Makira-Ulawa Province is one of the nine provinces of Solomon Islands. It is mainly made up of the island of the same name, located east of Guadalcanal. The largest city and capital is Kirakira, in the north of Makira. The province is best known for its football club Real Kakamora, which in recent years have become one of the largest clubs in the Oceania Football Confederation.
Geography
The main part of the province is Makira Island. The capital is Kirakira.
Makira-Ulawa Province includes Makira (San Cristobal), Ulawa, Uki Ni Masi, Owaraha (Santa Ana), Owariki (Santa Catalina), Pio, Aio, and others.
Makira Island is , being nearly 139 km long by 40 km wide near the centre of the island. Mountains run like a spine down the island's centre: the highest point reaches 1040 metres above sea level, then falls steeply to the sea along its southern shore. Many rivers penetrate the island in roughly parallel lines every two to five kilometres. Makira has more inland swamps—and saltwater crocodiles—than any other island in the Solomon Islands. Its coast is the only part of the Solomons where the rare Olive ridley sea turtle (also known as the Pacific ridley sea turtle) is known to visit and nest.
Because Makira Island was isolated for long stretches of time during periods of high sea level, a wide variety of unique plants and animals evolved. For example, 12 of its 70 resident species of birds are endemic, as are two species of trees, both figs (Ficus cristobalensis and Ficus illiberalis). This uniqueness highlights the importance of preserving Makira's forest habitat.
Makira is also among the most important islands in the country for birds. There are some bird watching spots on the island. At the village of Hauta, situated hundreds of metres above sea level, at the Bauro inland region an established conservation area exists. However, one requires a permission to visit, which can be acquired from the Provincial Office at Kirakira.
Population
, the total population was estimated to be 51,587.
Administrative divisions
Makira-Ulawa Province is sub-divided into the following constituencies (or electoral districts), which are further sub-divided into wards (with populations at the 2009 and 2019 Censuses respectively):
{| class="sortable wikitable"
! rowspan=2 colspan=2 | Name
! colspan=3 | Population (2009 census)
! colspan=3 | Population (2019 census)
|-
! Total
! Male
! Female
! Total
! Male
! Female
|-
| colspan=2 | 44. – West Makira
| align="right" | 12,060
| align="right" | 6,289
| align="right" | 5,771
| align="right" | 14,397
| align="right" | 7,361
| align="right" | 7,036
|-
| 44.05.
| Arosi South
| align="right" | 3,009
| align="right" | 1,575
| align="right" | 1,434
| align="right" | 3,169
| align="right" | 1,623
| align="right" | 1,546
|-
| 44.06.
| Arosi West
| align="right" | 2,009
| align="right" | 1,064
| align="right" | 945
| align="right" | 2,425
| align="right" | 1,236
| align="right" | 1,189
|-
| 44.07.
| Arosi North
| align="right" | 2,344
| align="right" | 1,207
| align="right" | 1,137
| align="right" | 2,820
| align="right" | 1,428
| align="right" | 1,392
|-
| 44.08.
| Arosi East
| align="right" | 2,054
| align="right" | 1,083
| align="right" | 971
| align="right" | 2,746
| align="right" | 1,403
| align="right" | 1,343
|-
| 44.20.
| Haununu
| align="right" | 2,644
| align="right" | 1,360
| align="right" | 1,284
| align="right" | 3,237
| align="right" | 1,671
| align="right" | 1,566
|-
| colspan=2 | 45. – Central Makira
| align="right" | 10,115
| align="right" | 5,295
| align="right" | 4,820
| align="right" | 13,196
| align="right" | 6,916
| align="right" | 6,280
|-
| 45.09.
| Bauro West
| align="right" | 3,928
| align="right" | 2,066
| align="right" | 1,862
| align="right" | 5,221
| align="right" | 2,706
| align="right" | 2,515
|-
| 45.10.
| Bauro Central
| align="right" | 4,562
| align="right" | 2,384
| align="right" | 2,178
| align="right" | 5,557
| align="right" | 2,919
| align="right" | 2,638
|-
| 45.11.
| Bauro East
| align="right" | 1,625
| align="right" | 845
| align="right" | 780
| align="right" | 2,418
| align="right" | 1,291
| align="right" | 1,127
|-
| colspan=2 | 46. – East Makira
| align="right" | 13,712
| align="right" | 6,939
| align="right" | 6,773
| align="right" | 18,405
| align="right" | 9,513
| align="right" | 8,892
|-
| 46.12.
| Wainoni West
| align="right" | 2,131
| align="right" | 1,074
| align="right" | 1,057
| align="right" | 3,242
| align="right" | 1,660
| align="right" | 1,582
|-
| 46.13.
| Wainoni East
| align="right" | 2,488
| align="right" | 1,263
| align="right" | 1,225
| align="right" | 3,254
| align="right" | 1,731
| align="right" | 1,523
|-
| 46.14.
| Star Harbour North
| align="right" | 3,262
| align="right" | 1,654
| align="right" | 1,608
| align="right" | 4,106
| align="right" | 2,158
| align="right" | 1,948
|-
| 46.15.
| Santa Ana
| align="right" | 1,547
| align="right" | 757
| align="right" | 790
| align="right" | 1,939
| align="right" | 954
| align="right" | 985
|-
| 46.16.
| Santa Catalina
| align="right" | 811
| align="right" | 413
| align="right" | 398
| align="right" | 1,015
| align="right" | 506
| align="right" | 509
|-
| 46.17.
| Star Harbour South
| align="right" | 1,138
| align="right" | 580
| align="right" | 558
| align="right" | 1,561
| align="right" | 811
| align="right" | 750
|-
| 46.18.
| Rawo
| align="right" | 677
| align="right" | 356
| align="right" | 321
| align="right" | 934
| align="right" | 490
| align="right" | 444
|-
| 46.19.
| Weather Coast
| align="right" | 1,658
| align="right" | 842
| align="right" | 816
| align="right" | 2,354
| align="right" | 1,203
| align="right" | 1,151
|-
| colspan=2 | 47. – Ulawa/Ugi
| align="right" | 4,532
| align="right" | 2,266
| align="right" | 2,266
| align="right" | 5,589
| align="right" | 2,872
| align="right" | 2,717
|-
| 47.01.
| North Ulawa
| align="right" | 1,169
| align="right" | 586
| align="right" | 583
| align="right" | 1,428
| align="right" | 712
| align="right" | 716
|-
| 47.02.
| South Ulawa
| align="right" | 1,294
| align="right" | 627
| align="right" | 667
| align="right" | 1,499
| align="right" | 772
| align="right" | 727
|-
| 47.03.
| West Ulawa
| align="right" | 860
| align="right" | 434
| align="right" | 426
| align="right" | 1,064
| align="right" | 539
| align="right" | 525
|-
| 47.04.
| Ugi and Pio
| align="right" | 1,209
| align="right" | 619
| align="right" | 590
| align="right" | 1,598
| align="right" | 849
| align="right" | 749
|-
| colspan=2 | Total
| align="right" | 40,419
| align="right" | 20,789
| align="right" | 19,630
| align="right" | 51,587
| align="right" | 26,662
| align="right" | 24,925
|}
Islands
- Ali'ite
- Makira (San Cristobal)
- Malaulalo
- Malaupaina
- Owaraha (Santa Ana)
- Owariki (Santa Catalina)
- Pio
- Ugi
- Ulawa