▁the ▁Central ▁Sol omon ▁Islands ; ▁mainly ▁the ▁R enn ell ▁and ▁Bell ona ▁Islands ▁( J ons son , ▁ 1 9 9 9 ). ▁For ▁a ▁great ▁deal ▁of ▁time ▁the ▁Sol omon ▁Islands ▁were ▁occupied ▁by ▁the ▁British , ▁and ▁pid gin ▁English ▁had ▁become ▁the ▁main ▁language ▁spoken ▁in ▁the ▁R enn ell ▁and ▁Bell ona ▁Islands , ▁until ▁World ▁War ▁II . ▁At ▁that ▁time ▁the ▁R enn ell ▁and ▁Bell ona ▁Islands ▁were ▁a ▁battle field ▁during ▁the ▁Battle ▁of ▁Mid way , ▁between ▁the ▁Japanese ▁and ▁Americans ; ▁just ▁like ▁Hawai i . ▁During ▁the ▁battle ▁the ▁Japanese ▁occupied ▁most ▁of ▁the ▁area ▁using ▁it ▁as ▁a ▁base . ▁After ▁World ▁War ▁II ▁had ▁ended , ▁both ▁R enn ell ▁and ▁Bell ona ▁were ▁still ▁being ▁held ▁by ▁al lied ▁forces , ▁until ▁finally ▁gain ing ▁independence ▁in ▁ 1 9 7 8 ▁( Le vin son , ▁ 2 7 9 - 2 8 0 ). ▁Both ▁islands ▁have ▁been ▁working ▁to ▁develop ▁their ▁own ▁government , ▁and ▁R enn ell ese ▁has ▁been ▁recognized ▁as ▁the ▁official ▁language ▁( Mon berg , ▁ 2 0 1 2 ). ▁ ▁Population ▁The ▁Sol omon ▁Islands ▁have ▁a ▁population ▁of ▁around ▁ 9 4 0 , 0 0 0 ▁( in ▁ 2 0 1 6 ), ▁including ▁ 6 5 8 , 0 0 0 ▁in ▁the ▁independent ▁state ▁of ▁the ▁Sol omon ▁Islands ; ▁and ▁only ▁a ▁little ▁over ▁ 4 0 0 0