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 Auki, on the northwest coast and is on the northern shore of the Langa Langa Lagoon. The people of the Langa Langa Lagoon and the Lau Lagoon on the northeast coast of Malaita call themselves "wane i asi" ‘salt-water people’ as distinct from "wane i tolo" ‘bush people’ who live in the interior of the island. Most local names for the island are Mala, or its dialect variants Mara or Mwala. The name Malaita or Malayta appears in the logbook of the Spanish explorers who in the 16th century visited the islands, and claimed that to be the actual name.