Solomon Islands

About Solomon Islands:

• The Solomon Islands are two parallel chains of volcanic islands and small coral atolls in the south-western Pacific Ocean. 
• It consists of nearly 1,000 islands (6 large main islands and over 900 smaller islands), of which 147 are inhabited.
• The nearest neighbours are Vanuatu to the southeast and Papua New Guinea to the west.
• The archipelago covers an area of 461,000 sq.km., of which 28,446 sq.km. is landmass.
• The country is mainly mountainous and covered in forests, although it has some extensive plains. 
• Once a British protectorate, the Solomon Islands achieved independence as are public in 1978.
• Capital: The capital, Honiara, is located on Guadalcanal, the largest island.
• Ethnic groups: Melanesian 93%, Polynesian 4%, Micronesian 1.5%, other 1.5%.
• Languages: English (official); about 120 vernaculars, including Solomon Islands pidgin.
• Government:
  • It is a parliamentary democracy within the Commonwealth, with a unicameral Parliament and a ministerial system of government. 
  • The British monarch is represented by a governor general, chosen by the Parliament for a 5-year term. 

Q1: What are Corals?

Corals are marine organisms that belong to the phylum Cnidaria and typically exist in warm, shallow ocean waters. They are colonial, meaning they live in groups, forming structures called coral reefs through the accumulation of their calcium carbonate skeletons over time. Corals are made up of tiny individual animals called polyps, which have a simple body structure with a mouth surrounded by tentacles. These polyps feed on tiny marine organisms, or zooplankton, by capturing them with their tentacles, but many types of corals also have a symbiotic relationship with photosynthetic algae called zooxanthellae.

News: Scientists discover the largest coral colony on Earth in the Solomon Islands: Key insights on its size and age