Demographics of Solomon Islands
Demographics of Solomon Islands Population pyramid of the Solomon Islands in 2020
Population 702,694 (2022 est.) Growth rate 1.72% (2022 est.) Birth rate 22.71 births/1,000 population (2022 est.) Death rate 3.96 deaths/1,000 population (2022 est.) Net migration rate -1.55 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2022 est.) 0–14 years 32.99% 65 and over 4.51% Nationality Solomon Islander Major ethnic Melanesian (95.3%)
Population , fertility rate and net reproduction rate , United Nations estimates
Demographic features of the population of Solomon Islands include population density , ethnicity , education level, health of the populace, economic status, religious affiliations and other aspects.
The Solomon Islanders comprise diverse cultures, languages, and customs. Of its population [ 1] 94.5% are Melanesian , 3% Polynesian , and 1.2% Micronesian .[ 2] 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.
Vital statistics
Births and deaths [ 3] [ 4]
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)
1950
105,209
4,365
2,606
1,759
41.5
24.8
16.7
7.00
166.4
40.03
1951
107,119
4,519
2,536
1,983
42.2
23.7
18.5
7.02
163.8
40.53
1952
109,309
4,682
2,505
2,177
42.9
22.9
19.9
7.04
158.7
41.29
1953
111,760
4,816
2,472
2,344
43.1
22.1
21.0
7.01
153.7
42.08
1954
114,448
4,968
2,455
2,513
43.5
21.5
22.0
7.00
148.7
42.79
1955
117,314
5,119
2,432
2,687
43.7
20.8
22.9
6.99
143.8
43.58
1956
120,288
5,266
2,643
2,623
43.9
22.0
21.8
6.97
144.5
41.87
1957
123,373
5,415
2,366
3,049
43.9
19.2
24.7
6.95
132.9
45.28
1958
126,649
5,602
2,338
3,264
44.3
18.5
25.8
6.98
127.9
46.12
1959
130,071
5,774
2,315
3,459
44.4
17.8
26.6
6.97
123.0
46.91
1960
133,440
5,948
2,282
3,666
44.5
17.1
27.4
6.97
118.3
47.74
1961
136,780
6,085
2,291
3,794
44.4
16.7
27.7
6.97
113.6
48.43
1962
140,254
6,225
2,283
3,942
44.3
16.3
28.1
6.97
109.1
49.25
1963
143,863
6,357
2,274
4,083
44.1
15.8
28.3
6.97
104.6
50.05
1964
147,609
6,495
2,260
4,235
43.9
15.3
28.6
6.96
100.3
50.86
1965
151,495
6,624
2,246
4,378
43.7
14.8
28.9
6.95
96.0
51.66
1966
155,514
6,759
2,229
4,530
43.4
14.3
29.1
6.94
91.7
52.46
1967
159,667
6,901
2,216
4,685
43.2
13.9
29.3
6.94
87.5
53.21
1968
163,973
7,023
2,172
4,851
42.8
13.2
29.5
6.92
82.6
54.24
1969
168,399
7,224
2,141
5,083
42.8
12.7
30.1
6.97
78.0
55.16
1970
172,833
7,426
2,121
5,305
42.8
12.2
30.6
7.00
73.3
56.07
1971
177,264
7,604
2,116
5,488
42.8
11.9
30.9
7.03
68.9
56.98
1972
181,876
7,784
2,069
5,715
42.7
11.3
31.3
7.06
64.6
57.80
1973
186,816
7,995
2,027
5,968
42.7
10.8
31.9
7.09
60.7
58.59
1974
192,155
8,234
1,991
6,243
42.8
10.3
32.4
7.13
57.0
59.36
1975
197,853
8,395
2,161
6,234
42.4
10.9
31.5
7.07
56.2
58.08
1976
204,082
8,591
1,919
6,672
42.1
9.4
32.7
7.02
50.6
60.75
1977
210,932
8,824
1,937
6,887
41.8
9.2
32.7
6.95
48.3
60.86
1978
218,193
9,061
1,868
7,193
41.5
8.6
33.0
6.87
45.3
61.91
1979
225,786
9,303
1,864
7,439
41.2
8.3
33.0
6.78
43.3
62.39
1980
233,668
9,563
1,869
7,694
40.9
8.0
32.9
6.71
41.4
62.80
1981
241,827
9,817
1,881
7,936
40.6
7.8
32.8
6.61
39.8
63.16
1982
250,250
10,084
1,896
8,188
40.3
7.6
32.7
6.52
38.4
63.51
1983
258,945
10,369
1,924
8,445
40.1
7.4
32.6
6.42
37.1
63.76
1984
267,913
10,660
1,955
8,705
39.8
7.3
32.5
6.31
36.0
64.00
1985
277,158
10,969
1,981
8,988
39.6
7.2
32.4
6.22
35.0
64.29
1986
286,527
11,280
2,121
9,159
39.4
7.4
32.0
6.11
35.3
63.76
1987
295,836
11,536
2,039
9,497
39.0
6.9
32.1
5.99
33.2
64.76
1988
305,132
11,818
2,063
9,755
38.7
6.8
31.9
5.88
32.5
64.97
1989
314,560
12,091
2,093
9,998
38.4
6.6
31.7
5.78
31.7
65.19
1990
324,171
12,353
2,125
10,228
38.1
6.5
31.5
5.66
31.0
65.39
1991
333,952
12,615
2,160
10,455
37.7
6.5
31.3
5.55
30.3
65.58
1992
343,916
12,898
2,197
10,701
37.5
6.4
31.1
5.45
29.5
65.77
1993
354,086
13,248
2,237
11,011
37.4
6.3
31.1
5.38
28.8
65.96
1994
364,505
13,622
2,272
11,350
37.3
6.2
31.1
5.31
28.1
66.19
1995
375,189
13,988
2,315
11,673
37.2
6.2
31.1
5.24
27.5
66.38
1996
386,069
14,209
2,354
11,855
36.8
6.1
30.7
5.12
26.9
66.59
1997
397,050
14,391
2,402
11,989
36.2
6.0
30.2
4.99
26.5
66.74
1998
408,145
14,686
2,449
12,237
35.9
6.0
29.9
4.90
26.1
66.92
1999
419,229
14,967
2,502
12,465
35.6
6.0
29.7
4.82
25.7
67.07
2000
429,978
15,207
2,560
12,647
35.3
5.9
29.3
4.76
25.3
67.23
2001
440,395
15,457
2,615
12,842
35.0
5.9
29.1
4.69
25.1
67.36
2002
450,760
15,672
2,667
13,005
34.7
5.9
28.8
4.63
24.8
67.52
2003
461,216
15,914
2,722
13,192
34.4
5.9
28.5
4.57
24.6
67.64
2004
471,785
16,146
2,770
13,376
34.1
5.9
28.3
4.52
24.4
67.80
2005
482,486
16,400
2,821
13,579
33.9
5.8
28.1
4.48
24.2
67.94
2006
493,430
16,834
2,870
13,964
34.0
5.8
28.2
4.48
23.9
68.09
2007
504,619
17,123
2,968
14,155
33.8
5.9
28.0
4.44
23.8
67.99
2008
516,001
17,424
2,958
14,466
33.7
5.7
27.9
4.41
23.0
68.40
2009
527,833
17,763
3,024
14,739
33.6
5.7
27.8
4.39
22.9
68.47
2010
540,394
18,223
3,041
15,182
33.6
5.6
28.0
4.40
22.0
68.73
2011
553,721
18,661
3,076
15,585
33.6
5.5
28.1
4.41
21.4
68.91
2012
567,763
19,122
3,110
16,012
33.6
5.5
28.2
4.41
20.8
69.08
2013
582,365
19,592
3,162
16,430
33.6
5.4
28.2
4.42
20.3
69.19
2014
597,375
20,031
3,235
16,796
33.5
5.4
28.1
4.42
20.4
69.23
2015
612,660
20,203
3,227
16,976
32.9
5.3
27.7
4.36
19.1
69.58
2016
628,102
20,365
3,255
17,110
32.4
5.2
27.2
4.29
18.5
69.80
2017
643,634
20,458
3,293
17,165
31.7
5.1
26.6
4.22
18.0
69.99
2018
659,249
20,608
3,335
17,273
31.2
5.1
26.2
4.16
17.4
70.17
2019
674,993
20,791
3,372
17,419
30.8
5.0
25.8
4.10
16.9
70.38
2020
691,191
20,904
3,515
17,389
30.2
5.1
25.1
4.04
16.5
70.20
2021
707,851
21,098
3,561
17,537
29.8
5.0
24.8
3.98
15.8
70.35
Structure of the population
Population by Sex and Age Group (Census 22.XI.2009):
[ 5]
Age Group
Male
Female
Total
%
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
0.06
Age group
Male
Female
Total
Per 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
Population Estimates by Sex and Age Group (01.VII.2021) (Projections based on adjusted 2009 census counts.):
[ 5]
Age Group
Male
Female
Total
%
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
0.66
Age group
Male
Female
Total
Per 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
The World Factbook demographic statistics
The following demographic statistics are from The World Factbook , unless otherwise indicated.[ 6]
Demographics of Solomon Islands, Data of FAO , year 2005; Number of inhabitants in thousands.
Population
Age structure
0–14 years: 32.99% (male 116,397/female 109,604)
15–24 years: 19.82% (male 69,914/female 65,874)
25–54 years: 37.64% (male 131,201/female 126,681)
55–64 years: 5.04% (male 17,844/female 16,704)
65 years and over: 4.51% (male 14,461/female 16,417) (2020 est.)
Population growth rate
Birth rate
23.6 births/1,000 population
Death rate
3.8 deaths/1,000 population
Net migration rate
-1.6 migrant(s)/1,000 population
Urbanisation
Urban Population: 24.7% of total population
Rate of Urbanization: 3.91% annual rate of change
Sex ratio
At Birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
0–14 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
15–24 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
25–54 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
55–64 years: 1.07 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.88 male(s)/female
Total Population: 1.04 male(s)/female (2020 est.)
Maternal mortality rate
104 deaths/100,000 live births
Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 76.2 years
Male: 73.5 years
Female: 79 years (2020 est.)
Total fertility rate
2.97 children born/woman (2020 est.)
Health expenditure
Physicians density
0.2 physicians/1,000 population
Hospital bed density
1.4 beds/1,000 population
Nationality
Solomon Islanders (noun)
Solomon Islander (adjective)
Ethnic groups
Religions
Languages
Literacy
Total population: 84.1%
Male: 88.9%
Female: 79.2%
References
Sovereign states Associated states of New Zealand Dependencies and other territories