The Human Truth Foundation

Solomon Islands

https://www.humantruth.info/solomon_islands.html

By Vexen Crabtree 2013

#solomon_islands

Solomon IslandsFlag
StatusIndependent State
Social and Moral Index155th best
CapitalHoniara
Land Area 27 990km21
LocationAustralasia, Melanesia
GroupingsSmall Islands
Population0.7m2
Life Expectancy70.35yrs (2017)3
GNI$2 482 (2017)4
ISO3166-1 CodesSB, SLB, 905
Internet Domain.sb6
CurrencyDollar (SBD)7
Telephone+6778

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

Book CoverFor 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
1Switzerland0.962
2Norway0.961
3Iceland0.959
...
152Kenya0.575
153Congo, (Brazzaville)0.571
154Zambia0.565
155Solomon Islands0.564
156=Comoros0.558
156=Papua New Guinea0.558
158Mauritania0.556
159Ivory Coast0.550
Australasia Avg0.70
World Avg0.72
q=191.
Gross National Income Per-Capita (2021)11
Pos.Higher is better
PPP $11
1Liechtenstein$146 830
2Singapore$90 919
3Qatar$87 134
...
166Haiti$2 848
167Lesotho$2 700
168Tanzania$2 664
169Solomon Islands$2 482
170Guinea$2 481
171Ethiopia$2 361
172Rwanda$2 210
173Uganda$2 181
Australasia Avg$12 519
World Avg$20 136
q=193.
Social & Moral
Development Index
12
Pos.Lower is better
Avg Rank12
1Denmark27.4
2Norway27.6
3Sweden30.4
...
152Cambodia117.4
153Madagascar117.5
154Gabon117.6
155Solomon Islands118.1
156Pakistan118.4
157Nigeria118.6
158Rwanda119.0
159Benin119.1
Australasia Avg95.3
World Avg89.7
q=198.

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:

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. The highest fertility rate ever detected in a single year was in Yemen in 1985, at 8.86.13

Population2
Pos.2018
Population2
1China1.4b
2India1.4b
3USA327.1m
...
160Comoros0.8m
161Guyana0.8m
162Bhutan0.8m
163Solomon Islands0.7m
164Montenegro0.6m
165Luxembourg0.6m
166Suriname0.6m
167Cape Verde0.5m
World Avg39.0m
q=195.
Life Expectancy
Higher is better
11
Pos.2021
Years11
1Monaco85.9
2Hong Kong85.5
3Japan84.8
...
112Belize70.5
113Vanuatu70.4
114Iraq70.4
115Solomon Islands70.3
116Suriname70.3
117Paraguay70.3
118Egypt70.2
119Mexico70.2
World Avg71.28
q=195.
Fertility Rate
2.0 is best
14
Pos.202214
1US Virgin Islands2.00
2Ecuador2.00
3Nepal2.01
...
175Samoa3.88
176Sierra Leone3.88
177Comoros3.91
178=Solomon Islands3.93
178=Guinea-Bissau3.93
180Liberia4.02
181Ethiopia4.06
182Congo, (Brazzaville)4.10
World Avg2.47
q=208.
Old-Age Dependency Ratio
Lower is better
15
Pos.2016
Per 10015
1Uganda04.3
2Mali04.5
3=Chad04.7
...
44Mauritania06.8
45=Kuwait06.8
46Congo, (Brazzaville)07.0
47=Solomon Islands07.0
47=Rwanda07.0
49Namibia07.4
50=Botswana07.7
50=UAE07.7
World Avg18.3
q=185.

Migration:

Immigrants16
Pos.2017
%16
1UAE88.4%
2Kuwait75.5%
3Qatar65.2%
...
172Guatemala0.5%
173Cambodia0.5%
174Honduras0.4%
175Solomon Islands0.4%
176Papua New Guinea0.4%
177India0.4%
178Afghanistan0.4%
179Haiti0.4%
World Avg9.4%
q=195.
Emigrants17
Pos.2010
%17
1Dominica104.8%
2Palestine68.4%
3Samoa67.3%
...
173Kenya1.1%
174Indonesia1.1%
175Myanmar (Burma)1.0%
176Solomon Islands1.0%
177India0.9%
178Papua New Guinea0.9%
179USA0.8%
180Namibia0.7%
World Avg11.5%
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)18
Pos.Lower is better
Avg Rank18
1New Zealand16.0
2Australia22.2
3Fiji100.3
...
7=Nauru115.2
7=Kiribati115.2
9Papua New Guinea120.2
10Tonga122.4
11Vanuatu123.3
12Samoa125.3
13Tuvalu132.2
14Cook Islands144.5
15Solomon Islands151.2
Australasia Avg107.7
q=15.
Human Rights, Equality & Tolerance (2025)18
Pos.Lower is better
Avg Rank18
1Sweden8.5
2Denmark13.5
3Norway13.5
...
193Eritrea145.3
194Afghanistan145.7
195Brunei145.9
196Solomon Islands151.2
197N. Korea151.6
198Sudan152.9
199Vatican City154.0
200Somalia163.1
World Avg87.8
q=200.

The best countries in the world at ensuring human rights, fostering equality and promoting tolerance, are Sweden, Denmark and Norway19. These countries are displaying the best traits that humanity has to offer. The worst countries are Somalia, The Vatican City and Sudan19.

The data sets used to calculate points for each country are statistics on supporting press freedom, eliminating 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 Europe19, whereas the worst are Melanesia, The Middle East and Micronesia19.

For more, see:

Human Rights & Tolerance:

Freedom in the World
Lower is better
Pos.2024
Score
1=Norway1.0
1=Canada1.0
1=Cape Verde1.0
...
76Timor-Leste (E. Timor)2.5
77=Senegal2.5
77=Israel2.5
77=Solomon Islands2.5
77=Colombia2.5
77=Nauru2.5
77=Lesotho2.5
77=Namibia2.5
Australasia Avg1.8
World Avg3.7
q=205.
Nominal Commitment to HR
Higher is better
20
Pos.2009
Treaties20
1Argentina24
2=Chile23
2=Costa Rica23
...
154Zimbabwe11
155Saudi Arabia10
156=Laos10
156=Solomon Islands10
156=Qatar10
156=Vatican City10
156=India10
156=Fiji10
Australasia Avg8.7
World Avg15.1
q=194.
HR Treaties Lag
Lower is better
21
Pos.2019
Avg Yrs/Treaty21
1Ecuador2.15
2Uruguay2.25
3Tunisia3.65
...
186Micronesia15.55
187Somalia15.71
188Kiribati15.80
189Solomon Islands15.81
190Nauru16.16
191Sao Tome & Principe16.17
192Tuvalu16.33
193Palau16.34
Australasia Avg14.35
World Avg10.02
q=195.

Gender Equality:

See:

Year Women Can Vote
Lower is better
Pos.Total
Year
1New Zealand1893
2Australia1902
3Finland1906
...
162=San Marino1973
162=Andorra1973
164Jordan1974
165=Solomon Islands1974
166Sao Tome & Principe1975
167=Cape Verde1975
167=Angola1975
167=Mozambique1975
Australasia Avg1962
World Avg1930
q=189.

Prejudice:

LGBT Equality
Higher is better
22
Pos.2017
Score22
1Netherlands103
2Belgium90
3Sweden86
...
188=Senegal-39
189Libya-42
190=Morocco-42
191Solomon Islands-44
192Qatar-54
193Sudan-67
194Saudi Arabia-72
195Somalia-79
Australasia Avg07.1
World Avg12.6
q=196.
Freedom of Thought
Lower is better
23
Pos.202123
1=Belgium1.0
1=Netherlands1.0
1=Taiwan1.0
...
129Germany3.3
130=Ghana3.3
130=St Lucia3.3
132Solomon Islands3.5
133=Togo3.5
133=Turkey3.5
133=Turkmenistan3.5
133=Poland3.5
Australasia Avg2.6
World Avg3.0
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 (2020)24
Pos.Lower is better
Avg Rank24
1Australia84.1
2New Zealand86.1
3=Fiji86.9
4Solomon Islands87.0
5Kiribati97.1
6Niue98.7
7=Vanuatu101.9
8Tonga106.4
9Micronesia111.3
10=Samoa112.6
11Tuvalu120.6
12Papua New Guinea122.8
13Cook Islands123.7
Australasia Avg111.0
q=16.
Health (2020)24
Pos.Lower is better
Avg Rank24
1Monaco13.0
2Maldives41.7
3Sri Lanka43.1
...
66Tajikistan86.9
67=Jordan86.9
67=Fiji86.9
69Solomon Islands87.0
70=Peru87.0
71Slovenia87.3
72Barbados87.8
73Cape Verde87.9
World Avg95.1
q=198.

The countries with the best overall approach to public health, in terms of both public policy and individual lifestyle choices, are Monaco, The Maldives and Sri Lanka25. These countries are worth emulating. And, although often through no fault of the average citizen, the worst countries are S. Sudan, The Marshall Islands and Nigeria25.

The data sets used to calculate points for each country are 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, its adolescent birth rate and its immunizations take-up. The regions with the best average results per country are Scandinavia, Asia and The Mediterranean25, whereas the worst are Micronesia, Africa and Australasia25.

For more, see:

Health:

The Solomon Islands does relatively well in encouraging good health, compared to many other countries. The Solomon Islands does the second-best for its smoking rate26. It does better than average for its alcohol consumption rate27 and in its immunizations take-up28. The Solomon Islands doesn't do so well in other areas. The Solomon Islands does worse than average when it comes to its adolescent birth rate29 (amongst the worst in Australasia), its average life expectancy11 and in its fertility rate14 (one of the highest in Australasia). The number of overweight adults has increased by 14% during the last 40 years. 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 better
11
Pos.2021
Years11
1Monaco85.9
2Hong Kong85.5
3Japan84.8
...
112Belize70.5
113Vanuatu70.4
114Iraq70.4
115Solomon Islands70.3
116Suriname70.3
117Paraguay70.3
118Egypt70.2
119Mexico70.2
Australasia Avg70.11
World Avg71.28
q=195.
Alcohol Consumption
Lower is better
27
Pos.2016
Per Capita27
1Bangladesh0.0
2Kuwait0.0
3Libya0.0
...
31=Eritrea1.3
31=Guinea1.3
31=Mali1.3
34Solomon Islands1.4
35=Tonga1.5
35=Lebanon1.5
37Chad1.6
38Tuvalu1.7
Australasia Avg4.3
World Avg6.2
q=189.
Fertility Rate
2.0 is best
14
Pos.202214
1US Virgin Islands2.00
2Ecuador2.00
3Nepal2.01
...
175Samoa3.88
176Sierra Leone3.88
177Comoros3.91
178=Solomon Islands3.93
178=Guinea-Bissau3.93
180Liberia4.02
181Ethiopia4.06
182Congo, (Brazzaville)4.10
Australasia Avg2.82
World Avg2.47
q=208.
Smoking Rates
Lower is better
26
Pos.201426
1Guinea 15
2Solomon Islands 26
3Kiribati 28
4Uganda 41
5Rwanda 53
6Samoa 54
7Congo, DR 74
8Ethiopia 76
9Vanuatu 76
10Guyana 77
11Suriname 79
12Malawi 80
Australasia Avg 372
World Avg 819
q=182.
Overweight Adults
Lower is better
30
Pos.2016
%30
1Vietnam18.3
2India19.7
3Bangladesh20.0
...
94Belize54.8
95Haiti54.9
96=St Vincent & Grenadines55.0
96=Solomon Islands55.0
98Denmark55.4
99Jamaica55.5
100Mongolia55.6
101=Honduras55.8
Australasia Avg73.3
World Avg49.0
q=191.

Children's Health:

Adolescent Birth Rate
Lower is better
29
Pos.2015
Per 100029
1N. Korea0.5
2S. Korea1.6
3Switzerland2.9
...
104Suriname46.1
105Timor-Leste (E. Timor)46.6
106Chile47.8
107Solomon Islands48.4
108Peru49.1
109Indonesia49.6
110Colombia50.2
111St Vincent & Grenadines51.0
Australasia Avg30.1
World Avg47.9
q=185.
Infant Immunizations 2011-2015
Higher is better
28
Pos.2015
Avg %28
1=Hungary99.0
1=China99.0
3Uzbekistan98.9
...
73Eritrea94.7
74Singapore94.6
75UK94.6
76Solomon Islands94.5
77Norway94.3
78Bolivia94.2
79=UAE94.0
79=Bangladesh94.0
Australasia Avg86.4
World Avg88.3
q=194.

6. Solomon Islands's Responsibility Towards The Environment

#biodiversity #climate_change #deforestation #food #meat #over-exploitation #the_environment #veganism #vegetarianism

Compared to Australasia (2023)31
Pos.Lower is better
Avg Rank31
1Fiji63.3
2New Zealand63.8
3Australia66.4
4Vanuatu75.0
5=Kiribati87.0
6Papua New Guinea89.0
7=Solomon Islands103.0
7=Micronesia103.0
9Samoa108.0
10=Nauru108.0
11Tonga115.0
Australasia Avg89.2
q=11.
Responsibility Towards The Environment (2023)31
Pos.Lower is better
Avg Rank31
1Japan33.2
2Philippines45.0
3Uruguay48.0
...
141Swaziland102.3
142Macedonia102.8
143=Micronesia103.0
143=Solomon Islands103.0
145Kyrgyzstan103.8
146Qatar104.0
147Saudi Arabia104.4
148Laos104.5
World Avg85.7
q=188.
In terms of its responsibility towards the environment, the Solomon Islands comes 143rd in the world. This rank is derived from 4 data sets. The Solomon Islands does better than average in reducing annual meat consumption per person32 (the best in Australasia). However The Solomon Islands performs less well in most areas. It does worse than average in how quickly it ratified the 1993 Convention on Biological Diversity, its forested percent change 2000-202033 and in its environmental performance34 (one of the lowest in Australasia).

Forest Area Change 2000-2020
Higher is better
33
Pos.Total33
1Guernsey82.6%
2Bahrain75.2%
3Iceland64.7%
...
138Finland-0.2%
139Canada-0.3%
140Guadeloupe-0.5%
141Solomon Islands-0.6%
142Western Sahara-0.6%
143Mongolia-0.6%
144Sweden-0.7%
145Gabon-0.7%
Australasia Avg0.1%
World Avg-0.1%
q=234.
Environmental Performance
Higher is better
34
Pos.201834
1Switzerland87.4
2France84.0
3Denmark81.6
...
148Rwanda43.7
149Zimbabwe43.4
150Cambodia43.2
151Solomon Islands43.2
152Iraq43.2
153Laos42.9
154Burkina Faso42.8
155Sierra Leone42.5
Australasia Avg55.2
World Avg56.4
q=180.
Convention on Biological Diversity
Earlier is better
Pos.Total
Signed
1=China1993 Dec 29
1=Guinea1993 Dec 29
1=Cook Islands1993 Dec 29
...
125Morocco1995 Nov 19
126=Bhutan1995 Nov 23
126=Mozambique1995 Nov 23
128Solomon Islands1996 Jan 01
129Togo1996 Jan 02
130Botswana1996 Jan 10
131Moldova1996 Jan 18
132Guinea-Bissau1996 Jan 25
Australasia Avg1899 Dec 30
World Avg1899 Dec 30
q=197.
Meat Consumption
Lower is better
32
Pos.2021
kg32
1Congo, DR03.0
2Burundi03.5
3Bangladesh04.3
...
28Gambia16.7
29Timor-Leste (E. Timor)17.2
30Nepal17.3
31Solomon Islands17.4
32Syria17.8
33Yemen17.8
34Algeria17.9
35Iraq18.3
Australasia Avg74.2
World Avg52.5
q=185.

7. Solomon Islands's Modernity and Learning

#education #modernity #technology #the_internet

Compared to Australasia (2020)35
Pos.Lower is better
Avg Rank35
1New Zealand19.4
2Australia20.8
3Palau59.3
...
8Nauru99.0
9Marshall Islands102.8
10Samoa103.4
11Vanuatu117.0
12Micronesia131.3
13Kiribati143.0
14Tuvalu148.0
15Papua New Guinea150.4
16Solomon Islands152.7
Australasia Avg98.4
q=16.
Modernity & Learning (2020)35
Pos.Lower is better
Avg Rank35
1Finland7.7
2Taiwan10.0
3Switzerland14.7
...
196Papua New Guinea150.4
197Chad150.6
198Niger151.0
199Solomon Islands152.7
200Haiti153.8
201Guinea157.5
202Comoros160.5
203S. Sudan164.0
World Avg82.7
q=205.

Modernity and Education:

Length of Schooling
Higher is better
36
Pos.2021
Years36
1Australia21.1
2New Zealand20.3
3Greece20.0
...
159Guatemala10.6
160Liberia10.4
161Papua New Guinea10.4
162Solomon Islands10.3
163Afghanistan10.3
164Marshall Islands10.2
165Mozambique10.2
166Uganda10.1
Australasia Avg13.4
World Avg13.5
q=193.

Technology and Information:

Internet Users
Higher is better
37
Pos.201637
1Iceland100%
2Faroe Islands99%
3Norway98%
...
175Cambodia11%
176Gabon10%
177Burkina Faso10%
178Solomon Islands10%
179Liberia9%
180Congo, (Brazzaville)8%
181=Togo7%
181=Comoros7%
Australasia Avg44.3%
World Avg48.1%
q=201.
IPv6 Uptake
Higher is better
38
Pos.2017
Ratio38
1Belgium55.4
2Germany41.8
3Switzerland35.1
...
135=Honduras0.0
135=Syria0.0
135=Nicaragua0.0
135=Solomon Islands0.0
135=Congo, (Brazzaville)0.0
135=Sao Tome & Principe0.0
135=Kiribati0.0
135=Ivory Coast0.0
Australasia Avg1.55
World Avg3.82
q=176.

8. National Culture

#corruption #politics

Corruption
Higher is better
39
Pos.2022
Points39
1Denmark90.0
2=Finland87.0
2=New Zealand87.0
...
78Vietnam42.0
79=Trinidad & Tobago42.0
79=Burkina Faso42.0
79=Solomon Islands42.0
79=Kuwait42.0
79=Hungary42.0
84Kosovo41.0
85=Tunisia40.0
Australasia Avg55.83
World Avg42.98
q=180.

9. Economic Inequality and Poverty

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

Inequality in Life Expectancy
Lower is better40
Pos.201940
1Iceland2.40
2=Singapore2.50
2=Hong Kong2.50
...
94Egypt11.60
95=Panama12.00
95=Palestine12.00
97Solomon Islands12.10
98Cape Verde12.20
99El Salvador12.50
100Suriname12.80
101Vietnam12.90
Australasia Avg13.47
World Avg14.59
q=184.
Income Inequality (Gini Coefficient)
Lower is better
41
Pos.2023
%41
1Slovakia24.1%42
2Slovenia24.3%42
3Belarus24.4%43
...
97=Yemen36.7%44
98Mauritius36.8%45
99Dominican Rep.37.0%46
100Solomon Islands37.1%47
101=Burkina Faso37.4%42
101=Chad37.4%46
103Burundi37.5%43
104Sri Lanka37.7%48
Australasia Avg34.8%
World Avg36.5%
q=167.

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

10. Religion and Beliefs

#buddhism #christianity #hinduism #islam #judaism

Data from the Pew Forum, a professional polling outfit, states that in 2010 the religious makeup of this country was as follows in the table below49:

Christian97.4%
Muslim0.1%
Hindu0.1%
Buddhist0.3%
Folk Religion1.3%
Jewish0.1%
Unaffiliated0.2%

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)50.

Links: