Provinces of the Solomon Islands

| The Solomon Islands are currently divided into 9 provinces. The national capital, Honiara, on the island of Guadalcanal, is separately governed as "Capital Territory".

History

In the United Kingdom protectorate, there were initially 12 administrative districts: Choiseul, Eastern Solomons, Gizo, Guadalcanal, Lord Howe, Malaita, Nggela and Savo, Rennell and Bellona Islands, Santa Cruz, Shortlands, Sikaiana (Stewart), and Ysabel and Cape Marsh. The capital was Tulagi.

After World War II, it was reorganized into four districts, Central, Western, Eastern, and Malalaita. These districts were then further subdivided into councils. The capital was also moved to Honiara. These were the political divisions that the nation inherited at its independence in 1978.

In 1981 the nation was reorganized into seven provinces by splitting some of the districts: Central District was split into Central, Guadalcanal, and Isabel provinces; Eastern District was split into Makira and Temotu provinces. The other two districts, Western and Malalaita, were also designated as provinces. These new provinces corresponded to the councils of the districts before 1981.

In 1983, the 22 square-kilometer Honiara was split off from Guadalcanal province and became a separately-governed Capital Territory. The city still serves as the capital of Guadalcanal province.

In 1995, Choiseul was split off from Western province, and Rennell and Bellona was split off from Central province, making the nine provinces of today.

The population data is from the 1999 census; the population has probably increased since then for most of the provinces, especially the more urban ones, as population and urbanization grows. Guadalcanal Province does not include the separately-administered capital of Honiara; if included, that province has a total population of 109,382, and is the second largest province. It is ranked as n/a and does not count in the order.

Table of Provinces