Tag Archives: Study in Solomon Islands

Located in the western Pacific, Solomon Islands is part of the Melanesian area, SE of New Guinea; includes the islands of the archipelago of the same name (with the exception of the northwestern ones: Bougainville, Buka and numerous smaller islets, which are part of Papua New Guinea), the atolls of Rennell and Ontong Java, the islands of Santa Cruz, Duff, Reef and other minor ones. The Solomons owe their particular name to the large amount of gold discovered by the first explorer who compared this marvelous fortune to that of the famous biblical king. The first to inhabit this enchanting archipelago were groups of navigators-merchants from the Fiji Islands. They lived in a tribal society until the arrival of the English conquerors in the 19th century. In 1893 the country became a British protectorate until independence, proclaimed in 1978. In 1997 the islands were the protagonists of violent ethnic clashes, until in June 2003 a multinational force led by Australia, the RAMSI (Regional Assistance Mission to Solomon Islands), managed to disarm the ethnic militias by restoring peace. According to COUNTRYAAH, Solomon Islands is a nation in Melanesia, the capital city of which is Honiara. The latest population of Solomon Islands is 686,895.

THE STATE
The Solomon Islands are an independent constitutional monarchy within the Commonwealth; head of state is the British sovereign, who is represented by a governor general and exercises executive power together with the Council of Ministers, appointed by the governor at the suggestion of the prime minister, while the legislative one belongs to the unicameral Parliament, elected for 4 years by universal suffrage and direct. The system of law is based on the Common Law British; international jurisdiction is not accepted. Justice is administered through courts of first instance, appellate courts and the High Court which represents the highest instance. The country has no organized armed forces system, except for a police force. Education is not compulsory: the impulse towards extending schooling took place only after independence; the illiteracy rate is in fact still very high (23.4% in 2003) but, also as a consequence of state interventions, there is a constant decrease. Primary school starts at 7 and lasts for 6 years. The secondary one, on the other hand, lasts 5 years. Higher secondary schools include teaching institutes and technical institutes. In 1987 the University of Honiara was founded, a branch of the University of the South Pacific. In the country there are also other professional and technical higher education centers, managed by the Church.

GEOGRAPHY
The islands stretch out on a double festoon for approx. 800 km from the Strait of Bougainville to the island of San Cristobal; the main ones are, from N to S, Choiseul, Santa Isabel, New Georgia, Malaita, Guadalcanal and San Cristobal. Of mostly volcanic origin (some are coral, such as Ontong Java atoll), the Solomons are rugged and mountainous, culminating at 2447 m in Mount Makarakomburu, on the island of Guadalcanal. The climate is equatorial, hot and very rainy, on average with over 3000 mm of precipitation per year, but with values ​​of up to 7000 mm per year on the mountain slopes directly affected by the trade winds. of SE. The islands are frequently subject to volcanic and seismic activity: in April 2007 a violent underwater earthquake and the consequent tsunami caused serious damage.