People and Society of Solomon Islands

Nationality

Solomon Islander(s)

Ethnic Groups

Melanesian 93%, Polynesian 4%, Micronesian 1.5%, European 0.8%, Chinese 0.3%, other 0.4%

Population

609,794

Population in Major Urban Areas

HONIARA (capital) 68,000

Hospitals and pharmacies in Solomon Islands are limited to populated areas and religious missions. The nearest reliable medical facilities are in Australia or New Zealand. There is a hyperbaric recompression chamber in Honiara at the In-the-Zone Medical Centre, phone (677) 23485 or (677) 23482; however, medical conditions resulting from diving accidents may require medical evacuation to Australia or New Zealand. Serious medical treatment requiring hospitalization and/or medical evacuation to Australia, New Zealand, or the United States can cost thousands of dollars. Doctors and hospitals often expect immediate cash payment for health services. If you anticipate the possible need for medical treatment in Australia, obtain entry permission for Australia in advance. Entry permission for Australia can be granted by the Australian High Commission in Honiara but is easier to obtain before you leave the United States (see section above on Entry/Exit Requirements). Malaria occurs throughout the year in most areas of Solomon Islands. We recommend that you seek medical advice on taking prophylaxis against malaria and that you use an insect repellent at all times. Outbreaks of the mosquito-borne illness, dengue fever, occur from time to time. For information on dengue fever, see the World Health Organization Factsheet. Water-borne, food-borne, parasitic, and other infectious diseases (including hepatitis, tuberculosis, filariasis and sexually transmitted infections) are prevalent, with more serious outbreaks occurring from time to time. We encourage you to consider having vaccinations before traveling. We advise you to boil all drinking water or drink bottled water, and avoid ice cubes and raw and undercooked food. Seek medical advice if you have a fever or are suffering from diarrhea.

Literacy Definition

NA

• Anglican45.0%
• Roman Catholic18.0%
• United (Methodist/Presbyterian)12.0%
• Baptist9.0%
• Seventh-Day Adventist7.0%
• other Protestant5.0%
• indigenous beliefs4.0%

Melanesian pidgin in much of the country is lingua franca; English is official but spoken by only 1%-2% of the population.

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.

• Melanesian pidgin

Crime Information

Petty theft is common in some parts of Solomon Islands, so take extra care while walking the streets, going to the market, or going out at night. Guided or group tours are generally safer than traveling alone. Landowners may demand money if you enter their land without permission. Home invasions, burglaries, and violent crime typically increase in the months approaching the Christmas holiday season. Gang-based criminal activity has increased in and around the Burns Creek area in East Honiara and in the Borderline area, which is close to the Japanese WWII memorial. You should not go alone to the Japanese memorial . Use caution when shopping in the central market area as purse and mobile phone snatching is common. Police have established a post at the Market area where you can report crimes. Yacht-related robberies have increased. The perpetrators—usually armed with knives and clubs—board yachts at night while the occupants are asleep and steal valuables and money. Most criminals are not deterred even when boats are anchored off-shore. Don’t buy counterfeit and pirated goods, even if they are widely available. Not only are the bootlegs illegal in the United States, you may be breaking local law too. Every care should be given when purchasing pharmaceuticals. There are no guarantees that the medicines you purchase in Solomon Islands are genuine.

Criminal Penalties

While you are traveling in another country, you are subject to its laws. U.S. laws don’t apply, and your U.S. passport won’t help you if you do something illegal overseas. Foreign laws, legal systems, and criminal penalties can be vastly different than those in the United States. There are also some things that might be legal in the country you visit, but still illegal in the United States. Engaging in sexual conduct with children or using or disseminating child pornography in a foreign country is a crime prosecutable in the United States. Based on the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations, bilateral agreements, and customary international law, if you are arrested in Solomon Islands, you have the option to request that the police, prison officials, or other authorities alert the nearest U.S. embassy of your arrest. You may also request to have communications from you forwarded to the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate.