The Solomon Islands are a wide island nation in the South Pacific Ocean, that lies east of PNG and consists of nearly 1,000 islands. The main islands include Choiseul, the Shortland Islands, the New Georgia Islands, Santa Isabel, the Russell Islands, the Florida Islands, Malaita, Guadalcanal, Sikaiana, Maramasike, Ulawa, Uki, Makira (San Cristobal), Santa Ana, Rennell, Bellona and the Santa Cruz Islands.
The country covers a land mass of 28,400 square kilometres. The distance between the most western and most eastern islands is about 1,500 km. The capital, Honiara, is located on the island of Guadalcanal.
Volcanoes with varying degrees of activity are situated on some of the larger islands, while many of the smaller islands are simply tiny atolls covered in sand and palm trees.
Bougainville is geographically part of the Solomon Islands, but politically part of Papua New Guinea.