Outline of Solomon Islands

The Solomon Islands archipelago is believed to have been inhabited by Melanesian people for thousands of years.

Some of the most bitter fighting of World War II occurred in the Solomon Islands campaign of 1942–45, including the Battle of Guadalcanal.

In 1945, Bougainville, and some associated minor islands, were transferred away from the protectorate to Australian administration and then in 1970 became a part of Papua New Guinea.

The remainder stayed under the protectorate until independence in 1978 at which point they were officially named Solomon Islands.

In June 2003 an Australian-led "multinational" force, the Regional Assistance Mission to Solomon Islands (RAMSI), arrived to restore peace and disarm ethnic militias.