Honiara, town and capital of the independent state of Solomon Islands, in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It is a port on the northern coast of Guadalcanal, and a commercial center with a trade in coconuts, palm products, and timber. An international airport is located east of the town. The community sprang up around a United States military headquarters established here during World War II. It became the capital of the British protectorate of the Solomon Islands in 1952, and the national capital in 1978, when the islands became independent. Population (1995 estimate) 53,000.
