Solomon Islands Independence Day

The Solomon Islands are an archipelago of six large islands surrounded by 900 smaller ones in Oceania, to the east of Papua New Guinea and northwest of Vanuatu.

Independence Day is an official public holiday in the Solomon Islands on July 7th each year.

This holiday is the National Day of the country and marks independence from Britain on this day in 1978.

History of Independence Day

Lying to the east of Papua New Guinea, the first European to visit the islands in the archipelago was the Spanish navigator Álvaro de Mendaña in February 1568.

When Mendaña arrived, he thought the islands were the location of the fabled biblical city of Ophir. In Genesis, Ophir is said to be a place that was teeming with gold and contributed to the wealth of King Solomon, hence Mendaña called the islands, Islas Salomón ("Solomon Islands"). The claims of riches, unfortunately, proved to be fake news.

In June 1893, Captain Gibson R.N., of HMS Curacoa, declared the southern Solomon Islands a British protectorate in response to the German annexation of others. By 1900 Germany agreed to cede their interests to Britain and the Solomons came entirely under British rule.

The official name was changed from the British Solomon Islands Protectorate to the Solomon Islands in 1975, and self-government was achieved the following year.

Independence was granted on July 7th 1978, and Sir Peter Kenilorea appointed to be the country's first Prime Minister. Queen Elizabeth II remained the monarch with the Solomon Islands becoming a constitutional monarchy and a member of the Commonwealth.