Western Province is the largest of the nine provinces of Solomon Islands. The area is renowned for its beautiful tropical islands, excellent diving and snorkelling, coral reefs and World War II wrecks, ecotourism lodges, and head-hunting shrines. The province contains many small lagoons and most of the country's tourist trade outside Honiara. The province had a population of 94,106 . It had a land area of .

History

The Methodist Mission in the Western Province was established by Rev. John Francis Goldie in 1902. He dominated the mission and gained the loyalty of Solomon Islander members of his church. The relationship with the colonial administrators of the British Solomon Islands Protectorate were also fraught with difficulty, at this time due to Goldie's effective control over the Western Solomon Islands. From 1927 to 1934 Dr. Edward Sayers worked at the Methodist mission where he established hospitals at Gizo, Munda and Vella Lavella, and carried out fieldwork in the treatment of malaria. It is also well known as the place where a United States Navy torpedo boat commanded by John F. Kennedy was rammed and sunk by a Japanese destroyer during World War II.

Tourism

The provincial capital is Gizo, with a population of 4,260 .

{| 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 | 04. – Shortlands

| align="right" | 3,703

| align="right" | 1,881

| align="right" | 1,822

| align="right" | 4,467

| align="right" | 2,348

| align="right" | 2,119

|-

| 04.01.

| Outer Shortlands

| align="right" | 1,306

| align="right" | 648

| align="right" | 658

| align="right" | 1,444

| align="right" | 755

| align="right" | 689

|-

| 04.02.

| Inner Shortlands

| align="right" | 2,397

| align="right" | 1,233

| align="right" | 1,164

| align="right" | 3,023

| align="right" | 1,593

| align="right" | 1,430

|-

| colspan=2 | 05. – North Vella la Vella

| align="right" | 4,800

| align="right" | 2,461

| align="right" | 2,339

| align="right" | 5,357

| align="right" | 2,780

| align="right" | 2,577

|-

| 05.09.

| Ndovele

| align="right" | 1,967

| align="right" | 1,000

| align="right" | 967

| align="right" | 2,057

| align="right" | 1,042

| align="right" | 1,015

|-

| 05.10.

| Irringgilla

| align="right" | 2,833

| align="right" | 1,461

| align="right" | 1,372

| align="right" | 3,300

| align="right" | 1,738

| align="right" | 1,562

|-

| colspan=2 | 06. – South Vella la Vella

| align="right" | 7,848

| align="right" | 4,082

| align="right" | 3,766

| align="right" | 8,426

| align="right" | 4,273

| align="right" | 4,153

|-

| 06.07.

| Vonunu

| align="right" | 3,558

| align="right" | 1,837

| align="right" | 1,721

| align="right" | 3,924

| align="right" | 1,998

| align="right" | 1,926

|-

| 06.08.

| Mbilua

| align="right" | 4,290

| align="right" | 2,245

| align="right" | 2,045

| align="right" | 4,502

| align="right" | 2,275

| align="right" | 2,227

|-

| colspan=2 | 07. – Ranongga/Simbo

| align="right" | 8,142

| align="right" | 4,153

| align="right" | 3,989

| align="right" | 8,524

| align="right" | 4,354

| align="right" | 4,170

|-

| 07.03.

| Simbo

| align="right" | 1,782

| align="right" | 939

| align="right" | 843

| align="right" | 1,782

| align="right" | 911

| align="right" | 871

|-

| 07.04.

| North Ranongga

| align="right" | 541

| align="right" | 266

| align="right" | 275

| align="right" | 552

| align="right" | 272

| align="right" | 280

|-

| 07.05.

| Central Ranongga

| align="right" | 2,514

| align="right" | 1,227

| align="right" | 1,287

| align="right" | 2,832

| align="right" | 1,446

| align="right" | 1,386

|-

| 07.06.

| South Ranongga

| align="right" | 3,305

| align="right" | 1,721

| align="right" | 1,584

| align="right" | 3,358

| align="right" | 1,725

| align="right" | 1,633

|-

| colspan=2 | 08. – Gizo/Kolombangara

| align="right" | 13,478

| align="right" | 7,270

| align="right" | 6,208

| align="right" | 17,311

| align="right" | 9,166

| align="right" | 8,145

|-

| 08.11.

| Gizo

| align="right" | 7,177

| align="right" | 3,802

| align="right" | 3,375

| align="right" | 9,455

| align="right" | ,4883

| align="right" | 4,572

|-

| 08.12.

| South/East Kolombangara

| align="right" | 4,023

| align="right" | 2,215

| align="right" | 1,808

| align="right" | 4,934

| align="right" | 2,693

| align="right" | 2,241

|-

| 08.26.

| North/West Kolombangara

| align="right" | 2,278

| align="right" | 1,253

| align="right" | 1,025

| align="right" | 2,922

| align="right" | 1,590

| align="right" | 1,332

|-

| colspan=2 | 09. – West New Georgia/Vonavona

| align="right" | 13,495

| align="right" | 7,025

| align="right" | 6,470

| align="right" | 19,683

| align="right" | 9,997

| align="right" | 9,686

|-

| 09.13.

| Vonavona

| align="right" | 5,515

| align="right" | 2,883

| align="right" | 2,632

| align="right" | 6,398

| align="right" | 3,296

| align="right" | 3,102

|-

| 09.15.

| Munda

| align="right" | 2,620

| align="right" | 1,352

| align="right" | 1,268

| align="right" | 3,797

| align="right" | 1,914

| align="right" | 1,883

|-

| 09.16.

| Nusa Roviana

| align="right" | 1,995

| align="right" | 1,018

| align="right" | 977

| align="right" | 2,284

| align="right" | 1,141

| align="right" | 1,143

|-

| 09.25.

| Noro

| align="right" | 3,365

| align="right" | 1,772

| align="right" | 1,593

| align="right" | 7,204

| align="right" | 3,646

| align="right" | 3,558

|-

| colspan=2 | 10. – North New Georgia

| align="right" | 4,021

| align="right" | 2,086

| align="right" | 1,935

| align="right" | 6,073

| align="right" | 3,238

| align="right" | 2,835

|-

| 10.14.

| Kusaghe

| align="right" | 2,238

| align="right" | 1,157

| align="right" | 1,081

| align="right" | 2,508

| align="right" | 1,273

| align="right" | 1,235

|-

| 10.20.

| Kolombaghea

| align="right" | 1,783

| align="right" | 929

| align="right" | 854

| align="right" | 3,565

| align="right" | 1,965

| align="right" | 1,600

|-

| colspan=2 | 11. – South New Georgia, Rendova & Tetepari

| align="right" | 8,876

| align="right" | 4,600

| align="right" | 4,276

| align="right" | 9,756

| align="right" | 5,145

| align="right" | 4,611

|-

| 11.17.

| Roviana Lagoon

| align="right" | 4,675

| align="right" | 2,441

| align="right" | 2,234

| align="right" | 5,206

| align="right" | 2,793

| align="right" | 2,413

|-

| 11.18.

| South Rendova

| align="right" | 2,477

| align="right" | 1,280

| align="right" | 1,197

| align="right" | 2,643

| align="right" | 1,355

| align="right" | 1,288

|-

| 11.19.

| North Rendova

| align="right" | 1,724

| align="right" | 879

| align="right" | 845

| align="right" | 1,907

| align="right" | 997

| align="right" | 910

|-

| colspan=2 | 12. – Marovo

| align="right" | 12,286

| align="right" | 6,368

| align="right" | 5,918

| align="right" | 14,509

| align="right" | 7,632

| align="right" | 6,877

|-

| 12.21.

| Mbuini Tusu

| align="right" | 2,965

| align="right" | 1,596

| align="right" | 1,369

| align="right" | 3,799

| align="right" | 2,053

| align="right" | 1,746

|-

| 12.22.

| Nono

| align="right" | 3,610

| align="right" | 1,899

| align="right" | 1,711

| align="right" | 4,065

| align="right" | 2,094

| align="right" | 1,971

|-

| 12.23.

| Nggatokae

| align="right" | 3,050

| align="right" | 1,553

| align="right" | 1,497

| align="right" | 3,434

| align="right" | 1,810

| align="right" | 1,624

|-

| 12.24.

| North Vangunu

| align="right" | 2,661

| align="right" | 1,320

| align="right" | 1,341

| align="right" | 3,211

| align="right" | 1,675

| align="right" | 1,536

|-

| colspan=2 | Total

| align="right" | 76,649

| align="right" | 39,926

| align="right" | 37,047

| align="right" | 94,106

| align="right" | 48,933

| align="right" | 45,173

|}

Islands

  • Akara Island
  • Faisi
  • Fauro Island
  • Gizo
  • Ghoi
  • Kennedy Island
  • Kiambe
  • Kingguru
  • Kohinggo
  • Kolombangara
  • Liapari
  • Logha
  • Lola Island
  • Marovo Island
  • Marovo Lagoon
  • Matikuri
  • Mbava
  • Mborokua
  • Mbulo Island
  • Mondomondo
  • Mono Island
  • Nakaza
  • New Georgia
  • Nggatokae
  • Nusatupe
  • Ranongga
  • Rendova
  • Shortland Island
  • Simbo
  • Stirling Island
  • Telina
  • Tetepare
  • Uepi
  • Vella Lavella
  • Vangunu
  • Vonavona

References

  • Provincial Profile of the West, People First Network
  • Western photo gallery from Ministry of Commerce and Tourism
  • Digital Photo Library of the West from the People First Network
  • Bekabeka distance learning centre, Gatokae
  • Marovo Learning Network