Soloman Islands

Scattered with WWII relics

An island for eco-tourists with volcanic islands that jut up dramatically from the cobalt blue ocean, croc-infested mangroves, huge lagoons, tropical islets and emerald forests and no luxury hotels. Solomon Islands is a sovereign country consisting of a large number of islands in Oceania lying to the east of Papua New Guinea and northwest of Vanuatu. The country's capital, Honiara, is on the island of Guadalcanal. In 1568, the Spanish navigator Álvaro de Mendaña was the first European to visit the islands, naming them the Islas Salomón. By 1893, the United Kingdom had established a protectorate over the territory. During the Second World War, the Solomon Islands campaign (1942–1945) saw fierce fighting between the United States and the Empire of Japan, of note is the Battle of Guadalcanal. The official name of the then British territory was changed from "the British Solomon Islands Protectorate" to "Solomon Islands" in 1975. Self- government was achieved in 1976. Independence was obtained two years later. Today, Solomon Islands is a constitutional monarchy with the Queen of Solomon Islands, currently Queen Elizabeth II, as its head of state.

Solomon Islands

Solomon Islands should not be confused with the Solomon Islands archipelago, which is a collection of Melanesian islands that includes Solomon Islands and Bougainville Island (part of Papua New Guinea), but excludes the nation's outlying islands, such as the Santa Cruz group.