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GOVERNMENT OF THE SOLOMON ISLANDS
The Solomon Islands is a parliamentary democracy under a constitutional monarchy; a Commonwealth realm. [Source: CIA World Factbook 2023]
Names of the Country: Official Name: none; conventional short form: Solomon Islands; local long form: none; local short form: Solomon Islands; Former name: British Solomon Islands. Source of the Name: Spanish explorer Alvaro de MENDANA named the isles in 1568 after the wealthy biblical King SOLOMON in the mistaken belief that the islands contained great riches. [Source: CIA World Factbook 2023]
Capital: Honiara: Geographic Coordinates: 9 26 S, 159 57 E. [Source: CIA World Factbook 2023]
Administrative Divisions: 9 provinces and 1 city; Central, Choiseul, Guadalcanal, Honiara, Isabel, Makira and Ulawa, Malaita, Rennell and Bellona, Temotu, Western. [Source: CIA World Factbook 2023]
Independence: 7 July 1978 (from the UK). National Holiday: Independence Day, 7 July (1978). [Source: CIA World Factbook 2023]
National Symbols of the Solomon Islands
Flag: divided diagonally by a thin yellow stripe from the lower hoist-side corner; the upper triangle (hoist side) is blue with five white five-pointed stars arranged in an X pattern; the lower triangle is green; blue represents the ocean, green the land, and yellow sunshine; the five stars stand for the five main island groups of the Solomon Islands. [Source: CIA World Factbook, 2023]
National Symbols: national colors: blue, yellow, green, white
National Anthem: name: "God Save Our Solomon Islands", lyrics/music: Panapasa BALEKANA and Matila BALEKANA/Panapasa BALEKANA. It was adopted in 1978
Constitution and Legal System and the Solomon Islands
Constitution: adopted 31 May 1978, effective 7 July 1978; In late 2017, provincial leaders agreed to adopt a new federal constitution; progress has been stalled, but as of February 2023, the draft constitution was with the Constitutional Review Unit in the prime minister's office. Amendments: proposed by the National Parliament; passage of constitutional sections, including those on fundamental rights and freedoms, the legal system, Parliament, alteration of the constitution and the ombudsman, requires three-fourths majority vote by Parliament and assent of the governor general; passage of other amendments requires two-thirds majority vote and assent of the governor general; amended several times, last in 2018. [Source: CIA World Factbook 2023]
Legal System: mixed legal system of English common law and customary law. [Source: CIA World Factbook 2023]
International Law Organization Participation: has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; non-party state to the ICCt. [Source: CIA World Factbook 2023]
Citizenship: Citizenship by Birth: no; Citizenship by Descent Only: at least one parent must be a citizen of the Solomon Islands; Dual Citizenship Recognized: no; Residency Requirement for Naturalization: 7 years. [Source: CIA World Factbook 2023]
Executive Branch of the Solomon Islands
Chief of State: King CHARLES III (since 8 September 2022); represented by Governor General David VUNAGI (since 8 July 2019)
Head of Government: Prime Minister Manasseh SOGAVARE (since 24 April 2019). [Source: CIA World Factbook 2023]
Cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the governor general on the advice of the prime minister. [Source: CIA World Factbook 2023]
Executive Branch Elections and Appointments: the monarchy is hereditary; governor general appointed by the monarch on the advice of the National Parliament for up to 5 years (eligible for a second term); following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or majority coalition usually elected prime minister by the National Parliament; deputy prime minister appointed by the governor general on the advice of the prime minister from among members of the National Parliament
Results of the Last Election: Manasseh SOGAVARE elected prime minister on 24 April 2019. [Source: CIA World Factbook 2023]
Legislative Branch
The Aboriginal has a unicameral National Parliament (50 seats; members directly elected in single-seat constituencies by simple majority vote to serve 4-year terms)
The last legislative election was held on 3 April 2019 (next to be held in April 2023)
Results of the Last Legislative Election (percent of vote by party): UDP 10.7 percent, DAP 7.8 percent, PAP 4.4 percent, independent 56.3 percent, other 20.8 percent; seats by party: DAP 7, UDP 5, PAP 3, KPSI 1, SIPFP 1, SIPRA 1, independent 32; composition: men 46, women 4, percent of women 8 percent
Judicial Branch of the Solomon Islands
Highest Court: Court of Appeal (consists of the court president and ex officio members including the High Court chief justice and its puisne judges); High Court (consists of the chief justice and puisne judges, as prescribed by the National Parliament)
Judge Selection and Term of Office for the Highest Court: Court of Appeal and High Court president, chief justices, and puisne judges appointed by the governor general upon recommendation of the Judicial and Legal Service Commission, chaired by the chief justice and includes 5 members, mostly judicial officials and legal professionals; all judges serve until retirement at age 60. [Source: CIA World Factbook 2023]
Subordinate Courts: Magistrates' Courts; Customary Land Appeal Court; local courts
Elections and Political Parties in the Solomon Islands
Voting Age: 21 years of age; universal. [Source: CIA World Factbook 2023]
The last legislative election was held on 3 April 2019 (next to be held in April 2023)
Political Parties:
Democratic Alliance Party or DAP led by Steve ABANA
Kadere Party of Solomon Islands or KPSI led by Peter BOYERS
People's Alliance Party or PAP led by Sir Nathaniel WAENA
Solomon Islands Party for Rural Advancement or SIPRA led by Manasseh MAELANGA
Solomon Islands People First Party or SIPFP led by Dr. Jimmie RODGERS
United Democratic Party or UDP led by Sir Thomas Ko CHAN. [Source: CIA World Factbook, 2023]
In general, Solomon Islands politics is characterized by fluid coalitions.
Results of the Last Legislative Election (percent of vote by party): UDP 10.7 percent, DAP 7.8 percent, PAP 4.4 percent, independent 56.3 percent, other 20.8 percent; seats by party: DAP 7, UDP 5, PAP 3, KPSI 1, SIPFP 1, SIPRA 1, independent 32; composition: men 46, women 4, percent of women 8 percent
Government Spending, Taxes and Revenues
Government Budget: revenues: $514 million (2019 estimate)
expenditures: $537 million (2019 estimate)
Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-)
-2.9 percent (of GDP) (2017 estimate); ranking compared to other countries in the world: 128. [Source: CIA World Factbook, 2023]
Public Debt: 11.46 percent of GDP (2020 estimate)
7.74 percent of GDP (2019 estimate)
7.69 percent of GDP (2018 estimate); ranking compared to other countries in the world: 198. [Source: CIA World Factbook, 2023]
Taxes: 21.05 percent (of GDP) (2020 estimate); ranking compared to other countries in the world: 82. [Source: CIA World Factbook, 2023]
Fiscal Year: Calendar year. [Source: CIA World Factbook, 2023]
Military and International Relations of the Solomon Islands
Military and Security Forces: no regular military forces; the Royal Solomon Islands Police Force is responsible for internal and external security and reports to the Ministry of Police, National Security, and Correctional Services (2023). Australia and New Zealand provide material and training assistance to the Royal Solomon Islands Police Force (2023). [Source: CIA World Factbook, 2023]
Military Equipment: China and Australia have provided equipment to the Solomons Islands Police Force; the maritime branch operates patrol boats provided by Australia (2022)
International Disputes: from 2003 to 2017, at the request of the Solomon Islands Governor-General, the Regional Assistance Mission to Solomon Islands (RAMSI), consisting of police, military, and civilian advisors drawn from 15 countries, assisted in reestablishing and maintaining civil and political order while reinforcing regional stability and security
International Organization That It Participates In: ACP, ADB, AOSIS, C, EITI (candidate country), ESCAP, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, IOC, ITU, MIGA, OPCW, PIF, Sparteca, SPC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WMO, WTO
Image Sources:
Text Sources: CIA World Factbook, 2023; “Encyclopedia of World Cultures, Volume 2: Oceania,” edited by Terence E. Hays, 1991, Wikipedia, New York Times, Washington Post, Los Angeles Times, Times of London, Lonely Planet Guides, Library of Congress, The Guardian, National Geographic, Smithsonian magazine, The New Yorker, Reuters, Associated Press, AFP, BBC, CNN, and various books, websites and other publications.
Last updated August 2023