Largest Urban Localities by Population in the Solomon Islands

13 urban localities in the Solomon Islands, ranked by population at the census of November 24, 2019 (by Solomon Islands National Statistics Office).

RankUrban LocalityPopulation
1Honiara130,176
2Tandai24,592
3Malango15,560
4Noro7,204
5Auki7,020
6Gizo4,260
7MundaNusa Roviana3,144
8Kirakirain: Bauro Central Ward2,107
9Latain: Luva Station Ward1,806
10Tulagi1,481
11Buala1,342
12Taroin: Batava Ward1,053
13Tigoa881

Source: Solomon Islands National Statistics Office (2019 census), via City Population by Thomas Brinkhoff.

Why don't these match official city populations?Official figures typically count only the population within administrative boundaries. UN urban area figures cover the entire built-up area, which can include multiple cities and towns.

Tokyo

33,338,852

Urban area

9,953,160

23 wards

Essen

2,709,375

Urban area

573,618

City of Essen

Ankara

3,630,865

Urban area

5,186,002

Metropolitan municipality

What counts as an urban area? The UN uses satellite imagery to map built-up land, and treats each continuous stretch of built-up land as an urban area. This means that urban areas can extend beyond official city boundaries, and may include multiple cities and towns within a single urban area.

Can an urban area be smaller than its city? Yes. While most cities have urban areas larger than their administrative boundaries, some cities have extensive administrative limits that include sparsely populated areas.

1 urban area in the Solomon Islands with 50,000 or more inhabitants, ranked by the UN's population estimates for 2026.

RankUrban AreaPopulation Estimate (2026)Yearly ChangeLand Area (km²)Density (P/km²)World RankProjections (2030)Projections (2050)
1Honiara132,824+1.26%393,4064,646139,522186,069

Source: United Nations, Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division (2025). World Urbanization Prospects: The 2025 Revision, Online Edition.

See also