Geography of the Solomon Islands Geography of the Solomon Islands Solomon Islands is a nation in the South Pacific Ocean, that lies east of Papua New Guinea. The Solomon Islands consists of an extensive archipelago: 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 distance between the most western and most eastern islands is about . Especially the Santa Cruz Islands, North of Vanuatu, (of which Tikopia is part) are isolated at more than from the other islands. Bougainville
Malaita Like most Pacific islands, there are not large numbers of mammals. Apart from several species of bats, there are introduced species of pig, cuscus, and rodent. There are also dugong in the mangrove swamps, and sometimes dolphins in the lagoon. Additionally, there are a great number and variety of birds. Almost every family of avifauna were found in Ernst Mayr's 1931 survey. Several species of parrots, cockatoos, and owls are kept as pets. Some bird species are endemic to Malaita, such as the Malaita fantail. Reptiles and amphibians are common as well, especially skinks and geckos. Crocodiles were once common,