The islands north-east of Australia of what is now the Solomon Islands nation were created by Germany, Britain and France between 1886 and 1899. The British Solomon Islands Protectorate was proclaimed in 1893 and remained in place until 1978, when the islands became an independent nation. On 14 February 1907, the first postage stamps were issued in the Solomon Islands, marked British Solomon Islands Protectorate. From 1913, stamps were marked British Solomon Islands. From 1975, leading up to independence in 1978, stamps were marked “Solomon Islands” and all stamps since then have been so marked. Today’s stamp shows a large canoe with native rowers. The stamp is from the first series from 1907 and has a face value of 5 pence.