Demographic features of the population of the Solomon Islands include population density, ethnicity, education level, health of the populace, economic status, religious affiliations and other aspects of the nation.

The Solomon Islanders comprise diverse cultures, languages, and customs. Of its population 94.5% are Melanesian, 3% Polynesian, and 1.2% Micronesian.CIA World Factbook. Country profile: Solomon Islands URL Accessed 2007-05-19 In addition, small numbers of Europeans and Chinese are registered. About 120 vernaculars are spoken.

Most people reside in small, widely dispersed settlements along the coasts. Sixty per cent live in localities with fewer than 200 persons, and only 10% reside in urban areas.

The capital city of Honiara is situated on Guadalcanal, the largest island. The other principal towns are Gizo, Auki, and Kirakira.

Most Solomon Islanders are Christian, with the Anglican, Methodist, Roman Catholic, South Seas Evangelical, and Seventh-day Adventist faiths predominating. About 5% of the population maintain traditional beliefs.

The chief characteristics of the traditional Melanesian social structure are: The practice of subsistence economy; The recognition of bonds of kinship, with important obligations extending beyond the immediate family group; Generally egalitarian relationships, emphasising acquired rather than inherited status; and A strong attachment of the people to the land.

Most Solomon Islanders maintain this traditional social structure and find their roots in village life.

Population

Structure of the population

Age groupMaleFemaleTotal% Total 264 455 251 415 515 870 100 0–4 39 728 36 499 76 227 14.78 5–9 36 974 34 152 71 126 13.79 10–14 32 562 29 369 61 931 12.01 15–19 26 189 25 023 51 212 9.93 20–24 22 399 23 020 45 419 8.80 25–29 20 794 21 880 42 674 8.27 30–34 18 807 18 785 37 592 7.29 35–39 17 010 16 141 33 151 6.43 40–44 12 070 11 568 23 638 4.58 45–49 10 189 9 524 19 713 3.82 50–54 7 498 6 841 14 339 2.78 55–59 6 111 5 676 11 787 2.28 60–64 4 535 4 381 8 916 1.73 65-69 3 693 3 328 7 021 1.36 70-74 2 402 2 296 4 698 0.91 75-79 1 784 1 590 3 374 0.65 80-84 800 725 1 525 0.30 85-89 512 382 894 0.17 90-94 170 131 301 0.06 95+ 228 104 332 0.06Age groupMaleFemaleTotalPer cent 0–14 109 264 100 020 209 284 40.57 15–64 145 602 142 839 288 441 55.91 65+ 9 589 8 556 18 145 3.52

Age groupMaleFemaleTotal% Total 360 961 346 523 707 484 100 0–4 42 814 40 013 82 826 11.71 5–9 42 227 39 814 82 041 11.60 10–14 41 682 39 525 81 206 11.48 15–19 39 816 37 593 77 409 10.94 20–24 34 052 31 980 66 032 9.33 25–29 28 304 26 540 54 843 7.75 30–34 25 926 24 335 50 261 7.10 35–39 23 401 22 340 45 740 6.47 40–44 19 810 19 951 39 760 5.62 45–49 17 196 17 749 34 945 4.94 50–54 13 460 13 628 27 088 3.83 55–59 10 280 10 328 20 608 2.91 60–64 7 637 7 601 15 238 2.15 65-69 5 588 5 656 11 243 1.59 70-74 3 905 4 262 8 167 1.15 75-79 2 596 2 800 5 396 0.76 80+ 2 269 2 411 4 679 0.66Age groupMaleFemaleTotalPer cent 0–14 126 723 119 352 246 075 34.78 15–64 219 880 212 042 431 922 61.05 65+ 14 358 15 129 29 487 4.17

Vital statistics Births and deaths

Mid-year population (thousands)Live births (thousands)Deaths (thousands)Natural change (thousands)Crude birth rate (per 1000)Crude death rate (per 1000)Natural change (per 1000)Total fertility rate (TFR)Infant mortality (per 1000 live births)Life expectancy (in years)1950105,2094,3652,6061,75941.524.816.77.00166.440.031951107,1194,5192,5361,98342.223.718.57.02163.840.531952109,3094,6822,5052,17742.922.919.97.04158.741.291953111,7604,8162,4722,34443.122.121.07.01153.742.081954114,4484,9682,4552,51343.521.522.07.00148.742.791955117,3145,1192,4322,68743.720.822.96.99143.843.581956120,2885,2662,6432,62343.922.021.86.97144.541.871957123,3735,4152,3663,04943.919.224.76.95132.945.281958126,6495,6022,3383,26444.318.525.86.98127.946.121959130,0715,7742,3153,45944.417.826.66.97123.046.911960133,4405,9482,2823,66644.517.127.46.97118.347.741961136,7806,0852,2913,79444.416.727.76.97113.648.431962140,2546,2252,2833,94244.316.328.16.97109.149.251963143,8636,3572,2744,08344.115.828.36.97104.650.051964147,6096,4952,2604,23543.915.328.66.96100.350.861965151,4956,6242,2464,37843.714.828.96.9596.051.661966155,5146,7592,2294,53043.414.329.16.9491.752.461967159,6676,9012,2164,68543.213.929.36.9487.553.211968163,9737,0232,1724,85142.813.229.56.9282.654.241969168,3997,2242,1415,08342.812.730.16.9778.055.161970172,8337,4262,1215,30542.812.230.67.0073.356.071971177,2647,6042,1165,48842.811.930.97.0368.956.981972181,8767,7842,0695,71542.711.331.37.0664.657.801973186,8167,9952,0275,96842.710.831.97.0960.758.591974192,1558,2341,9916,24342.810.332.47.1357.059.361975197,8538,3952,1616,23442.410.931.57.0756.258.081976204,0828,5911,9196,67242.19.432.77.0250.660.751977210,9328,8241,9376,88741.89.232.76.9548.360.861978218,1939,0611,8687,19341.58.633.06.8745.361.911979225,7869,3031,8647,43941.28.333.06.7843.362.391980233,6689,5631,8697,69440.98.032.96.7141.462.801981241,8279,8171,8817,93640.67.832.86.6139.863.161982250,25010,0841,8968,18840.37.632.76.5238.463.511983258,94510,3691,9248,44540.17.432.66.4237.163.761984267,91310,6601,9558,70539.87.332.56.3136.064.001985277,15810,9691,9818,98839.67.232.46.2235.064.291986286,52711,2802,1219,15939.47.432.06.1135.363.761987295,83611,5362,0399,49739.06.932.15.9933.264.761988305,13211,8182,0639,75538.76.831.95.8832.564.971989314,56012,0912,0939,99838.46.631.75.7831.765.191990324,17112,3532,12510,22838.16.531.55.6631.065.391991333,95212,6152,16010,45537.76.531.35.5530.365.581992343,91612,8982,19710,70137.56.431.15.4529.565.771993354,08613,2482,23711,01137.46.331.15.3828.865.961994364,50513,6222,27211,35037.36.231.15.3128.166.191995375,18913,9882,31511,67337.26.231.15.2427.566.381996386,06914,2092,35411,85536.86.130.75.1226.966.591997397,05014,3912,40211,98936.26.030.24.9926.566.741998408,14514,6862,44912,23735.96.029.94.9026.166.921999419,22914,9672,50212,46535.66.029.74.8225.767.072000429,97815,2072,56012,64735.35.929.34.7625.367.232001440,39515,4572,61512,84235.05.929.14.6925.167.362002450,76015,6722,66713,00534.75.928.84.6324.867.522003461,21615,9142,72213,19234.45.928.54.5724.667.642004471,78516,1462,77013,37634.15.928.34.5224.467.802005482,48616,4002,82113,57933.95.828.14.4824.267.942006493,43016,8342,87013,96434.05.828.24.4823.968.092007504,61917,1232,96814,15533.85.928.04.4423.867.992008516,00117,4242,95814,46633.75.727.94.4123.068.402009527,83317,7633,02414,73933.65.727.84.3922.968.472010540,39418,2233,04115,18233.65.628.04.4022.068.732011553,72118,6613,07615,58533.65.528.14.4121.468.912012567,76319,1223,11016,01233.65.528.24.4120.869.082013582,36519,5923,16216,43033.65.428.24.4220.369.192014597,37520,0313,23516,79633.55.428.14.4220.469.232015612,66020,2033,22716,97632.95.327.74.3619.169.582016628,10220,3653,25517,11032.45.227.24.2918.569.802017643,63420,4583,29317,16531.75.126.64.2218.069.992018659,24920,6083,33517,27331.25.126.24.1617.470.172019674,99320,7913,37217,41930.85.025.84.1016.970.382020691,19120,9043,51517,38930.25.125.14.0416.570.202021707,85121,0983,56117,53729.85.024.83.9815.870.35

Ethnic groups Melanesian 95.3% Polynesian 3.1% Micronesian 1.2%, Other 0.3%

Languages Melanesian Pidgin (lingua franca) English (official) (spoken by only 1–2% of the population) 120 Languages of the Solomon Islands archipelago

Religion Christian 96.6% Protestant 74.6% Church of Melanesia 32.2% South Sea Evangelical 17.3% Seventh-day Adventist 11.6% United Church 9.3% Christian Fellowship Church 2.2% Christian OutReach Church 0.8% Assembly of God 0.5% Pentecostal 0.4% Baptist Church 0.3% Roman Catholic 19.9% Jehovah's Witness 2% Baha'i faith 0.4% Muslim 0.2% Other 2% No Religion/Athiesm 0.2% Refuse to answer 0.01%

References