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Solomon Islands vs Vanuatu
Side-by-side comparison of Solomon Islands and Vanuatu from official statistics: size, economy, people, trade, natural resources, health, infrastructure and military, with world ranks, years and sources.
Solomon Islands
East Asia & Pacific · nation age 48 years
Vanuatu
East Asia & Pacific · nation age 46 years
In short
Vanuatu scores 41.1 in the NationsTree Index (126th in the world) and Solomon Islands scores 32.6 (155th), a gap of 8.6 points. Their trees are 0.8 m and 0.7 m tall; tree height grows with real GDP and is adjusted by the index.
Solomon Islands has 2.5 times the population of Vanuatu. Solomon Islands is 2.3 times larger than Vanuatu by land area. The economy of Solomon Islands is 54% larger than that of Vanuatu (GDP at purchasing power parity). Population: Solomon Islands 838,645 and Vanuatu 335,169 (2025).
GDP per person at purchasing power parity is $4,525 in Vanuatu and $2,788 in Solomon Islands (2025, international dollars). People in Vanuatu live on average 1.0 years longer (71.7 vs 70.7 years).
Of 26 indicators reported by both countries, Solomon Islands ranks higher in the world on 12 and Vanuatu on 14. Solomon Islands is clearly stronger in trade, main industries and natural resources. Vanuatu is clearly stronger in tourism and institutions & safety.
As a nation, Solomon Islands is the older of the two (statehood since 1978, 48 years), compared with Vanuatu (since 1980). Over the last five years Vanuatu improved faster (direction score 92 vs 30 out of 100).
Where they differ most
The indicators with the biggest gap in world position between Solomon Islands and Vanuatu.
Over time
How the two countries moved against each other, from the yearly data.
Vanuatu overtook Solomon Islands in the NationsTree Index in 2024 and has stayed ahead since.
Vanuatu has been ahead of Solomon Islands in GDP per person (PPP) and life expectancy in every year since 1990.
Solomon Islands has been ahead of Vanuatu in GDP (PPP) and population in every year since 1990.
Strength by category
Average world percentile of the indicators in each category (0–100, direction taken into account). i
Solomon IslandsVanuatu All indicators
Latest available value for each country with its year and world rank. Green: the better world position of the two, red: the weaker one.
| Indicator | Solomon Islands | Vanuatu |
|---|---|---|
| Land & people | ||
| Surface area km² | 28,446141st/216 · 2024 | 12,189160th/216 · 2024 |
| Land area km² | 27,990141st/216 · 2024 | 12,189158th/216 · 2024 |
| Population people | 838,645163rd/217 · 2025 | 335,169177th/217 · 2025 |
| Population growth % | 2.35%32nd/217 · 2025 | 2.23%36th/217 · 2025 |
| Population density people/km² | 29.3174th/216 · 2024 | 26.9177th/216 · 2024 |
| Urban population % | 31.3%194th/217 · 2025 | 22.3%209th/217 · 2025 |
| Population aged 0–14 % | 36.6%45th/217 · 2025 | 38.0%34th/217 · 2025 |
| Population aged 65+ % | 3.7%174th/217 · 2025 | 4.4%158th/217 · 2025 |
| Economy | ||
| GDP USD | $1.75 bn192nd/210 · 2025 | $1.35 bn195th/210 · 2025 |
| GDP (PPP) intl. USD | $2.34 bn185th/199 · 2025 | $1.52 bn191st/199 · 2025 |
| Real GDP (PPP, constant 2021 prices) intl. USD 2021 | $2.00 bn185th/199 · 2025 | $1.30 bn191st/199 · 2025 |
| GDP per person USD | $2,086174th/210 · 2025 | $4,039150th/210 · 2025 |
| GDP per person (PPP) intl. USD | $2,788188th/199 · 2025 | $4,525171st/199 · 2025 |
| GNI per person (Atlas) USD | $2,020165th/201 · 2025 | $4,410135th/201 · 2025 |
| GDP growth % | 3.6%93rd/210 · 2025 | 3.1%113th/210 · 2025 |
| Inflation % | 3.4%99th/180 · 2025 | 0.7%26th/180 · 2025 |
| Unemployment % | 1.4%9th/187 · 2025 | 5.1%90th/187 · 2025 |
| Central government debt % of GDP | 26.0%9th/55 · 2024 | 67.9%37th/55 · 2023 |
| General government gross debt % of GDP | 29.6%32nd/189 · 2025 | 36.2%52nd/189 · 2025 |
| Government budget balance % of GDP | -3.9%129th/192 · 2025 | 6.2%5th/192 · 2025 |
| Main industries | ||
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing % of GDP | 29.7%13th/197 · 2024 | 26.6%17th/197 · 2024 |
| Industry incl. construction % of GDP | 23.4%102nd/200 · 2024 | 10.1%185th/200 · 2024 |
| Manufacturing % of GDP | 10.1%97th/192 · 2024 | 4.0%161st/192 · 2024 |
| Services % of GDP | 46.9%161st/200 · 2024 | 56.8%112th/200 · 2024 |
| Trade | ||
| Exports of goods & services USD | $642.6 m164th/182 · 2024 | $329.0 m172nd/182 · 2024 |
| Imports of goods & services USD | $1.12 bn167th/182 · 2024 | $623.5 m173rd/182 · 2024 |
| Exports % of GDP | 40.6%79th/183 · 2024 | 25.3%123rd/183 · 2024 |
| Imports % of GDP | 70.8%33rd/183 · 2024 | 48.0%84th/183 · 2024 |
| Trade openness % of GDP | 111.4%48th/183 · 2024 | 73.4%108th/183 · 2024 |
| Fuel exports % of merchandise exports | 0.0%2017 | 0.1%2011 |
| Manufactures exports % of merchandise exports | 2.2%2018 | 8.2%2011 |
| Food exports % of merchandise exports | 20.1%2018 | 85.3%2011 |
| Ores & metals exports % of merchandise exports | 3.8%2018 | 1.6%2011 |
| High-tech exports % of manufactured exports | 1.4%2018 | — |
| Current account balance % of GDP | 5.6%33rd/191 · 2025 | -6.0%150th/191 · 2025 |
| Foreign direct investment, inflows % of GDP | 3.8%56th/196 · 2025 | 2.4%86th/196 · 2025 |
| Natural resources | ||
| Natural resource rents % of GDP | 18.4%28th/209 · 2021 | 0.6%128th/209 · 2021 |
| Oil rents % of GDP | 0.00%120th/197 · 2021 | 0.00%120th/197 · 2021 |
| Natural gas rents % of GDP | 0.00%100th/197 · 2021 | 0.00%100th/197 · 2021 |
| Coal rents % of GDP | 0.00%68th/195 · 2021 | 0.00%68th/195 · 2021 |
| Mineral rents % of GDP | 0.00%91st/209 · 2021 | 0.00%91st/209 · 2021 |
| Forest rents % of GDP | 18.40%1st/209 · 2021 | 0.57%67th/209 · 2021 |
| Arable land % of land area | 0.8%185th/206 · 2024 | 1.6%177th/206 · 2024 |
| Renewable freshwater per person m³ | 57,22910th/183 · 2022 | 31,94417th/183 · 2022 |
| Tourism | ||
| International tourist arrivals arrivals | 4,400192nd/194 · 2020 | 82,400172nd/194 · 2020 |
| Tourism receipts USD | $7.0 m170th/175 · 2020 | $67.0 m149th/175 · 2020 |
| Tourism receipts % of exports | 1.6%137th/168 · 2020 | 50.4%15th/168 · 2020 |
| Outbound trips departures | — | 9,400106th/107 · 2020 |
| Society & health | ||
| Life expectancy years | 70.7149th/217 · 2024 | 71.7141st/217 · 2024 |
| Under-5 mortality per 1,000 births | 20.0123rd/196 · 2024 | 17.1110th/196 · 2024 |
| Physicians per 1,000 people | 0.24140th/174 · 2023 | 0.16154th/174 · 2019 |
| Hospital beds per 1,000 people | 2.71992 | 1.72008 |
| DPT immunization % of children 12–23 months | 87%121st/193 · 2024 | 71%166th/193 · 2024 |
| Completed lower secondary, 25+ % of adults | 34.1%2015 | 28.7%133rd/153 · 2023 |
| Secondary enrolment % gross | 49.0%2012 | 134.7%6th/173 · 2023 |
| Social protection coverage (incl. pensions) % of population | 1.7%2005 | 30.4%42nd/55 · 2019 |
| Old-age dependency ratio % of working-age population | 6.1%177th/217 · 2025 | 7.6%149th/217 · 2025 |
| Health spending % of GDP | 5.4%122nd/193 · 2023 | 4.1%153rd/193 · 2023 |
| Adult literacy % | 76.6%1999 | 88.0%57th/98 · 2023 |
| Tertiary enrolment % gross | — | 4.9%2004 |
| Human Development Index index 0–1 | 0.584156th/193 · 2023 | 0.621146th/193 · 2023 |
| Income inequality (Gini) index | 37.12012 | 32.32019 |
| Extreme poverty % of population | 40.3%2012 | 19.5%2019 |
| Infrastructure & digital | ||
| Access to electricity % of population | 81.5%169th/215 · 2024 | 65.5%181st/215 · 2024 |
| Safely managed drinking water % of population | — | 19.2%138th/150 · 2024 |
| Internet users % of population | 29.0%170th/186 · 2024 | 22.4%2015 |
| Mobile subscriptions per 100 people | 62191st/210 · 2022 | 89159th/210 · 2023 |
| Fixed broadband per 100 people | 0.1194th/208 · 2022 | 1.2167th/208 · 2024 |
| Trade & transport infrastructure quality (LPI) score 1–5 | 2.6080th/164 · 2022 | — |
| Air passengers carried passengers | 157,418131st/161 · 2023 | 359,290121st/161 · 2023 |
| Environment & energy | ||
| CO₂ emissions per person t CO₂e | 0.3837th/203 · 2024 | 0.8759th/203 · 2024 |
| Renewable energy % of final energy use | 50.1%49th/212 · 2022 | 25.0%92nd/212 · 2022 |
| Air pollution (PM2.5) µg/m³ | 9.844th/200 · 2023 | 7.026th/200 · 2023 |
| Forest area % of land area | 89.8%5th/214 · 2024 | 74.6%12th/214 · 2024 |
| Energy use per person kg oil eq. | 1282007 | 1582007 |
| Institutions & safety | ||
| Government effectiveness score 0–100 | 35.0170th/205 · 2025 | 37.0159th/205 · 2025 |
| Control of corruption score 0–100 | 44.9101st/207 · 2025 | 44.4102nd/207 · 2025 |
| Rule of law score 0–100 | 61.692nd/207 · 2025 | 67.371st/207 · 2025 |
| Political stability score 0–100 | 78.763rd/207 · 2025 | 82.346th/207 · 2025 |
| Regulatory quality score 0–100 | 39.1176th/205 · 2025 | 49.6122nd/205 · 2025 |
| Voice & accountability score 0–100 | 69.161st/205 · 2025 | 67.867th/205 · 2025 |
| Homicide rate per 100,000 | 3.72008 | 0.38th/145 · 2020 |
| Military | ||
| Arms imports (SIPRI TIV) TIV | 7.0 m117th/163 · 2021 | 7.0 m117th/163 · 2021 |
| Science & innovation | ||
| Patent applications by residents applications | — | 1126th/137 · 2021 |
| Scientific articles articles | 15180th/197 · 2023 | 12183rd/197 · 2023 |
Questions and answers
Which has more people, Solomon Islands or Vanuatu?
Solomon Islands has the larger population: 838,645 (2025) compared with 335,169 for Vanuatu (2025). Source: World Bank, SP.POP.TOTL.
Which is bigger by area, Solomon Islands or Vanuatu?
Solomon Islands is larger: 28,446 km² (2024) compared with 12,189 km² for Vanuatu (2024). Source: World Bank, AG.SRF.TOTL.K2.
Which economy is larger, Solomon Islands or Vanuatu?
Solomon Islands has the larger economy at purchasing power parity: $2.34 bn intl. (2025) compared with $1.52 bn intl. for Vanuatu (2025). Source: World Bank, NY.GDP.MKTP.PP.CD.
Which is richer per person, Solomon Islands or Vanuatu?
Vanuatu has the higher GDP per person (PPP): $4,525 intl. (2025) compared with $2,788 intl. for Solomon Islands (2025). Source: World Bank, NY.GDP.PCAP.PP.CD.
Where do people live longer, in Solomon Islands or Vanuatu?
Vanuatu has the higher life expectancy at birth: 71.7 years (2024) compared with 70.7 years for Solomon Islands (2024). Source: World Bank, SP.DYN.LE00.IN.
Which ranks higher in the NationsTree Index, Solomon Islands or Vanuatu?
Vanuatu: 41.1 points (126th in the world); Solomon Islands: 32.6 points (155th). The index combines foundations, economic strength, quality of life, problems and 5-year direction from public statistics.
Samoa
Timor-Leste
Tonga
KiribatiSources
World Bank World Development Indicators and Worldwide Governance Indicators, compiling UN agencies, the IMF, WHO, SIPRI and national statistical offices; every row links to its world ranking with the source series. See Sources & licences and Methodology.
Cite as: NationsTree (2026). Solomon Islands vs Vanuatu — country comparison. https://nationstree.org/compare/solomon-islands-vs-vanuatu. Data as of 26 October 2026.