In the small island nations of Oceania, life seems to have come to a standstill. In the Solomon Islands, at least, this is the impression that the onslaught of civilization is practically powerless here, it is defeated by traditions, customs and the imperturbable calm of the local population, which by no means welcomes change. Tourists rarely get here – the path is long, and there is very little infrastructure for recreation.
Facts about the Solomon Islands
- The country occupies almost a thousand islands, but only a third of them are inhabited.
- Even in the middle of the last century, cases of cannibalism occurred here.
- Australian dollars used to be official circulation here, but they have long been replaced by their own currency, the Solomon Islands dollar.
- During the year, the average temperature here changes only by 2-3 degrees.
- There are many rivers, but due to the terrain, they are all short (interesting facts about the rivers).
- On the Solomon Islands is home to just over half a million people.
- On the seabed near Honiara, the capital, there are many ships and planes from the Second World War. The wreck is popular with divers.
- A careless tourist in the Solomon Islands can easily become a victim of a crocodile.
- Archaeologists say that the ancestors of modern people appeared here more than 25 thousand years ago.
- Marovo is located here – the world’s largest salt lagoon. An insanely beautiful place, by the way.
- There are active volcanoes on the islands, and the work of underground forces often causes earthquakes (interesting facts about earthquakes).
- In remote villages on the Solomon Islands, local residents, despite the work of missionaries, sharks are still worshiped.
- Some one and a half to two hundred years ago, dog teeth were used here as money.
- On Rennell Island, which is part of the archipelago, there is such a large a freshwater lake that has more than two hundred smaller islands (interesting facts about lakes).
- A century and a half passed between the first and second visits of Europeans to these parts.
- The official language here is English, since the Solomon Islands gained independence from Great Britain only in 1978. In fact, at best, two or three percent of the population owns it. In fact, everyone here speaks Solomon pidgin.
- The nominal head of the country is the English monarch.
- The color of the skin of the inhabitants of the Solomon Islands is dark, but there are many blonds among them. Why – still no one knows, but it certainly has nothing to do with European influence.
- The famous writer Jack London visited this country in 1908, and he was brought here by a ship built according to his own drawings.
- There is no army in the Solomon Islands. There are police and coast guards, a total of about 500 people, or about 0.1% of the population.
- There are many valuable minerals lurking in the depths of the country, but no one is developing the deposits.
- European-style houses and European clothing are common in large cities by local standards, but in rural areas, residents here still often make do with loincloths and traditional huts.