Western Province (Solomon Islands)
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Statistics | |
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Capital: | Gizo |
Area: | 5,475 km² Ranked 1st |
Inhabitants: | 62,739 (1999) Ranked 2nd |
Pop. density: | 11.5 inh./km² Ranked 4th |
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Map | |
Western Province is one of the provinces of the Solomon Islands. It contains many small lagoons and most of the country's tourist trade (outside of Honiara).
The provincial capital is Gizo, a town of around 3000. Most of the troubles that affect the country have had minimal impact in the Western Province, which saw no major violence during the revolution.
Tourism is discouraged throughout the Solomon Islands, but the west is by far the most accommodating area, including multiple hotels and resorts, dive shops, restaurants, and boat tours.
Munda, the largest town on New Georgia island, has a landing strip built during WWII 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. Also, malaria is a concern in the Solomons, which keeps many tourists away. The result is spectacular dive conditions with untouched coral reefs.
Provinces of the Solomon Islands | |
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Central | Choiseul | Guadalcanal | Isabel | Makira-Ulawa | Malaita | Rennell and Bellona | Temotu | Western |