Solomon Islands (geography)

Solomon Islands (geography), group of islands and atolls, in the south-western Pacific Ocean, extending about 1,450 km (900 mi) between the Bismarck Archipelago on the west and the Santa Cruz Islands on the east. Most of the islands are part of the independent state of Solomon Islands. These include Guadalcanal, Malaita, New Georgia, San Cristobal (now Makira), Santa Isabel, Choiseul, and numerous smaller islands, including Rennell in the south, which is the largest raised coral atoll in the world and contains Lake Tegano, the largest lake in the insular Pacific. East Rennell was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1998. The remaining islands, including Bougainville and Buka, are part of Papua New Guinea.