The duel
Land
Size, shape and altitude
How big is it, really?
Micronesia fits inside the Solomon Islands 41 times
Micronesia: 701 km² (2024) · Solomon Islands: 28,446 km² (2024)
How much coast is there?
Micronesia’s coastline is 15% longer than the Solomon Islands’
Micronesia: 6,112 km (2026 edition) · Solomon Islands: 5,313 km (2026 edition)
How high can you climb?
The Solomon Islands’ highest peak towers 1,553 m above Micronesia’s
Micronesia: 782 m (2026 edition) · Solomon Islands: 2,335 m (2026 edition)
How much of the land is farmed?
Farmland covers 7.7% of Micronesia, versus 4.1% of the Solomon Islands
Micronesia: 7.7% (2024) · Solomon Islands: 4.1% (2024)
People
Who lives there, and how closely
How many people live there?
The Solomon Islands has 7.4 times as many people as Micronesia
Micronesia: 113,683 (2025) · Solomon Islands: 838,645 (2025)
How crowded is it?
Micronesia is 5.4 times as densely populated as the Solomon Islands
Micronesia: 162 per km² (2025) · Solomon Islands: 30 per km² (2025)
How tall are the men?
Men in Micronesia are 6.5 cm taller than in the Solomon Islands
Micronesia: 169.6 cm (2019) · Solomon Islands: 163.1 cm (2019)
How tall are the women?
Women in Micronesia are 2.9 cm taller than in the Solomon Islands
Micronesia: 159.7 cm (2019) · Solomon Islands: 156.8 cm (2019)
How old is the typical person?
The typical person in Micronesia is 2.6 years older than in the Solomon Islands
Micronesia: 22.9 years (2023) · Solomon Islands: 20.3 years (2023)
How many children per woman?
Women in the Solomon Islands have 0.8 more children on average than in Micronesia
Micronesia: 2.74 children per woman (2024) · Solomon Islands: 3.51 children per woman (2024)
How many people are 65 or older?
6.2% of people in Micronesia are 65 or older, versus 3.7% in the Solomon Islands
Micronesia: 6.2% (2025) · Solomon Islands: 3.7% (2025)
How many refugees does it host?
Micronesia: no data · Solomon Islands: 0 per 1,000 (2024)
How many official languages?
Micronesia and the Solomon Islands are practically level
Micronesia: 1 (2026) · Solomon Islands: 1 (2026)
Money
What an economy looks like per person
How big is the economy?
The Solomon Islands’ economy is 3.5 times the size of Micronesia’s
Micronesia: $502 million (2025) · Solomon Islands: $1.75 billion (2025)
How much is produced per person?
Micronesia produces 65% more per person than the Solomon Islands
Micronesia: Int$4,604 (2025) · Solomon Islands: Int$2,788 (2025)
How many people are looking for work?
Micronesia: no data · Solomon Islands: 1.4% (2025)
How much does the central government collect in tax?
The Solomon Islands’ central government collects 23% of GDP in tax, Micronesia’s 7.0%
Micronesia: 7% (2020) · Solomon Islands: 23.3% (2024)
How expensive is it?
Micronesia’s price level (US = 100) is 1.3× the Solomon Islands’
Micronesia: 96% (2025) · Solomon Islands: 75% (2025)
Health
Long lives, small beginnings
How much is spent on health?
Micronesia spends 4.6 times as much on health per person as the Solomon Islands
Micronesia: $508 (2023) · Solomon Islands: $111 (2023)
How long do people live?
People in the Solomon Islands live 3.3 years longer than in Micronesia
Micronesia: 67.4 years (2024) · Solomon Islands: 70.7 years (2024)
How many babies don’t reach their first birthday?
A baby in Micronesia is 24% more likely to die before turning one than in the Solomon Islands
Micronesia: 20.3 per 1,000 (2024) · Solomon Islands: 16.4 per 1,000 (2024)
How many doctors are there?
Micronesia has 4.1 times as many doctors per person as the Solomon Islands
Micronesia: 1 per 1,000 (2020) · Solomon Islands: 0.2 per 1,000 (2023)
How common is suicide?
The suicide rate in Micronesia is 3% higher than in the Solomon Islands
Micronesia: 14.6 per 100k (2023) · Solomon Islands: 14.2 per 100k (2023)
How common is obesity?
47% of adults in Micronesia are obese, versus 21% in the Solomon Islands
Micronesia: 46.8% (2024) · Solomon Islands: 20.9% (2024)
How many adults smoke?
Micronesia: no data · Solomon Islands: 38.4% (2024)
Everyday life
Plates, glasses and happiness
How much do people drink?
Adults in Micronesia drink 33% more alcohol than in the Solomon Islands
Micronesia: 0.8 litres (2023) · Solomon Islands: 0.6 litres (2023)
How much meat is on the menu?
Micronesia has 4.1 times as much meat per person as the Solomon Islands
Micronesia: 64 kg (2023) · Solomon Islands: 15.6 kg (2023)
How much food is there per day?
Micronesia has 467 kcal more food per person per day than the Solomon Islands
Micronesia: 2,633 kcal (2023) · Solomon Islands: 2,166 kcal (2023)
How long do people go to school?
Adults in Micronesia went to school 1.5 years longer than in the Solomon Islands
Micronesia: 7.3 years (2023) · Solomon Islands: 5.9 years (2023)
How many tourists visit?
Micronesia welcomed 4.1 times as many tourists per resident as the Solomon Islands (2019)
Micronesia: 0.16 (2019) · Solomon Islands: 0.04 (2019)
How many World Heritage sites?
Micronesia and the Solomon Islands are practically level
Micronesia: 1 (2026) · Solomon Islands: 1 (2026)
How many Olympic medals has it won?
Micronesia and the Solomon Islands are practically level
Micronesia: 0 (2026 edition) · Solomon Islands: 0 (2026 edition)
Connected
Online, electrified, urban
How many people are online?
40% of people in Micronesia are online, versus 29% in the Solomon Islands
Micronesia: 40% (2024) · Solomon Islands: 29% (2024)
How fast is home internet?
Home internet in the Solomon Islands is 6% faster than in Micronesia
Micronesia: 84 Mbps (2026) · Solomon Islands: 89 Mbps (2026)
Who has electricity at home?
89% of people in Micronesia have electricity, versus 82% in the Solomon Islands
Micronesia: 88.9% (2024) · Solomon Islands: 81.5% (2024)
How many live in cities?
31% of people in the Solomon Islands live in cities, versus 22% in Micronesia
Micronesia: 22% (2025) · Solomon Islands: 31% (2025)
How many phones per person?
The Solomon Islands has 62 mobile subscriptions per 100 people, Micronesia 20
Micronesia: 20 (2022) · Solomon Islands: 62 (2022)
How much do they fly?
Micronesia: no data · Solomon Islands: 0.19 (2023)
Planet
Air, forests and energy
How much of the land is forest?
Forest covers 92% of Micronesia, but only 90% of the Solomon Islands
Micronesia: 92.1% (2024) · Solomon Islands: 89.8% (2024)
How much CO₂ does each person emit?
The average person in Micronesia emits 3.7 times as much CO₂ as someone in the Solomon Islands
Micronesia: 1.3 t (2024) · Solomon Islands: 0.4 t (2024)
How green is the power grid?
Micronesia: no data · Solomon Islands: 9.1% (2024)
How clean is the air?
The air in the Solomon Islands carries 3 times as much fine dust as in Micronesia
Micronesia: 2.3 µg/m³ (2024) · Solomon Islands: 7 µg/m³ (2024)
Safety
Measured risk, not vibes
How common is murder?
Micronesia: 0.9 per 100k (2019) · Solomon Islands: no data
How dangerous are the roads?
Roads in Micronesia are 4 times as deadly as in the Solomon Islands
Micronesia: 53.3 per 100k (2023) · Solomon Islands: 13.2 per 100k (2023)
Climate
What the year feels like
How warm is it?
Micronesia: no data · Solomon Islands: 26.5°C (2016–2025 avg)
How much rain falls?
Micronesia: no data · Solomon Islands: 4,245 mm (2016–2025 avg)
Between them
People, goods and passports that cross from one to the other
Quick answers
Is Micronesia bigger than the Solomon Islands?
The Solomon Islands is larger. Micronesia fits inside the Solomon Islands 41 times.
Which has more people, Micronesia or the Solomon Islands?
The Solomon Islands has 7.4 times as many people as Micronesia (2025 estimates).
Where do people live longer, Micronesia or the Solomon Islands?
People in the Solomon Islands live 3.3 years longer than in Micronesia. Life expectancy at birth is 67.4 years in Micronesia and 70.7 in the Solomon Islands.
Are people taller in Micronesia or the Solomon Islands?
Men in Micronesia are 6.5 cm taller than in the Solomon Islands (NCD-RisC, cohort born 2019).