Solomon Islands is a double-chain archipelago of more than 900 coral atolls located in the south-west Pacific Ocean about 1800 kilometres north-east of Australia. Its total land area of 30 400 square kilometres is widely scattered over 1.3 million square kilometres (exclusive economic zone) of the Pacific, with most of its smaller islands uninhabited.
The population at the latest National Census in 2009 was 515 870. An estimated 93% of the total population are Melanesians, 4% are Polynesians and 3% are from other ethnic groups. According to the 2009 Census, the population is growing at a rate of 2.3% per annum. Most live in rural areas, with only 18% living in urban areas.