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.Sayers, E. G. (1943) Malaria in the South Pacific with Special Reference to the Solomon Islands. New Zealand Government Printing Office 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 . There are airports at Gizo, Munda, Seghe, Viru, Ramata, Gatokae, Ringgi Cove, Barakoma and Balalai.

The Western Province is considered the tourism mecca of the Solomon Islands, and is by far the most accommodating area, with multiple hotels and resorts, dive shops, ecotourism attractions restaurants, and boat tours.

Munda, the largest town on New Georgia island, has a landing strip built during World War II by the US and is listed as an emergency landing runway, capable of handling even jumbo jets.

The diving in the Western Province is pristine as tourists tend to visit nearby Fiji for diving rather than visiting the less developed Solomon Islands. Malaria is also a concern in the Solomons, which keeps many tourists away. The result is spectacular dive conditions with untouched coral reefs. Munda, Uepi, and Gizo are considered some of the Western Province's best dive locations. The region supports some of the highest coral and fish diversity in the world.

The Western Province and nearby Choiseul Province were significantly affected by 2007 Solomon Islands earthquake, an 8.1 magnitude earthquake that struck on April 2, 2007 and an associated tsunami. It caused 100+ significant (in excess of magnitude 4.0) aftershocks. The official death toll was 52 with several thousand persons displaced, most of the displaced are expected to be living in temporary shelters for a minimum of between six and nine months. The island of Ranongga to the west of Gizo was uplifted by around 2.5 – 3 metres resulting in the death of its fringing reef and also opening massive fissures in the island itself. Reefs around Munda and Uepi were largely unaffected by the tsunami and earthquake.

Government

In early 2026, Premier Billy Veo faced multiple motions of no confidence due to opposition conerns regarding leadership and financial management of the province.

Administrative divisions Western 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):

Name Population (2009 census) Population (2019 census) Total Male Female Total Male Female 04. – Shortlands 3,703 1,881 1,822 4,467 2,348 2,119 04.01. Outer Shortlands 1,306 648 658 1,444 755 689 04.02. Inner Shortlands 2,397 1,233 1,164 3,023 1,593 1,430 05. – North Vella la Vella 4,800 2,461 2,339 5,357 2,780 2,577 05.09. Ndovele 1,967 1,000 967 2,057 1,042 1,015 05.10. Irringgilla 2,833 1,461 1,372 3,300 1,738 1,562 06. – South Vella la Vella 7,848 4,082 3,766 8,426 4,273 4,153 06.07. Vonunu 3,558 1,837 1,721 3,924 1,998 1,926 06.08. Mbilua 4,290 2,245 2,045 4,502 2,275 2,227 07. – Ranongga/Simbo 8,142 4,153 3,989 8,524 4,354 4,170 07.03. Simbo 1,782 939 843 1,782 911 871 07.04. North Ranongga 541 266 275 552 272 280 07.05. Central Ranongga 2,514 1,227 1,287 2,832 1,446 1,386 07.06. South Ranongga 3,305 1,721 1,584 3,358 1,725 1,633 08. – Gizo/Kolombangara 13,478 7,270 6,208 17,311 9,166 8,145 08.11. Gizo 7,177 3,802 3,375 9,455 ,4883 4,572 08.12. South/East Kolombangara 4,023 2,215 1,808 4,934 2,693 2,241 08.26. North/West Kolombangara 2,278 1,253 1,025 2,922 1,590 1,332 09. – West New Georgia/Vonavona 13,495 7,025 6,470 19,683 9,997 9,686 09.13. Vonavona 5,515 2,883 2,632 6,398 3,296 3,102 09.15. Munda 2,620 1,352 1,268 3,797 1,914 1,883 09.16. Nusa Roviana 1,995 1,018 977 2,284 1,141 1,143 09.25. Noro 3,365 1,772 1,593 7,204 3,646 3,558 10. – North New Georgia 4,021 2,086 1,935 6,073 3,238 2,835 10.14. Kusaghe 2,238 1,157 1,081 2,508 1,273 1,235 10.20. Kolombaghea 1,783 929 854 3,565 1,965 1,600 11. – South New Georgia, Rendova & Tetepari 8,876 4,600 4,276 9,756 5,145 4,611 11.17. Roviana Lagoon 4,675 2,441 2,234 5,206 2,793 2,413 11.18. South Rendova 2,477 1,280 1,197 2,643 1,355 1,288 11.19. North Rendova 1,724 879 845 1,907 997 910 12. – Marovo 12,286 6,368 5,918 14,509 7,632 6,877 12.21. Mbuini Tusu 2,965 1,596 1,369 3,799 2,053 1,746 12.22. Nono 3,610 1,899 1,711 4,065 2,094 1,971 12.23. Nggatokae 3,050 1,553 1,497 3,434 1,810 1,624 12.24. North Vangunu 2,661 1,320 1,341 3,211 1,675 1,536 Total 76,649 39,926 37,047 94,106 48,933 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

External links

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