Solomon Islands

Solomon Islands
Status	Independent State
Social and Moral Index	177th best
Capital	Honiara
Land Area	27 990km21
Location	Australasia, Melanesia
Groupings	Small Islands
Population	0.7m2
Life Expectancy	70.35yrs (2017)3
GNI	$2 482 (2017)4
ISO3166-1 Codes	SB, SLB, 905
Internet Domain	.sb6
Currency	Dollar (SBD)7
Telephone	+6778

1. Overview
2. Solomon Islands National and Social Development
3. Solomon Islands's Demographics and Migration
4. Solomon Islands's Human Rights, Equality & Tolerance
   1. Human Rights & Tolerance Datasets
   2. Gender Equality Datasets
   3. Prejudice Datasets
5. Solomon Islands's Health
   1. Health Datasets
   2. Children's Health Datasets
6. Solomon Islands's Responsibility Towards The Environment
7. Solomon Islands's Modernity and Learning
   1. Education Datasets
   2. Technology and Information Datasets
8. Solomon Islands's Culture, Peace and Inequality
   1. National Culture Datasets
   2. Economic Inequality and Poverty Datasets
9. Religion and Beliefs
10. Links

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1. Overview

“First settled by the French in the early 17th century, the islands represent the sole remaining vestige of France's once vast North American possessions.”

CIA's The World Factbook (2013)₉

“For those seeking an authentic Melanesian experience or an off-the-beaten-track destination, the Solomons are hard to beat. From WWII relics scattered in the jungle to leaf-hut villages where traditional culture is alive, the Solomon Islands has so much on offer.

Then there´s the visual appeal, with scenery reminiscent of a Discovery Channel documentary: volcanic islands that jut up dramatically from the cobalt-blue ocean, croc-infested mangroves, huge lagoons, tropical islets and emerald forests.

Don´t expect white-sand beaches, ritzy resorts and wild nightlife - the Solomon Islands is not a beach-holiday destination. With only a smattering of traditional guesthouses and comfortable hideaways, it´s tailor-made for ecotourists.

For outdoorsy types, lots of action-packed experiences can easily be organised: climb an extinct volcano, surf uncrowded waves, snorkel pristine reefs or kayak across a lagoon. Beneath the ocean´s surface, unbeatable diving adventures await. The best part is, there´ll be no crowds to mar the experience.”

"The World" by Lonely Planet (2014)₁₀

2. Solomon Islands National and Social Development

#economics #human_development #wealth

UN HDI (2021)11
Pos.		Higher is better Value11
1	Switzerland	0.962
2	Norway	0.961
3	Iceland	0.959
	...
152	Kenya	0.575
153	Congo, (Brazzaville)	0.571
154	Zambia	0.565
155	Solomon Islands	0.564
156=	Comoros	0.558
156=	Papua New Guinea	0.558
158	Mauritania	0.556
159	Ivory Coast	0.550
	Australasia Avg	0.70
	World Avg	0.72
q=191.

Gross National Income Per-Capita (2021)11
Pos.		Higher is better PPP $11
1	Liechtenstein	$146 830
2	Singapore	$90 919
3	Qatar	$87 134
	...
166	Haiti	$2 848
167	Lesotho	$2 700
168	Tanzania	$2 664
169	Solomon Islands	$2 482
170	Guinea	$2 481
171	Ethiopia	$2 361
172	Rwanda	$2 210
173	Uganda	$2 181
	Australasia Avg	$12 519
	World Avg	$20 136
q=193.

Social & Moral Development Index12
Pos.		Lower is better Avg Rank12
1	Denmark	26.9
2	Norway	29.1
3	Sweden	29.9
	...
174	Ethiopia	120.5
175	Niger	120.5
176	Nauru	120.6
177	Solomon Islands	121.0
178	Guinea-Bissau	121.1
179	Zimbabwe	121.8
180	Marshall Islands	123.1
181	Guinea	123.2
	Australasia Avg	95.6
	World Avg	89.0
q=200.

The United Nations produces an annual Human Development Report which includes the Human Development Index. The factors taken into account include life expectancy, education and schooling and Gross National Income (GNI) amongst many others..

The Social and Moral Development Index concentrates on moral issues and human rights, violence, public health, equality, tolerance, freedom and effectiveness in climate change mitigation and environmentalism, and on some technological issues. A country scores higher for achieving well in those areas, and for sustaining that achievement in the long term. Those countries towards the top of this index can truly said to be setting good examples and leading humankind onwards into a bright, humane, and free future. See: Which are the Best Countries in the World? The Social and Moral Development Index.

3. Solomon Islands's Demographics and Migration

#birth_control #demographics #fertility #health #immigration #life_expectancy #longevity #migration #overpopulation #population #yemen

Population Datasets:

The Solomon Islands's population is predicted to rise to 841 161 by 2030. This country has a fertility rate of 3.93. The fertility rate is, in simple terms, the average amount of children that each woman has. The higher the figure, the quicker the population will grow, although, to calculate the rate you also need to take into account morbidity - the rate at which people die. If people live healthy and long lives and morbidity is low, then, 2.0 approximates to the replacement rate (two new children for each set of parents who die), which would keep the population stable. If all countries had such a fertility rate, population growth would end. The actual replacement rate in most developed countries is around 2.1, once you take mortality into account₁₃. The highest fertility rate ever detected in a single year was in Yemen in 1985, at 8.86.₁₄

Population2
Pos.		2018 Population2
1	China	1.4b
2	India	1.4b
3	USA	327.1m
	...
160	Comoros	0.8m
161	Guyana	0.8m
162	Bhutan	0.8m
163	Solomon Islands	0.7m
164	Montenegro	0.6m
165	Luxembourg	0.6m
166	Suriname	0.6m
167	Cape Verde	0.5m
	World Avg	39.0m
q=195.

Life Expectancy Higher is better11
Pos.		2021 Years11
1	Monaco	85.9
2	Hong Kong	85.5
3	Japan	84.8
	...
112	Belize	70.5
113	Vanuatu	70.4
114	Iraq	70.4
115	Solomon Islands	70.3
116	Suriname	70.3
117	Paraguay	70.3
118	Egypt	70.2
119	Mexico	70.2
	World Avg	71.28
q=195. Also scored for 1990s-2010s.

Fertility Rate 2.0 is best15
Pos.		202215
1	US Virgin Islands	2.00
2	Ecuador	2.00
3	Nepal	2.01
	...
175	Samoa	3.88
176	Sierra Leone	3.88
177	Comoros	3.91
178=	Solomon Islands	3.93
178=	Guinea-Bissau	3.93
180	Liberia	4.02
181	Ethiopia	4.06
182	Congo, (Brazzaville)	4.10
	World Avg	2.47
q=208. Also scored for 1960s-2010s.

Old-Age Dependency Ratio Lower is better16
Pos.		2016 Per 10016
1	Uganda	04.3
2	Mali	04.5
3=	Chad	04.7
	...
44=	Mauritania	06.8
44=	Kuwait	06.8
46=	Congo, (Brazzaville)	07.0
46=	Solomon Islands	07.0
46=	Rwanda	07.0
49	Namibia	07.4
50=	Botswana	07.7
50=	UAE	07.7
	World Avg	18.3
q=185.

• The Population of the Earth
• Abortion, Birth Control and Contraception

Migration Datasets:

Immigrants17
Pos.		2017 %17
1	UAE	88.4%
2	Kuwait	75.5%
3	Qatar	65.2%
	...
172	Guatemala	0.5%
173	Cambodia	0.5%
174	Honduras	0.4%
175	Solomon Islands	0.4%
176	Papua New Guinea	0.4%
177	India	0.4%
178	Afghanistan	0.4%
179	Haiti	0.4%
	World Avg	9.4%
q=195.

Emigrants18
Pos.		2010 %18
1	Dominica	104.8%
2	Palestine	68.4%
3	Samoa	67.3%
	...
173	Kenya	1.1%
174	Indonesia	1.1%
175	Myanmar	1.0%
176	Solomon Islands	1.0%
177	India	0.9%
178	Papua New Guinea	0.9%
179	USA	0.8%
180	Namibia	0.7%
	World Avg	11.5%
q=192.

4. Solomon Islands's Human Rights, Equality & Tolerance

#equality #freedom #freethought #gender_equality #homosexuality #human_rights #international_law #morals #politics #prejudice #religious_tolerance #tolerance #women

Compared to Australasia (2025)19
Pos.		Lower is better Avg Rank19
1	New Zealand	18.9
2	Australia	22.1
3	Micronesia	59.3
	...
6	Tuvalu	83.8
7	Nauru	89.3
8	Fiji	89.5
9	Palau	91.4
10	Samoa	98.2
11	Tonga	101.0
12	Marshall Islands	102.9
13	Papua New Guinea	108.8
14	Solomon Islands	119.1
	Australasia Avg	79.23
q=14.

Human Rights, Equality & Tolerance (2025)19
Pos.		Lower is better Avg Rank19
1	Sweden	7.8
2	Netherlands	8.7
3	Denmark	8.8
	...
147	Guinea-Bissau	115.8
148	Malaysia	117.2
149	Jordan	118.6
150	Solomon Islands	119.1
151	Uganda	119.2
152	Liberia	119.3
153	Niger	119.6
154	Togo	120.5
	World Avg	89.80
q=199.

The best countries in the world at ensuring human rights, fostering equality and promoting tolerance, are Sweden, The Netherlands and Denmark₂₀. These countries are displaying the best traits that humanity has to offer. The worst countries are Somalia, Eritrea and Saudi Arabia₂₀.

31 datasets are used to calculate points for each country, including multiple decades of data on supporting press freedom, combatting modern slavery, supporting personal, civil & economic freedoms, its average Freedom in the World rating, commentary in Human Rights Watch reports, its nominal commitment to Human Rights, speed of uptake of HR treaties, opposing gender inequality, the rate of gender bias (from 7 indicators), the year from which women could participate in democracy, its success in fighting anti-semitic prejudice, LGBT equality and freethought. The regions with the best average results per country are Scandinavia, Baltic States and Europe₂₀, whereas the worst are The Middle East, Africa and Asia₂₀.

For more, see:

• " Which are the Best Countries for Human Rights, Equality and Tolerance?" by Vexen Crabtree (2025).

4.1. Human Rights & Tolerance Datasets

#freedom #human_rights #international_law #politics

Freedom in the World Lower is better
Pos.		2024 Score
1=	Norway	1.0
1=	Canada	1.0
1=	Cape Verde	1.0
	...
76=	Timor-Leste (E. Timor)	2.5
76=	Senegal	2.5
76=	Israel	2.5
76=	Solomon Islands	2.5
76=	Colombia	2.5
76=	Nauru	2.5
76=	Lesotho	2.5
76=	Namibia	2.5
	Australasia Avg	1.8
	World Avg	3.7
q=205. Also scored for 1970s-2010s.

Nominal Commitment to HR Higher is better21
Pos.		2009 Treaties21
1	Argentina	24
2=	Chile	23
2=	Costa Rica	23
	...
154=	Zimbabwe	11
155=	Saudi Arabia	10
155=	Laos	10
155=	Solomon Islands	10
155=	Qatar	10
155=	Vatican City	10
155=	India	10
155=	Fiji	10
	Australasia Avg	8.7
	World Avg	15.1
q=194.

HR Treaties Lag Lower is better22
Pos.		2019 Avg Yrs/Treaty22
1	Ecuador	2.15
2	Uruguay	2.25
3	Tunisia	3.65
	...
186	Micronesia	15.55
187	Somalia	15.71
188	Kiribati	15.80
189	Solomon Islands	15.81
190	Nauru	16.16
191	Sao Tome & Principe	16.17
192	Tuvalu	16.33
193	Palau	16.34
	Australasia Avg	14.35
	World Avg	10.02
q=195.

4.2. Gender Equality Datasets

#gender_equality #human_rights #politics #women

See:

• "Religion Versus Womankind" by Vexen Crabtree (2007)

Year Women Can Vote Lower is better
Pos.		Total Year
1	New Zealand	1893
2	Australia	1902
3	Finland	1906
	...
162=	San Marino	1973
162=	Andorra	1973
164=	Jordan	1974
164=	Solomon Islands	1974
166=	Sao Tome & Principe	1975
166=	Cape Verde	1975
166=	Angola	1975
166=	Mozambique	1975
	Australasia Avg	1962
	World Avg	1930
q=189.

4.3. Prejudice Datasets

#freethought #homosexuality #religious_tolerance

LGBT Equality in the 2020s Higher is better23
Pos.		Total Score23
1=	Germany	4.88
1=	Spain	4.88
3	Portugal	4.81
	...
171=	Kenya	-4.87
171=	St Vincent & Grenadines	-4.87
171=	Jamaica	-4.87
174	Solomon Islands	-4.88
175=	Tanzania	-5.00
175=	Tunisia	-5.00
177	Morocco	-5.02
178	Ethiopia	-5.04
	Australasia Avg	-0.93
	World Avg	-1.21
q=215. Also scored for 1970s-2020s.

Penal Code criminalizes male same-sex acts. ILGA researchers in 2017 found that Solomon Islands had no legal protections against anti-LGBT discrimination.

Freedom of Thought Lower is better24
Pos.		202124
1=	Belgium	1.0
1=	Taiwan	1.0
1=	Netherlands	1.0
	...
140=	Guyana	3.5
140=	Nicaragua	3.5
140=	Papua New Guinea	3.5
140=	Solomon Islands	3.5
140=	Kazakhstan	3.5
140=	Suriname	3.5
146=	Angola	3.7
146=	Uzbekistan	3.7
	Australasia Avg	2.6
	World Avg	3.0
q=196.

5. Solomon Islands's Health

#alcohol #birth_control #demographics #health #life_expectancy #longevity #obesity #overpopulation #parenting #population #smoking #solomon_islands #vaccines

Compared to Australasia (2025)25
Pos.		Lower is better Avg Rank25
1	Australia	60.4
2	New Zealand	65.0
3	New Caledonia	68.1
	...
9	Tuvalu	118.6
10	Vanuatu	122.4
11	Guam	122.6
12	Solomon Islands	122.9
13	Samoa	124.2
14	Micronesia	126.6
15	Cook Islands	127.5
16=	Nauru	136.0
16=	Kiribati	136.0
	Australasia Avg	112.00
q=19.

Health (2025)25
Pos.		Lower is better Avg Rank25
1	Monaco	10.3
2	Liechtenstein	30.1
3	Japan	37.3
	...
150	Vanuatu	122.4
151	Guam	122.6
152	Gambia	122.7
153	Solomon Islands	122.9
154	Syria	124.1
155	Samoa	124.2
156	Timor-Leste (E. Timor)	124.9
157	Zimbabwe	125.0
	World Avg	97.57
q=207.

The countries with the best overall approach to public health, in terms of both public policy and individual lifestyle choices, are Monaco, Liechtenstein and Japan₂₆. These countries are worth emulating. And, although often through no fault of the average citizen, the worst countries are Angola, Somalia and S. Sudan₂₆.

42 datasets are used to calculate points for each country, including multiple decades of data on its average life expectancy, its alcohol consumption rate, its fertility rate, its smoking rate, its suicide rate, its food aid and health contributions and WHO compliance, the prevalence of overweight adults, obesity rate, its adolescent birth rate, delivery rate of infant DTP immunizations, delivery rate of 7x Infant Immunizations 2011-2015 and childhood mortality. The regions with the best average results per country are Scandinavia, Europe and The Mediterranean₂₆, whereas the worst are Africa, Micronesia and Melanesia₂₆.

For more, see:

• "Countries With the Healthiest Cultures and Health Policies" by Vexen Crabtree (2025).

5.1. Health Datasets

#alcohol #birth_control #demographics #health #life_expectancy #longevity #obesity #overpopulation #smoking #solomon_islands

The Solomon Islands has some poor policies and cultural issues which cause some public health problems. The Solomon Islands does better than average for its alcohol consumption rate₂₇, delivery rate of 7x Infant Immunizations 2011-2015₂₈ and in the prevalence of overweight adults₂₉ (one of the lowest in Australasia). But that's it. The Solomon Islands has problems. It does worse than average in delivery rate of infant DTP immunizations in the 2020s₃₀, its average life expectancy₁₁, childhood mortality in the 2020s₃₁, its adolescent birth rate₃₂ (amongst the highest in Australasia) and in its fertility rate₁₅ (amongst the highest in Australasia). And finally, it falls into the worst 20 in its smoking rate₃₃. The number of overweight adults has increased by 14% between 1976 and 2016. Life expectancy in the Solomon Islands improved by +5yrs in the 30 years from 1990, less than the global average of +7.9yrs. The Solomon Islands's peak fertility rate was 7.13 in 1974.

Life Expectancy Higher is better11
Pos.		2021 Years11
1	Monaco	85.9
2	Hong Kong	85.5
3	Japan	84.8
	...
112	Belize	70.5
113	Vanuatu	70.4
114	Iraq	70.4
115	Solomon Islands	70.3
116	Suriname	70.3
117	Paraguay	70.3
118	Egypt	70.2
119	Mexico	70.2
	Australasia Avg	70.11
	World Avg	71.28
q=195. Also scored for 1990s-2010s.

Alcohol Consumption Lower is better27
Pos.		2016 Per Capita27
1	Bangladesh	0.0
2	Kuwait	0.0
3	Libya	0.0
	...
31=	Eritrea	1.3
31=	Guinea	1.3
31=	Mali	1.3
34	Solomon Islands	1.4
35=	Tonga	1.5
35=	Lebanon	1.5
37	Chad	1.6
38	Tuvalu	1.7
	Australasia Avg	4.3
	World Avg	6.2
q=189.

Fertility Rate 2.0 is best15
Pos.		202215
1	US Virgin Islands	2.00
2	Ecuador	2.00
3	Nepal	2.01
	...
175	Samoa	3.88
176	Sierra Leone	3.88
177	Comoros	3.91
178=	Solomon Islands	3.93
178=	Guinea-Bissau	3.93
180	Liberia	4.02
181	Ethiopia	4.06
182	Congo, (Brazzaville)	4.10
	Australasia Avg	2.82
	World Avg	2.47
q=208. Also scored for 1960s-2010s.

Smoking in the 2020s Lower is better33
Pos.		Total %33
1	Nigeria	3.3%
2	Ghana	3.4%
3	Panama	5.2%
	...
153=	Cyprus	35.6%
154	Bosnia & Herzegovina	36.2%
155	Andorra	36.2%
156	Solomon Islands	36.9%
157	Croatia	37.0%
158	Indonesia	38.2%
159	Timor-Leste (E. Timor)	38.8%
160	Bulgaria	39.5%
	Australasia Avg	29.2%
	World Avg	20.0%
q=165. Also scored for 2000s-2020s.

Overweight Adults Lower is better29
Pos.		1976 %29
1	Bangladesh	4.7
2	Vietnam	5.1
3	Nepal	5.4
	...
77	Honduras	25.5
78	Antigua & Barbuda	25.8
79=	St Vincent & Grenadines	25.9
79=	Solomon Islands	25.9
81	Grenada	26.2
82	Papua New Guinea	26.3
83	Tajikistan	26.4
84	Uzbekistan	27.1
	Australasia Avg	48.8
	World Avg	27.1
q=191.

Adult Obesity Lower is better34
Pos.		2022 %34
1	Vietnam	2.1%
2	Timor-Leste (E. Timor)	2.2%
3	Ethiopia	2.4%
	...
83	Mauritania	20.8%
84	Montenegro	21.1%
85	Italy	21.6%
86	Solomon Islands	21.6%
87	Pakistan	21.8%
88	Belgium	22.0%
89	Morocco	22.1%
90	Slovenia	22.2%
	Australasia Avg	49.3%
	World Avg	24.7%
q=199. Also scored for 1990s-2010s.

5.2. Children's Health Datasets

#children's_health #health #parenting #population #vaccines

Adolescent Birth Rate Lower is better32
Pos.		2022 Per 100032
1	Hong Kong	1.6
2	Denmark	1.8
3	S. Korea	2.1
	...
134	Belize	56.6
135	Marshall Islands	57.5
136	Colombia	57.6
137	Solomon Islands	59.4
138	Gambia	60.7
139	S. Africa	60.9
140	Iraq	61.2
141	Ecuador	62.1
	Australasia Avg	40.2
	World Avg	43.8
q=195. Also scored for 1990s-2010s.

Infant DTP Immunizations (2020s) Higher is better30
Pos.		Total Avg %30
1=	Luxembourg	99.0
1=	Oman	99.0
1=	Niue	99.0
	...
109=	Sao Tome & Principe	91.9
109=	Sierra Leone	91.9
111	Bonaire	91.8
112=	Solomon Islands	91.6
112=	Bahamas	91.6
112=	New Zealand	91.6
112=	Zambia	91.6
112=	Lithuania	91.6
	Australasia Avg	90.0
	World Avg	88.5
q=211. Also scored for 1980s-2020s.

7x Infant Immunizations (2011-2015) Higher is better28
Pos.		2015 Avg %28
1=	Hungary	99.0
1=	China	99.0
3	Uzbekistan	98.9
	...
73	Eritrea	94.7
74	Singapore	94.6
75	UK	94.6
76	Solomon Islands	94.5
77	Norway	94.3
78	Bolivia	94.2
79=	UAE	94.0
79=	Bangladesh	94.0
	Australasia Avg	86.4
	World Avg	88.3
q=194.

Infant Mortality (2020s) Lower is better31
Pos.		Total Per 100031
1	San Marino	2.11
2	Finland	2.59
3	Luxembourg	2.60
	...
116	Kyrgyzstan	23.23
117	Egypt	23.97
118	Morocco	24.53
119	Solomon Islands	25.13
120	Sao Tome & Principe	25.19
121	Algeria	25.38
122	Tuvalu	26.76
123	Indonesia	28.24
	Australasia Avg	25.09
	World Avg	32.19
q=195. Also scored for 1960s-2020s.

6. Solomon Islands's Responsibility Towards The Environment

#animal_rights #animal_welfare #australia #biodiversity #climate_change #deforestation #diet #environmentalism #food #health #internationalism #malaysia #meat #over-exploitation #solomon_islands #the_environment #tikopia #USA #veganism #vegetarianism

Compared to Australasia (2025)35
Pos.		Lower is better Avg Rank35
1	New Zealand	75.8
2	Australia	76.6
3	Fiji	89.1
	...
8	Kiribati	111.4
9	Micronesia	114.6
10	Cook Islands	119.6
11	Solomon Islands	121.6
12	Marshall Islands	123.1
13	Palau	124.5
14	Tuvalu	127.4
15	Niue	129.5
16	Nauru	134.4
	Australasia Avg	93.28
q=16.

Responsibility Towards The Environment (2025)35
Pos.		Lower is better Avg Rank35
1	Sri Lanka	34.9
2	Uruguay	43.2
3	Switzerland	45.0
	...
180	Cook Islands	119.6
181	Libya	121.4
182	Zimbabwe	121.5
183	Solomon Islands	121.6
184	Marshall Islands	123.1
185	Palau	124.5
186	Grenada	125.0
187	Tuvalu	127.4
	World Avg	84.93
q=199.

We have known for a long term that we must protect the environment from habitation destruction, over-exploitation, pollution, and the emissions that cause climate change. In 1998, Greenpeace wrote that "Environment can no longer be meaningfully separated from health, quality of life, democracy, education, economy or trade"₃₆. What countries have been doing the right thing, via legislation and national culture? All countries' current and historical approach towards the environment is gauged via 21 datasets, including multiple decades of data on its forested percent change 2000-2020, its environmental performance, energy to GDP efficiency, its sign-up rate to major international accords on protecting the environment, the rate of rational beliefs on the environment in the population, reducing annual meat consumption per person and its score on the Green Future Index.

The countries that do the best (Sri Lanka, Uruguay and Switzerland) tend to have avoided the excesses of early industrial countries, and have not yet repeated the same mistakes of environmental destruction - at least, not on the same scale. The regions with the best average results per country are Central America, South America and Scandinavia. The worst are Eritrea, The Vatican City and Timor-Leste (E. Timor), and the worst regions Micronesia, Australasia and Melanesia.

For more, see:

• "Countries With the Best Environmental Records" by Vexen Crabtree (2025).

In terms of its responsibility towards the environment, the Solomon Islands comes 17th-worst in the world. This rank is computed from 21 data sets. The Solomon Islands does better than average in terms of reducing annual meat consumption per person₃₇ (the lowest in Australasia). When it comes to most other metrics, The Solomon Islands does not do well. It does worse than average for its forested percent change 2000-2020₃₈ and in its environmental performance₃₉ (one of the lowest in Australasia). And finally, it falls into the worst 20 when it comes to its sign-up rate to major international accords on protecting the environment.

Forest Area Change 2000-2020 Higher is better38
Pos.		Total38
1	Guernsey	82.6%
2	Bahrain	75.2%
3	Iceland	64.7%
	...
138	Finland	-0.2%
139	Canada	-0.3%
140	Guadeloupe	-0.5%
141	Solomon Islands	-0.6%
142	Western Sahara	-0.6%
143	Mongolia	-0.6%
144	Sweden	-0.7%
145	Gabon	-0.7%
	Australasia Avg	0.1%
	World Avg	-0.1%
q=234.

The world took notice of the large-scale deforestation and logging that was taking place in the Solomon Islands; in the 1990s Greenpeace began a long local campaign, pushing for more sustainable practices, such as Ecotimber, with the Solomon Islands Development Trust (SIDT) - it helped villagers harvest, mill, and export timber in ways that caused minimal damage to the surrounding ecosystem.

“Greenpeace has been working with local and regional groups to develop Ecotimber, a sustainable source of tropical wood. Co-funded by Greenpeace, the New Zealand government and regional industry, Ecotimber offers consumers a chance to be part of a sustainable solution to the destructive logging of Melanesia.”

Greenpeace Annual Report (1997)

Over the next few years, 1000 cubic metres of sustainable, eco-friendlier timber was produced. But despite local community and local industry support, a number of rich and powerful international logging companies lobbied the Solomon Islands' government, coercing them to abandon forestry reform and the would-be Forestry Act. Some of those involved were Australian firms Levers Pacific Timber and Allardyce Lumber Company; the USA Kalena Lumber Company and finally, worst of all, a number of Malaysian timber firms came to aggressively oppose reforms; some of them were also involved in gaining tax-exemptions as a result of corrupt political dealings designed to protect industrial logging.₄₀

“Foreign loggers have largely ignored environmental rules outlined in Standard Logging Agreements. [...] Companies forge the names of species and log grades, conceal high-grade logs in low-grade shipments, and simply under-record prices to lower log export taxes. [...] Schemes to under-record log export prices in 1993 may have cost Solomon Islands government up to SI$94 million. [...]

A broad social base of opposition to loggers appears to be gaining strength [..] Some angry opponents have even sabotaged equipment and burned logging camps”

Peter Dauvergne (1998)₄₀

Some things have improved since then as a result of pressure, and better awareness of the dangers of nonsustainable practices, but, improvements are still resisted (generally successfully) by corporate interests. Malaysian firms in particular are the worst culprits, including Sunrise Investment Ltd, Mas Solo Investment Ltd, Gallego Resources and Tabilo Timber. They have conducted repeated illegal logging, caused environmental damage and polluted rivers, with responses by authorities prevented by corruption-enabled inaction.

Environmental Performance Higher is better39
Pos.		201839
1	Switzerland	87.4
2	France	84.0
3	Denmark	81.6
	...
148	Rwanda	43.7
149	Zimbabwe	43.4
150	Cambodia	43.2
151	Solomon Islands	43.2
152	Iraq	43.2
153	Laos	42.9
154	Burkina Faso	42.8
155	Sierra Leone	42.5
	Australasia Avg	55.2
	World Avg	56.4
q=180.

International Accords on the Environment Higher is better
Pos.		Total Avg Rate
1	Sweden	83%
2	Canada	82%
3	Norway	81%
	...
175	Kiribati	42%
176	Cook Islands	42%
177	Niue	42%
178	Solomon Islands	42%
179	Marshall Islands	42%
180	Serbia	41%
181	Grenada	41%
182	Afghanistan	41%
	Australasia Avg	48.2%
	World Avg	57.5%
q=197. Also scored for 1970s-2020s.

Meat Consumption Lower is better37
Pos.		2021 kg37
1	Congo, DR	03.0
2	Burundi	03.5
3	Bangladesh	04.3
	...
28	Gambia	16.7
29	Timor-Leste (E. Timor)	17.2
30	Nepal	17.3
31	Solomon Islands	17.4
32	Syria	17.8
33	Yemen	17.8
34	Algeria	17.9
35	Iraq	18.3
	Australasia Avg	74.2
	World Avg	52.5
q=185. Also scored for 2010s.

The remote island of Tikopia is part of the southeastern Solomon Islands, 1200 km southeast of the capital, Honiara. In 1600CE, they killed every pig on the island. They had realized that pigs were using ten times as much food (in the form of vegetables) than they were producing as pork; the expense meant that the animals had become a luxury afforded only by the rich, but were simply too inefficient as a food source.₄₁

There are six key arguments in favour of vegetarianism which accrue even from partial adoption: (1) Vegetarian diets have notable health advantages over carnivorous diets, especially for heart and cardiovascular issues_42,43,44. (2) It is morally better to avoid killing or harming animals. (3) Plant-based diets use much less water than carnivorous ones, to the extent that agricultural and water management scientists urge governments to encourage people to switch₄₅. (4) Vegetarian food production uses substantially less land_42,46,47. (5) Growing vegetables for direct consumption is more efficient than using them to raise animals for meat in terms of resources, time and nutrition (including proteins). And, (6) vegetarianism is better for the environment than meat-production for emissions, sewerage, pollution and chemicals usage._42,46. A plant-based diet causes 75% less greenhouse gas emissions than a typical carnivorous diet₄₇. The global food industry causes about 1/3 of all planet-heating emissions, and so "to slow the worst climate effects, the United Nations has called for a drastic reduction in meat consumption"₄₇. Despite this, "reducing appetites for carbon-intensive meat and dairy is incredibly hard"₄₈ and as countries get richer, they tend to eat more meat.

For more, see:

• "The Benefits and Dangers of Vegetarianism" by Vexen Crabtree (2025).

7. Solomon Islands's Modernity and Learning

#education #modernity #technology #the_internet

Compared to Australasia (2025)49
Pos.		Lower is better Avg Rank49
1	New Zealand	19.3
2	Australia	29.2
3	Tonga	62.0
4	Fiji	71.5
5	Samoa	99.8
6	Marshall Islands	111.1
7	Kiribati	127.3
8	Solomon Islands	154.5
9	Papua New Guinea	158.4
	Australasia Avg	92.56
q=9.

Modernity & Learning (2025)49
Pos.		Lower is better Avg Rank49
1	Vatican City	1.0
2	Finland	4.8
3	Belgium	8.5
	...
183	Bhutan	148.3
184	Chad	150.8
185	Sierra Leone	153.8
186	Solomon Islands	154.5
187	Yemen	155.0
188	Papua New Guinea	158.4
189	Afghanistan	158.6
190	Liberia	160.4
	World Avg	80.33
q=194.

The most modern countries, with the best results from education, the highest levels of research, and with the easiest access to information on the Internet, are The Vatican City, Finland and Belgium₅₀. The worst countries are S. Sudan, Eritrea and Somalia₅₀. Despite improves in global education, access to tertiary (adult) education is becoming increasingly unequal between the rich haves and the poor have-nots₅₁.

“Education, at all levels and ages, is the single most vital support for equality as well as being a country's most vital economic and social resource. [...] Every successful aspirant to modernisation and economic development, from Japan to South Korea, China to Chile, has got there with a big emphasis on education.”

Bill Emmott (2017)₅₂

23 datasets are used to calculate points for each country, including multiple decades of data on Research and Development, Intellectual Endeavours, metric system adoption rate, Religiosity, IQ, Secondary Education, Length of Schooling, Maths, Science & Reading, the percent of citizens with access to the internet, Freedom On The Internet, IT Security, IPv6 Uptake and digital quality of life. The regions with the best average results per country are Scandinavia, Baltic States and Europe₅₀, whereas the worst are Melanesia, Africa and Micronesia₅₀.

For more, see:

• " Which Countries are Most Modern, With the Best Education and Internet Access?" by Vexen Crabtree (2025).

7.1. Education Datasets

#education

Length of Schooling Higher is better53
Pos.		2021 Years53
1	Australia	21.1
2	New Zealand	20.3
3	Greece	20.0
	...
159	Guatemala	10.6
160	Liberia	10.4
161	Papua New Guinea	10.4
162	Solomon Islands	10.3
163	Afghanistan	10.3
164	Marshall Islands	10.2
165	Mozambique	10.2
166	Uganda	10.1
	Australasia Avg	13.4
	World Avg	13.5
q=193. Also scored for 1990s-2010s.

7.2. Technology and Information Datasets

#the_internet

Internet Users Higher is better54
Pos.		201654
1	Iceland	100%
2	Faroe Islands	99%
3	Norway	98%
	...
175	Cambodia	11%
176	Gabon	10%
177	Burkina Faso	10%
178	Solomon Islands	10%
179	Liberia	9%
180	Congo, (Brazzaville)	8%
181=	Togo	7%
181=	Comoros	7%
	Australasia Avg	44.3%
	World Avg	48.1%
q=201.

IPv6 Uptake Higher is better55
Pos.		2017 Ratio55
1	Belgium	55.4
2	Germany	41.8
3	Switzerland	35.1
	...
135=	Honduras	0.0
135=	Syria	0.0
135=	Nicaragua	0.0
135=	Solomon Islands	0.0
135=	Congo, (Brazzaville)	0.0
135=	Sao Tome & Principe	0.0
135=	Kiribati	0.0
135=	Ivory Coast	0.0
	Australasia Avg	1.55
	World Avg	3.82
q=176.

8. Solomon Islands's Culture, Peace and Inequality

#capitalism #corruption #economics #health #inequality #internationalism #life_expectancy #politics #social_development

8.1. National Culture Datasets

#corruption #internationalism #politics

Corruption Higher is better56
Pos.		2022 Points56
1	Denmark	90.0
2=	Finland	87.0
2=	New Zealand	87.0
	...
78=	Vietnam	42.0
78=	Trinidad & Tobago	42.0
78=	Burkina Faso	42.0
78=	Solomon Islands	42.0
78=	Kuwait	42.0
78=	Hungary	42.0
84	Kosovo	41.0
85=	Tunisia	40.0
	Australasia Avg	55.83
	World Avg	42.98
q=180. Also scored for 1990s-2010s.

Passport Reach (2020s) Higher is better57
Pos.		Total Q57
1	Singapore	192.2
2	Japan	192.0
3	S. Korea	190.7
	...
71	El Salvador	134.2
72	Guatemala	133.7
73	Honduras	133.0
74	Solomon Islands	132.2
75=	Colombia	131.2
75=	Samoa	131.2
77	Tonga	128.8
78	Nicaragua	127.8
	Australasia Avg	123.4
	World Avg	108.8
q=195. Also scored for 2000s-2020s.

8.2. Economic Inequality and Poverty Datasets

#capitalism #economics #health #inequality #life_expectancy #social_development

Inequality in Life Expectancy Lower is better58
Pos.		201958
1	Iceland	2.40
2=	Singapore	2.50
2=	Hong Kong	2.50
	...
94	Egypt	11.60
95=	Panama	12.00
95=	Palestine	12.00
97	Solomon Islands	12.10
98	Cape Verde	12.20
99	El Salvador	12.50
100	Suriname	12.80
101	Vietnam	12.90
	Australasia Avg	13.47
	World Avg	14.59
q=184.

Income Inequality (Gini Coefficient) Lower is better59
Pos.		2023 %59
1	Slovakia	24.1%60
2	Slovenia	24.3%60
3	Belarus	24.4%61
	...
97=	Yemen	36.7%62
98	Mauritius	36.8%63
99	Dominican Rep.	37.0%64
100	Solomon Islands	37.1%65
101=	Chad	37.4%64
101=	Burkina Faso	37.4%60
103	Burundi	37.5%61
104	Sri Lanka	37.7%66
	Australasia Avg	34.8%
	World Avg	36.5%
q=167. Also scored for 1980s-2010s.

Income inequality data is rarely available for Solomon Islands - only for 2 years between 1980 and 2019.

9. Religion and Beliefs

#buddhism #christianity #hinduism #islam #judaism

Pew Forum polling over the decades has found the following adherency rates:₆₇:

	2010	2020
Christian	95.3%	95%
Other	3.82%	3.96%
Buddhist	0.32%	0.34%
Muslim	0.269%	0.34%
Unaffiliated	0.292%	0.328%
Hindu	<0.1%	<0.1%
Jewish	None	None

The CIA World Factbook has slightly different data, and states: Protestant 73.7% (Church of Melanesia 32.8%, South Seas Evangelical 17%, Seventh-Day Adventist 11.2%, United Church 10.3%, Christian Fellowship Church 2.4%), Roman Catholic 19%, other Christian 4.4%, other 2.4%, unspecified 0.3%, none 0.2% (1999 census)₆₈.

Links:

• A List of All Religions and Belief Systems