History of the Solomon Islands

The first inhabitants arrived on the territory of the Solomon Islands about 4000-3000 BC. They spoke Papuan and Austronesian languages. Later, between 1200 and 800 BC. e. residents from the Bismarck archipelago arrived here, namely the ancestors of the Polynesians ^[2] .

In 1568, the Spanish navigator Alvaro Mendanya de Neira discovered these areas and named them in honor of the biblical king Solomon . A few years later, in 1595, by order of King Philip II , a Spanish colony was founded on the island of Santa Cruz Mendanya , which, due to conflicts with warlike natives, did not last long and was soon abandoned.

The second discovery of these islands was made in 1767 by the English explorer and navigator Philip Carteret ^[3] .

In the 1860s, the first white traders began to settle here.

In 1885, Germany established a protectorate over the northern part of the Solomon Islands - the islands of Buka , Bougainville , Shortland , Choiseul Bay , Santa Isabel and the Ontong Java atoll (Lord Howe). And in 1893, Great Britain established a protectorate over the southern part of the Solomon Islands - the islands of New Georgia , Guadalcanal , Malaita and San Cristobal .

From 1893 to 1975, a land called the British Solomon Islands was part of the British West Pacific Territories . In 1898, Great Britain annexed the islands of Bellona , Rennell and the islands of Santa Cruz ^[4] .

Since 1907, English entrepreneurs began to create coconut plantations in the British Solomon Islands .

World War II

During World War II, part of the Solomon Islands was occupied by Japan. From 1942 to 1945, battles were fought on the islands between the Japanese and the countries of the Anti-Hitler coalition ( Great Britain , the USA , Australia and New Zealand ), which ended in the victory of the coalition.

Independence

On August 28, 1973, limited British autonomy was granted to the British Solomon Islands. On June 22, 1975, the British Solomon Islands were renamed the Solomon Islands. In January 1976, self-government was granted to the Solomon Islands. And on July 7, 1978, the Islands gained independence from Great Britain and the Constitution was adopted.

As a result of inter-tribal tensions leading to armed clashes , a coup occurred in the country on June 5, 2000. Prime Minister Bartholomew Ulufaalu was arrested and then resigned.

In July 2003, the “Solomon Islands Regional Assistance Mission” arrived (the military and police forces of Australia, New Zealand and several countries of Oceania ( Fiji , Papua New Guinea , Tonga , etc.)), in total about 2,200 police and military. They restored order and disarmed tribal fighters.

• Chronological table on the history of the Solomon Islands
• History of Oceania

1. ↑ Editor-in-chief A.P. Gorkin, Authors: L. A. Aksenova, T. A. Galkina, G. I. Gladkevich, A. P. Gorkin, V. N. Streletsky, S. A. Tarkhov. Countries of the world: Encyclopedia . - Rosman, 2007 .-- 298 p. - ISBN 9785353024088 .
2. ↑ Kirch, Patrick Vinton. On the Road of the Winds: an Archaeological History of the Pacific Islands Before European Contact, Revised and Expanded Edition. . - University of California Press, 2017 .-- ISBN 9780520968899 , 0520968891.
3. ↑ The New Encyclopædia Britannica. . - 15th ed. - Chicago: Encyclopædia Britannica, 1989 .-- 32 volumes p. - ISBN 085229493X , 9780852294932.
4. ↑ Nam H. Nguyen. The history of each country around the world in Russian: History of Each Country around the World in Russian . - Nam H Nguyen, 2018-02-06. - 521 p.