Geography of the Solomon Islands explained

Solomon Islands is an island country in the South Pacific Ocean, that lies east of Papua New Guinea.

Islands

The major part of the nation of Solomon Islands is the mountainous volcanic islands of the Solomon Islands (archipelago), which includes Choiseul, the Shortland Islands, the New Georgia Islands, Santa Isabel, the Russell Islands, the Florida Islands, Tulagi, Malaita, Maramasike, Ulawa, Owaraha (Santa Ana), Makira (San Cristobal), and the main island of Guadalcanal. (The largest island in the archipelago is Bougainville, but it is politically an autonomous region of the neighbouring country of Papua New Guinea.) Solomon Islands also includes isolated low-lying atolls and volcanic islands such as Sikaiana, Rennell Island, Bellona Island, the Santa Cruz Islands and the remote, tiny outliers, Tikopia, Anuta, and Fatutaka.

The distance between the most western and most eastern islands is about 1500km (900miles). Especially the Santa Cruz Islands, north of Vanuatu, are isolated at more than 200km (100miles) from the other islands. The total land size is 29000km2.[1] [2] It has the 22nd largest Exclusive Economic Zone of 1589477km2.

Geology and ecology

See also: Protected areas of Solomon Islands and Coral reefs of the Solomon Islands. Volcanoes with varying degrees of activity are situated on some of the larger islands, while many of the smaller islands are simply tiny atolls covered in sand and palm trees.

The baseline survey of marine biodiversity in the Solomon Islands that was carried out in 2004,[3] found 474 species of corals in the Solomons as well as nine species which could be new to science. This is the second highest diversity of corals in the World, second only to the Raja Ampat Islands in eastern Indonesia.[4]

Climate

The climate is tropical, though temperatures are rarely extreme due to cooling winds blowing off the surrounding seas. Daytime temperatures are normally 25C32C. From April to October (the dry season), the southeast trade winds blow, gusting at times up to 30kn or more.

November to March is the wet season - the northwest monsoon - typically warmer and wetter. Cyclones arise in the Coral Sea and the area of the Solomon Islands, but they usually veer toward Vanuatu and New Caledonia or down the coast of Australia.

Climate data

Statistics

Geographic coordinates

-8°N 159°W

Area:
total:29000km2[5] [6]
land:27986km2
water:1014km2

Coastline: 5,313 km

Maritime claims:
Measured from claimed archipelagic baselines
continental shelf:  200-1NaN-1
exclusive economic zone:  1589477km2 (200 nmi)
territorial sea:   120NaN0

Terrain: Mostly rugged mountains with some low coral atolls

Elevation extremes:
lowest point:Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point:Mount Popomanaseu 2332m (7,651feet) (not Mount Makarakomburu)

Natural resources: fish, forests, gold, bauxite, phosphates, lead, zinc, nickel

Land use:
arable land:0.62%
permanent crops:2.04%
other:97.34% (2005)

Irrigated land: NA

Natural hazards: Tropical cyclones, heavy rain, floods, tsunamis; earthquakes; volcanic activity

Environment – current issues: Deforestation; soil erosion; much of the surrounding coral reefs are dead or dying

Environment – international agreements:
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Environmental Modification, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Whaling

Extreme points

This is a list of the extreme points of Solomon Islands, the points that are farther north, south, east or west than any other location.

See also

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Solomon Islands: Geography . CIA Factbook . 25 July 2023.
  2. Web site: Solomon Islands country profile . BBC News . 17 October 2023 . 17 October 2023.
  3. Turak, E. with Green, A., P. Lokani, W. Atu, P. Ramohia, P. Thomas and J. Almany (eds.). . Solomon Islands Marine Assessment: Technical report of survey conducted May 13 to June 17, 2004. TNC Pacific Island Countries Report No. 1/06 . DC: World Resources Institute . 2006. 65–109. 31 March 2021.
  4. Doubilet, David (2007). Ultra Marine: In far eastern Indonesia, the Raja Ampat islands embrace a phenomenal coral wilderness. National Geographic, September 2007. Originally retrieved from http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/2007/09/indonesia/doubilet-text. Archived on 2008-04-09 at https://web.archive.org/web/20080409084522/http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/2007/09/indonesia/doubilet-text.
  5. Web site: Solomon Islands: Geography . CIA Factbook . 25 July 2023.
  6. Web site: Solomon Islands country profile . BBC News . 17 October 2023 . 17 October 2023.