refused to pay taxes, attacked representatives of the colonial authorities, and set up roadblocks.
The rise of the movement took place in difficult post-war conditions. The Solomon Islands has been hit hard by the fighting. Many buildings and houses were destroyed, coconut plantations were abandoned, planters and traders left the islands. The recovery was slow. The administrative center was moved from the devastated Tulagi to Honiara on the island of Guadalcanal, where the American command post was located during the fighting.
Initially, the British authorities tried to negotiate with members of the Marching Rul, then turned to repression. Vousa was arrested and sent to Fiji, the islanders were ordered to demolish the fortifications. The police, with the support of warships, destroyed the main traffic centers. In September 1947, the Marching Rul leaders were put on trial in Honiara, charged with terrorism and robbery, and sentenced to hard labor for between one and six years. In 1949, about 2 thousand islanders were sentenced to prison for refusing to destroy the fortifications they had erected. The protest movement was reorganized into the "Federal Council". Despite the repression and arrests of leaders, it lasted until the mid-1950s.
The British authorities undertook a series of administrative reforms. In 1948, they divided the protectorate, first into two parts - North and South, and then into four regions, headed by district commissars. The districts, in turn, were divided into sub-districts, which were governed by foremen appointed by the resident commissioner. Under the resident commissioner and foremen, there were appointed advisory councils. In 1952, the residence of the British High Commissioner of the Western Pacific was moved from Fiji to Honiara, and on January 1, 1953, the post of Resident Commissioner of the Solomon Islands was abolished, and the administration of the islands passed to the High Commissioner. An important step was the formation in 1956 of the local council of Malaita with the aim of increasing the participation of the population in matters of local government. By 1964, local councils were established in almost all counties.
The economy of the islands was developing. In 1959, copra production finally surpassed pre-war levels for the first time. In the 1960s – 1970s, it grew slowly, with the share of islanders in it exceeding the share of European planters. Since the second half of the 1950s, cocoa has been cultivated on the archipelago.
The movement against the colonial authorities did not stop. In 1957, the local prophet Moro on Guadalcanal began to preach the inevitability of a return to pre-colonial times and the restoration of the traditional way of life. Moreau and a number of his associates were arrested, but his popularity grew rapidly, and after his release, the movement spread along the entire coast of the island, and by 1964 covered half of Guadalcanal. Moreau's supporters demanded complete independence. They raised money and set up their own plantations. In 1965 Moreau offered the British High Commissioner £ 2,000 in exchange for granting independence to Guadalcanal. The proposal was rejected, but the British authorities did not risk resorting to harsh repression.
On October 18, 1960, they enacted a new constitution. Instead of the Advisory Council under the High Commissioner, the Executive and Legislative Councils were created. Their members were also appointed, but they now included the islanders (6 out of 21 members of the Legislative Council and 2 out of 8 members of the Executive Council). In 1961-1962, the judicial system of the protectorate was reorganized: in place of the High Commissioner's Court, the Supreme Court of the Western Pacific was created, consisting of a Chief Justice in Honiara and two judges (on the Gilbert and Ellis Islands and in the New Hebrides). Courts of magistrates were established throughout the protectorate.
A new constitution for the islands was adopted in 1964 and took effect on February 1, 1965. The indigenous population now comprised 8 of the 21 members of the Legislative Council and 3 of the 10 members of the Executive Council. At the same time, 8 members of the Legislative Council were elected. In Honiara, the elections were direct. In other districts - indirect. 2 elected organized the first political party - Democratic, but already in 1967 it disintegrated. In 1967, a new constitution expanded the number of elected members of the Legislative Council, including representatives of the indigenous population. In 1968, two deputies formed the United National Party of the Solomon Islands, but it also disintegrated shortly after the elections.
The Constitution, enacted by the British authorities on April 10, 1970, replaced the Legislative and Executive Councils with a new body, the Government Council, all of whose members were elected. The High Commissioner was obliged to consult with the Government Council on state and political issues, but this did not hamper his actions in solving problems related to defense, foreign relations, internal security, police management, and civil service appointments. In December 1970, the council voted to grant independence to the Solomon Islands in 1975. A Special Committee on Constitutional Development was formed. In 1972, his proposals for the creation of a government accountable to an elected legislature were adopted by the Government Council. In 1973, elections were held for the new composition of the council. New parties have emerged - the United Party of the Solomon Islands (OPSO), led by Benedict Kinica, and the People's Progressive Party (PPP) of Solomon Mamaloni.
In 1974, under a new constitution, the Government Council was transformed into the Legislative Assembly. The leader of the NCE S. Mamaloni became the chief minister. In 1975, he resigned due to a scandal over an agreement he signed with an American company to issue commemorative coins, but was re-elected and led a delegation to London to negotiate the country's independence.
In January 1976, the Solomon Islands was declared a self-governing state. Parliamentary elections were held in July 1976. By this time, the OPSO and the NPP had actually disintegrated due to internal disagreements, and their members acted as independent. Eight seats went to the new National Democratic Party (NDP), led by Bartholomew Yulufalu, supported by trade unions. In July 1976, the Legislative Assembly elected Peter Kenilorea, a former leader of the OPSO, as Chief Minister. In 1977, independence negotiations were held in London. The Constitutional Conference decreed that the Solomon Islands would become an independent state on July 7, 1978.
Independent state.
After the proclamation of independence, the government of Kenilorea remained in power, which took over as prime minister. From the very beginning, he had to face economic problems, lack of funds for socio-economic development and the threat of secession of the Western Islands. The latter was averted after $ 7,000 was paid to the Western Solomon Islands Council in 1979. Before the 1980 elections, a regrouping of political forces took place. The NPP and most of the OPSO united in the Party of the People's Union (PNS), headed by Mamaloni. Prime Minister Kenilorea, along with his supporters, created the new OPSO, or United Democratic Party. After the elections, Kenilorea headed a new government from representatives of his party and independent deputies, the PNC and NDP were in opposition. However, already in August 1981, the ruling coalition collapsed, as the independents refused to support Kenilorea. Mamaloni returned to power, including representatives of the PNS, the NDP and the independent in his cabinet. During his reign (1981-1984), the country experienced signs of economic growth. NDP leader Yulufalu, who took over as finance minister, undertook a number of important financial and tax reforms. So, in 1983, he managed to strengthen the Solomon Islands dollar, equating it to the Australian dollar. The government expanded local government with the Provincial Government Act of 1981. However, his credibility was undermined by a conflict with the leader Folofu, who did not allow elections in his area, and a strike organized by the workers' union in September 1984 demanding higher wages. During the 1984 elections, the PNC managed to slightly increase the number of its seats in parliament, but the overall balance of forces changed not in its favor.
In November 1984, Kenilorea formed a new government with the participation of its United Party, the Independents and the new party, Ano Segufenula. His cabinet paid compensation of $ 1,000 to Chief Folof, but having resolved the conflict faced other problems. The Agriculture Minister came under charges in connection with the scandal over the sale of administrative buildings, which sparked a new nationwide strike of civil servants. The government was forced to conduct an investigation, and the minister was removed. In addition, cyclone Namu hit the islands in 1986, one of the strongest in the history of the archipelago. He claimed 90 lives, caused millions of dollars in property damage and significantly undermined the government's prestige. Finally, the prime minister himself was accused of having spent the aid he received from France to rebuild his native village on the island of Malaita. As a result, Kenilorea was forced in December 1986 to cede the post of head of government to his deputy Ezekiel Alebois.
In the 1989 general election, the opposition PNC won a complete victory, winning 21 out of 38 seats. The opposition was the United Party, the Liberal Party (formerly the NDP) and the Nationalist Front for Progress (NFP). "Ano Segufenula" did not receive a single seat and soon fell apart. Mamaloni formed a new one-party cabinet. However, he did not last long. In the ruling PNC, disagreements have escalated between the prime minister and the chairman of the Kaushimae party. Conflict and open split ensued in mid-1990. Mamaloni removed 5 ministers and announced his withdrawal from the PNS. He created a new "government of national unity and reconciliation", including 5 representatives of the opposition, including Kenilorea, who left the ranks of the United Party, Sam Alasia, who was elected earlier on the NFP lists, and others. Later, supporters of the government officially took shape in a political organization - " Group for National Unity and Reconciliation ”(GNEP).
In 1993 GNEP won 21 out of 47 seats in parliament, but the rest of the parties united in the National Coalition Partnership (NCP) and removed it from power. Francis Billy Hillie was elected Prime Minister of the country.
The NKP government (1993-1994) carried out a number of reforms (including the creation of a fund for the development of electoral districts), but was able to stay in power for a short time. Already in mid-1994, the Minister of Finance was forced to resign due to allegations of corruption, and the Minister of the Interior was accused of illegally issuing a casino license in Honiara. In October 1994, the NKP began to disintegrate. Billy Hillie formed a new minority government, but it fell two weeks later. On November 7, 1994, Mamaloni, the leader of the GNEP, reorganized into the Progressive Party for National Unity and Reconciliation of the Solomon Islands (PPNEP), returned to the post of head of the cabinet.
Mamaloni promised that his government will try to make the most of the country's natural resources to increase income, create jobs and provide services to the population. In an effort to conserve resources, the cabinet tried to halt predatory deforestation and refused to issue companies with a new fishing license. Measures were taken to develop tourism, with the help of Japan, a new air terminal in Honiara was opened, and road construction was expanded. The priority project was the start-up of a gold mine in Gold Ridge. The government also signed a lease agreement with landowners and the Australian mining company Ross Mining.
In December 1996, Parliament passed the Provincial Government Act, which abolished the system of provincial governments introduced in 1981 and replaced them with provincial assemblies. The prime minister of the province of Guadalcanal got the judicial authorities to repeal the act, and the government appealed.
In early February 1997, disagreements in the ruling PPNEP escalated. Mamaloni removed Deputy Prime Minister Danny Philippe and replaced him with the former leader of the former opposition National Action Party, Francis Samala.
The 1997 general elections again brought about a change of government. PPNEP won 24 seats out of 50 in parliament, and the coalition of opposition parties, the Alliance for Change, won 26. economic reforms supported by the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund, as well as donor countries and organizations. The economic turmoil in Asia led to a sharp decline in the forestry sector, as well as an overall decline in production by 10% in 1998. The government has implemented cuts in civil servants' wages and budget cuts. The economic situation in the Solomon Islands improved slightly in 1999 due to a significant increase in world gold prices and the expansion of gold production in the country. But soon the authorities had to face the most severe crisis in the entire history of the existence of an independent state.
Interethnic conflict and reconstruction.
In early 1999, the long-brewing conflict between the Gwale people on Guadalcanal Island and displaced persons from the neighboring Malaita Island led to armed clashes. The emerging Guadalcanal Revolutionary Army began attacking Malaitians in rural areas, forcing them to leave the island. The fighters, mostly young men, armed with homemade weapons, came from the southern coast of Guadalcanal, where traditional customs were strong. They later renamed their organization the Isatabu Freedom Movement (the ancient aboriginal name of Guadalcanal). About 20 thousand Malays took refuge in Honiara, many returned to their native island. On the contrary, the Gwale fled from Honiara; the city became a Malaite enclave. The "Forces of the Malayite Eagles" (SMO) began to form. The Solomon Islands government turned to the Commonwealth for help, and former Fiji Prime Minister Sitveni Rabuka was appointed mediator. On June 28, 1999, after a series of meetings, a peace agreement was signed in Honiara.
However, the problems were not resolved, and in June 2000 fighting between the sides resumed. The Malaitans took over a police arsenal at Auki on their home island, allied with opposition elements in the police force, and took control of Honiara, where they occupied another arsenal of modern weapons in Rova.
June 5, 2000 CMO captured the Parliament of the country. They accused the Yulufalu government of failing to protect the lives and property of the Malays. The prime minister was captured and forced to resign. In the following days, fighting broke out in the capital between the SMO and the Isatabu Freedom Movement. On June 15, the CFR handed control of Honiara to the police. On June 30, parliament elected the new head of government, the leader of the People's Progressive Party, Manasse Sogavare, who until 1999 served as Minister of Finance, but came into conflict with Yulufalu. Sogaware formed the Cabinet of the Coalition for National Unity, Reconciliation and Peace, putting forward a program for resolving ethnic conflicts, economic recovery and a more even distribution of income from the country's development.
But Sogaware could not cope with the country's problems. His government has been repeatedly accused of corruption, failure to maintain the economy and restore order. Since the beginning of the clashes in 1999, at least 100 people have been killed, approx. 30 thousand people (mainly Malays) were forced to leave their homes, and the economy of Guadalcanal was destroyed.
Growing pressure from society, business and the international community prompted the CFR, Isatabu Freedom Movement and the government to sign a new peace agreement on 15 October 2000 in Townsville, Australia. Its observance was to be monitored by a group of international observers consisting of 35 Australians, 14 New Zealanders and 4 police officers from the Cook Islands, Vanuatu and Tonga. The agreement provided for the disbandment of the armed formations, a general amnesty for all warring parties, police reform and the inclusion of officers who joined the CFR and the Isatabu Freedom Movement. In the course of the implementation of the agreement, over 2,000 weapons were handed over to international observers in the 20 months before June 25, 2002. But the most powerful weapon was never surrendered, and some of the former militia fighters got out of the control of the commanders and joined criminal groups.
The interethnic conflict and its consequences have had a catastrophic impact on the economy of the islands. Exports, estimated at $ 150 million in 1991, fell to $ 55 million in 2001, and government revenues fell by more than half. The Gold Ridge gold mine, which provided much of its export earnings in 1999 and early 2000, was destroyed in June 2000 and closed. Government attempts to replenish the treasury with taxes in 2001 failed, and the provision of aid from abroad almost ceased. The government stopped public investment and sent employees on unpaid leave. Payments of compensation to refugees and participants in the conflict fell a heavy burden on finances.
During the confrontation, a significant part of the industry was put out of action, including the production of palm oil, mining, and partly forestry. Major services in the capital have been threatened by frequent power outages, water and fuel supply interruptions. After Telikom's solar panels were looted, telecommunications services on Malaita ceased to function. By some estimates, the conflict has weakened the economy of the Solomon Islands by 40%.
Solomon Islands in the 21st century
During the Sogaware government, scandals and internal contradictions took place. In 2001, a week before the dissolution of parliament, the leader of the Popular Union Party (PNU), Allan Kemakeza, was ousted from his post as deputy prime minister, accused of misusing funds to pay compensation to people who lost their property during the conflict.
In the December 2001 elections, the PNC achieved success and Kemakeza became prime minister. His party has entered into a coalition with a number of independent MPs led by former Treasury Secretary Snyder Reenie, now deputy prime minister and minister of national planning.
The country continues to experience economic difficulties. In the first quarter of 2002, copra production fell 77% over the same period in 2001, cocoa production fell 55% and timber production fell 13%. The fish catch doubled, but was consumed mostly on the domestic market. According to the authorities, the process of economic recovery will take at least 10 years. The first signs of revival have appeared, but many mines, fishing and agricultural enterprises are still closed.
In December 2002, the government signed an agreement with the international organization Royal Assembly of Nations and Kingdoms to provide the Solomon Islands with $ 2.6 billion. "Bougainville Revolutionary Army" from Papua New Guinea.
The Solomon Islands authorities remain in a difficult position. Former participants and victims of the armed conflict are dissatisfied with the pace and size of the payment of compensation, and in December 2002, the Secretary of the Treasury, New Zealander Lloyd Powell was forced to flee the country, fleeing threats from former members of the armed formations. There are divisions within the ruling party. In February 2003, a number of its members criticized the visit of Prime Minister Kemakeza to South Korea and planned to replace him with Finance Minister Michael Maina.
As part of the fight against financial abuse, the government took action in May 2003 against the "Family Philanthropy", whose leaders have issued threats against commercial banks. In protest against these threats, banks closed for one day and resumed their work only after the arrest of fund managers.
The Kemakeza government is counting on the assistance of other states, primarily Japan, in the recovery of the economy. In 2003, the Prime Minister negotiated in Tokyo for Japanese assistance in establishing public services, commercial rice cultivation in Malaita and Choiseul, the development of Henderson International Airport, and the supply of copra to Japan.
During 2002 and 2003, clashes and conflicts became more frequent, and in June 2003 the Prime Minister asked for help from abroad. Peacekeeping forces from Australia and other countries in the Pacific region arrived in the country under the auspices of the Regional Assistance Mission to the Solomon Islands. The military contingent ensured the restoration of law and order and the disarmament of the militants on Guadalcanal. 4,000 people were arrested: members of the government, police leaders, group leaders, including one of the most prominent leaders of the Guadalcanal Revolutionary Army, Harold Keke. The Malaite Eagles criminal group also laid down their arms. Peace began to gradually recover in the country, and the military presence of peacekeepers was reduced.
In December 2004, an Australian police officer was killed by a local resident. The peacekeepers returned, but, nevertheless, even after the incident, the military presence declined.
Although the Popular Union Party was defeated in the 2006 parliamentary elections, Deputy Prime Minister Snyder Reenie managed to win the support of independent MPs and was elected Prime Minister and formed a government. However, he was soon accused of receiving bribes from Chinese businessmen and bribing parliament members. Chinese businessmen were accused of trying to influence the political situation in the country. This led to new riots, in particular, pogroms of the Chinese diaspora. Due to this, the mission's forces were again increased.
In May 2006, Reenie was forced to resign, otherwise he would have to pass a vote of no confidence. Manasse Sogaware was nominated for the post of prime minister. He received the majority of the votes in the parliamentary vote on May 4, 2006 and became the country's prime minister again.
During this period, mainly civilian specialists remained in the country who advised the government on economic and financial issues, which drew sharp criticism from Sogaware, who accused the Regional Mission of interfering in domestic politics.
On December 13, 2007, Sogaware was removed from office following a vote of no confidence. Several ministers from his government went over to the opposition.
On December 30, 2007, parliament elected a new prime minister. Derek Sikua, the former Minister of Education and opposition candidate, became him. The new prime minister supported the mission, and with his arrival the situation with respect to the peacekeepers changed.
He remained in office until August 25, 2010. In August 2010, elections were held and Danny Philip became the new prime minister. In November 2011, he resigned due to the fact that he was also about to announce a vote of no confidence.
On April 2, 2007, a tsunami hit the country, which was caused by a strong earthquake of magnitude 8. As a result, over 50 people died and thousands of people were left homeless.
Political parties in Solomon Islands are rather weak, they form unstable coalitions, and in this regard, parties are often called no-confidence votes, including prime ministers.
Problems in the economic and political development of the country, the inability of governments to resolve internal conflicts leads to the fact that the efficiency of the state is greatly reduced, and in fact such a state can be called a “failed state”.
Literature:
Oceania. Directory... M., 1982
Rubtsov B.B. Oceania... M., 1991
Geography
The state occupies most of the archipelago of the same name in the Pacific Ocean, in Melanesia, east of the island of New Guinea. Largest islands: Guadalcanal, Santa Isabel, Malaita, San Cristobal, Choiseul, New Georgia. It also occupies the island groups of Duff, Santa Cruz, Swallow and Bellona, Rennell and others.
The islands are predominantly of volcanic origin; active volcanoes. The highest point of the country is Popomanaseu Peak on Guadalcanal with a height of 2335 meters. Short high-water rivers.
The climate is subequatorial and very humid. Average monthly temperatures are between 26 and 28 ° C. Precipitation from 2300 to 7500 mm per year. From May to October, the southeastern trade wind prevails, from December to March, the northwestern equatorial monsoon.
Most of the islands are covered with evergreen forests (palms, ficuses, etc.); in the driest places - savannas; along the banks - mangroves. Fauna: rats, bats, crocodiles, lizards, snakes, giant frogs; birds - wild pigeons, parrots, etc.
Seismology
The Solomon Islands is located in a seismically hazardous region where earthquakes often occur. In January 2010, an earthquake occurred, the magnitude of the tremors of which was 7.2, the tremors provoked the appearance of a tsunami with a maximum wave height of 2.5 meters. In total, about a thousand people were left homeless. On April 23, 2011, an earthquake with a quake magnitude of 6.9 was noted. On February 6, 2013, there was an earthquake with a magnitude of 8.0.
History and etymology
The first settlers speaking Papuan languages began arriving in the Solomon Islands around 3000 BC. NS. Austronesian Speakers - About 4000 Years Ago [ ]. They brought with them cultural elements such as canoes with an outrigger. Between approximately 1200 and 800 BC. NS. the ancestors of the Polynesians (people of the Lapita culture) from the Bismarck archipelago, who know pottery, came to the Islands.
The Solomon Islands were discovered in 1568 by the Spanish navigator A. Mendanha de Neira, who exchanged gold from the locals and named these islands Solomon after the legendary biblical king Solomon, comparing them with "The Golden Land of Solomon"... Founded in 1595 by Mendanha by order of King Philip II on the island of Santa Cruz, the Spanish colony did not last long and was soon abandoned due to conflicts with the warlike natives.
For the next century and a half, the islands were not visited by Europeans. They were re-discovered by the Englishman F. Carteret in 1767.
Since the mid-1840s, Catholic and Protestant missionaries have repeatedly tried to settle in the Solomon Islands, but for a long time they did not succeed: many of them were killed by the aborigines.
The development of the Solomon Islands by Europeans began only in the 1860s, when the first white traders began to gain a foothold there. The natives tried to kill these merchants, but they, unlike the missionaries, managed to organize their defenses.
Annual population growth - 2.3% (2009 census).
Fertility - 26.9 per 1000 (fertility - 3.4 births per woman)
The mortality rate is 3.7 per 1000.
The average life expectancy is 71 years for men, 76 years for women.
Literacy data for the population of Solomon Islands are not available.
Urban population - 19.7% (101 798 people) (2009 census).
Languages
Approximately 97% of the population of the Solomon Islands is Christian. The largest Christian denominations: 31.9% of the population belongs to the Church of Melanesia, 19.6% belongs to the Roman Catholic Church, 17.1% to the South Seas Evangelical Church, 11.7% to Seventh-day Adventist churches, 10.1% to the United Church of Papua New Guinea and the Solomon Islands, 2.5% to Christian fellowship churches. 2.9% of the population practice indigenous religious beliefs. There are approximately 350 Muslims (2007 data).
Politics
The political system of the Solomon Islands is a constitutional monarchy with a parliamentary system of government. Queen Elizabeth II is the monarch of the Solomon Islands and the head of state. Its power is exercised through the Governor-General, who is elected by Parliament for a five-year term.
The parliament is unicameral, consists of 50 representatives, and is elected every four years. According to the results of the last elections (August 2010), there are 19 independent deputies and representatives of 12 political parties in parliament (the largest party has 13 deputies, the rest have from 3 to 1 deputies). Parliament can be dissolved early by a majority vote of its members.
Any citizen over the age of 21 has the right to vote. The head of government is the prime minister, who is elected by Parliament and appoints other ministers. The Cabinet of Ministers consists of 20 people. Each ministry is headed by a minister who is assisted by a Permanent Secretary who manages the ministry's employees.
Political parties in Solomon Islands are weak, parliamentary coalitions are extremely unstable. The government often receives votes of no confidence, resulting in frequent changes in government composition.
There are no military units as such in the Solomon Islands, although the police, numbering about 500 people, include a border guard unit. The police function as firefighters, help in emergencies and conduct maritime patrols. The police are led by a commissioner appointed by the governor-general. The Commissioner is under the control of the Prime Minister.
Relations with Papua New Guinea, which have become tense due to the influx of refugees from about. Bougainville, after the uprising and attacks on the northern islands of the state by the persecutors of the rebels, were restored. The Bougainville Peace Agreement was reached in 1998, and border issues were settled between Papua New Guinea and the Solomon Islands in an agreement signed in 2004.
Economy
The basis of the country's economy is agriculture, fishing, logging.
Three quarters of the employed are employed in agriculture, as well as in fishing and logging. The industrial sector (fish processing, timber) employs 5%, the service sector - 20%.
GDP per capita (in 2009) - 2.5 thousand dollars (177th place in the world).
Cocoa, coconuts, rice, potatoes, vegetables and fruits are cultivated. Livestock is raised.
The country has large deposits of lead, zinc, nickel and gold, as well as bauxite and phosphates, but these are not being exploited.
Small Pacific island state Solomon islands(Solomon Islands), often called Solomon islands, is located in Melanesia, about 1500 km northeast of Australia. Population - 523,000 people (2009).
The country occupies a significant part of the archipelago of the same name "Solomon Islands", consisting of 992 islands (part of the islands of this archipelago belongs to Papua New Guinea), as well as some islands of other island groups, including Santa Cruz, located 400 kilometers east of archipelago.
From the south, the coasts of the islands are washed by the Solomon and Coral Seas, from the north - by the Pacific Ocean. From the west they border on Papau - New Guinea, from the southeast - on Vanuatu.
That is, the state of Solomon Islands should not be confused with the Solomon Islands archipelago, the numerous islands of which are divided between two independent states - the Solomon Islands and Papua New Guinenia.
The distance between the westernmost and easternmost island of the State of Solomon Islands is about 1,500 kilometers.
The total area of the country's territory is 28,400 km². The capital, the main port and the largest settlement is the city (Guadalcanal island).
A significant part of the Solomon Islands is covered with evergreen forests and predominantly of volcanic origin, including those with active volcanoes. The highest point is Popomanaseu peak (2335 meters), located on the island of Guadalcanal.
The country is located in a seismically dangerous region, strong earthquakes are not uncommon. During the period from 2011 to 2014, several powerful earthquakes occurred here at once.
Administrative division
Administratively, the Solomon Islands is divided into 9 separate provinces. And the capital city of Honiara, although located on the island of Guadalcanal, is considered a special tenth administrative unit, the so-called Capital Territory.
1. Central province
2. Province of Choiseul
3.
4. Isabel Province
5. Makira-Ulawa Province
6. Province of Malaita
7. Province of Rennell and Bellona
8. Temotu Province
9. Province Western Province
Climate in the Solomon Islands
The climate in this island country is subequatorial and humid (all year round). The average air temperature is from +26 to +28 ° C. Although the seasons are not pronounced in the region, from November to April, the northwest equatorial monsoon brings slightly more rain than usual here, and sometimes storms occur during this period.
The best time to visit is during the summer months.
Population
The population of the Solomon Islands is 0.523 million people (2009). The average life expectancy for women is 76 years, for men - 71 years. Almost 94.5% of the population are Melanesians, 3% are Polynesians, and about 1.2% are Micronesians.
The official language in the Solomon Islands is English, however, only 1-2% of the population speaks it, and the English-based Creole language is used as the language of general communication - Pigeon of the Solomon Islands.
Almost 97% of the country's inhabitants are Christians (Catholics, Anglicans, Evangelicals and other Christians).
The island nation's currency is the Solomon Islands Dollar (SBD). One SBD equals 100 cents.
It was introduced into circulation only in 1977, before that the Australian dollar was the national currency. By the way, it is now accepted in many hotels in resorts.
Security
The situation with it is better than that of its neighbors in Papua New Guinea, but still the crime rate in the Solomon Islands is high. Traveling after dark is dangerous, especially on weekdays. Tourists are one of the main targets of local robbers, so we advise you to always be on the lookout, and not to carry large sums of money with you and not to display your jewelry.
It is also worth noting that there is a high ethnic tension in the country between the inhabitants of the largest islands of Guadalcanal and Malaitans, as well as between the indigenous people of all Solomon Islands and the Chinese, the latter are periodically "driven" here.
Malaria is the biggest public health problem in the Solomon Islands. Travelers should take antimalarial pills before, during and after their stay.
Saltwater crocodiles, also known as Saltwater Crocodiles, are fairly common on many of the country's islands. By the way, according to statistics, this is one of the most dangerous and aggressive large reptiles for humans. Dozens of cases of their attacks on people are recorded on the islands every year. They kill more people than shark attacks.
Last changes: 06.03.2014History of the Solomon Islands
According to the assumptions of archaeologists, the first settlers appeared in the Solomon Islands around 30,000 BC. e and they communicated in the Papuan languages. By the 40th century BC Aborigines speaking Austronesian languages arrived here, and the ancestors of the Polynesians arrived here between the 12th and 8th centuries BC.
The first European to set foot on the land of the Solomon Islands is the Spanish navigator A. Mendanha de Neira, who discovered them in 1568. He discovered gold from local aborigines, who, by the way, practicing cannibalism, and therefore decided to call these islands Solomon, thereby implying the "Golden Land of Solomon".
Over the next two centuries, Europeans did not get here anymore, and only in 1767 the British appeared here, as if reopening them.
Since the 1840s, European missionaries have been frequenting the Solomon Islands, trying to gain a foothold there, but they were unlucky here, the aborigines exterminated a significant part of the foreigners. Two decades later, merchants began to frequent the islands, and in 1893 Britain declared them its colony. At the beginning of the 20th century, British entrepreneurs were engaged in the cultivation of coconuts here, and the newly emerging missionaries actively converted the natives to Christianity.
During World War II, the islands were occupied by the Japanese, and more than once became the site of bloody battles between the Japanese occupiers and the countries of the Anti-Hitler coalition, which ended in 1945 with the victory of the latter.
And finally, in 1978 they became independent from Great Britain.
In 1998, tribal tensions increased sharply on the islands, resulting in a full-fledged Civil War with armed clashes. In 2003, to restore order, at the request of the Prime Minister of the country, help arrived here from neighboring countries, including Australia and New Zealand. They helped local police to restore order and disarm tribal militants.
In 2006, following the election of the prime minister, which was won by Snyder Rini, new unrest broke out in the country. They were caused by corruption in the highest echelons of power. In particular, the prime minister was charged with taking bribes from Chinese businessmen to buy votes from members of parliament. All this resulted in massive pogroms in the capital, Chinatown was destroyed, and China had to evacuate its citizens from the country by air. In the end, with the help of additional military and police forces, life in the country stabilized, a new prime minister was elected.
On April 2, 2007, the Solomon Islands experienced a strong 8 magnitude earthquake followed by a large tsunami - 10 meter waves destroyed about 900 houses and killed fifty people.
The latter, with the same magnitude of shocks of 8.0, was recorded here on February 6, 2013. By the way, it provoked a tsunami with a wave height of up to 2 meters.
Last changes: 06.03.2014How to get there
There is no direct flight between Russia and the Solomon Islands. Usually Russian tourists get here by plane through Australia, Fiji, Vanuatu or Papua New Guinea. This pleasure is not cheap, it is still very far, it would seem Australia is far from Russia, and this country is even further ~ 1500 km ...
The only international airport in the Solomon Islands is located in the same place and where the capital of the country is Honiara - on the large island of Guadalcanal, and is called Honiara International Airport.
Fly here:
- Nadi, Fiji, Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea
- Port Vila, Vanuatu
- Nadi, Fiji, Port Vila, Vanuatu
- Brisbane (Brisbane, Australia)
- operates international flights to Brisbane, Australia, as well as Nadi and Port Vila, plus many domestic flights to 25 regional airports in the Solomon Islands. It is the only domestic airline in the country.
You can also visit the Solomon Islands during a cruise on some cruise ship, they come here from time to time, although in this case the time of stay here will be limited, and given that the islands are scattered over a huge territory, it is close to the country in this case for sure do not meet.
Last changes: 06.03.2014In the south-west of the Pacific Ocean there is an extraordinary archipelago consisting of almost 1000 islands of various sizes. The Solomon Islands belongs to Melanesia. Their history dates back to the middle of the last millennium. The Spanish navigator A. Mendanha De Neira found the islands in 1568. It was here that the Spaniard managed to obtain a large amount of jewelry from the local inhabitants. The traveler gave the archipelago a name thanks to a mysterious country called Orif. It was there, according to the navigator, that King Solomon hid his jewelry.
After the traveler, these islands were forgotten, and only two centuries later, the Englishman F. Carteret discovered them again. It happened in 1767. But the Solomon Islands began to gain particular popularity after another hundred years. Moreover, they had not the best fame. The fact is that the Europeans began to develop the islands, but for the local tribes of the aborigines, the white people were a danger, so they killed them. At that time, the islands were considered the most dangerous in the Pacific Ocean.
At the end of the 19th century, the islands came under British rule. The British almost immediately began to create coconut plantations here. And during the Second World War, the Japanese began to rule over part of the archipelago. In those days, fierce battles took place here, which claimed the lives of a large number of people. Many ships have sunk in local waters. 1978 was a watershed year for the Solomon Islands. It was then that they gained independence.
Climate
The islands have a subequatorial climate. The weather is often hot and humid. The air temperature in summer often exceeds 30⁰C. Winter temperatures, on average, are kept at around 20⁰C.
In summer it is quite rainy and windy here. Hurricanes are common in these areas, but they are not as strong as in the East Pacific. The driest months for the islands are December - March.
Tourists prefer to visit the islands from early August to late November. During these months the weather is moderate, there is no heavy rain and not so hot. By the way, August is significant because this month the islands are full of numerous holidays and festivals.
Flora and fauna
Most of the territory is covered by dense equatorial forests. In dry areas, savannahs mainly grow, but the coasts have numerous mango forests, as well as swamps. In general, the flora of the islands is quite diverse. There are more than 4500 plant species here. Here you can meet numerous types of archideas and the rarest plants called sumai, nalato and many others.
The fauna of the Solomon Islands is also diverse. Here you can observe crocodiles, lizards, rats, snakes, etc. Among the birds, the most common species are parrots and wild pigeons. The fauna of these places is famous for the rarest giant butterflies.
The underwater world on the islands is beautiful and dangerous. Under the cover of water, you can find friendly dolphins and turtles, sharks and barracudas.
If we take the Solomon Islands as deposits, then the minerals here are copper, silver, gold and nickel. In general, the treasure of our days. In addition, the history of the origin of the islands was not without volcanoes. One of the islands has the highest point - Popomanaseu peak. It reaches over 2300 meters. Location - Guadalcanale Island.
sights
It is noteworthy that the Solomon Islands have a beautiful virgin nature, which not every island can boast today. Trying to leave nature untouched, practically nothing is being built here for tourist recreation.
The capital of the state of Honiara is usually the starting point of every traveler. Here you can look at the historical place for the Solomon Islands called Point Cruise. According to history, it was here that the discoverer of these islands, A. Mendanya, landed. A large cross is erected here in his honor.
In addition, the most visited places in the city are the Parliament, the National Museum, Chinatown, and the Botanical Gardens. Also not far from the islands are the famous Mataniko Falls. The water here falls directly into the cave. The spectacle is breathtaking.
In the lagoon of Marovo there is one of the main attractions of the country - World Heritage. This is perhaps the most extraordinary village visited by tourists on a regular basis. There is another interesting village on the territory of the islands called Nusambaruku. There are buildings traditional for this area. The village is isolated and can only be reached by boat, sailing along a narrow dam.
The famous Anarvon Islands are also popular with tourists. This is a whole group of islands. There are about 100 of them here and they are uninhabited. They became famous thanks to the rare turtles inhabited here.
Lodging
In the Solomon Islands, infrastructure is rather poorly developed. Tourists are rarely accepted here. The most developed cities in this regard are the large islands of Guizo, Ueli, Guadalcanal, and Mangalonga. The hotels and inns on these islands are quite chic, they include a swimming pool, tennis courts, etc. Housing prices here do not exceed $ 150 per day, but you can find much cheaper.
There are no hotels on the rarely visited islands, but you can also find accommodation here. Locals often rent apartments or rooms. The cost per room per day is on average 15 - 20 dollars.
Holidays in the Solomon Islands
The terrain in this archipelago is quite interesting and beautiful. Many tourists come here to plunge into the sea water of these islands. Here you can find sunken ships, wrecked planes, and the beauty of the coral reefs attracts to itself.
The most popular diving island is Guadalcanal. There are more than 50 ships at the bottom here. Some of them are located at a depth to which it is forbidden to descend, but this does not stop many extreme sportsmen. Diving in the Solomon Islands is so popular that it can be safely attributed to the most expensive local types of recreation. This pleasure costs an average of $ 60 here.
Fishing is an equally popular way of spending time on the islands. The archipelago is home to a wide variety of fish, which contributes to the appearance of numerous fishermen, both among tourists and among the locals. Many travel agencies also have small so-called fish tours in their program, where everyone can try themselves as a fisherman.
Holidays
The Solomon Islands attract tourists with their festivals, of which there are many. Every year on the second Friday of June, the state celebrates Queen's Day. On this holiday, police parades are held on the streets of cities, accompanied by dances. Also on this day, numerous sports competitions are held.
The most famous holiday in the state is Independence Day. It is celebrated every year on July 7th.
December was marked on the islands by the Festival of the Western Seas. On these days, fishermen competitions and canoe races are held here.
Security
People in this unusual state are very welcoming and friendly, however, like in any other country, pickpockets are not uncommon here. They are especially frequent in places where a large number of people accumulate.
Local settlements have their own customs and traditions, so it is worth knowing at least the most famous of them. The fact is that the inhabitants here are touchy and can misunderstand any, even the most harmless, gesture.
It is worth noting that diseases such as typhoid, malaria, hepatitis B, etc. are common in the Solomon Islands. Before going on a walk, it is worth getting vaccinated.
As you know, the local forests are inhabited by the most dangerous animals that can threaten not only health, but also life. Therefore, you should not go to the woods alone. This is best done only when accompanied by experienced guides.
Water in the Solomon Islands is also dangerous. You shouldn't eat it. Fruits and vegetables also need to be rinsed thoroughly. Be sure to cook meat and fish. Thus, the harmful substances will evaporate, after which they can be consumed.
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