Central Province's 1,000 sq km comprises the islands of Savo, Russells and Nggela.

Suffering the same fate as many other Pacific Islands during the early days of black birding in the late 1860's, over 100 men were forcibly carried off to Queensland to become virtually slaves after the slaying of 18 others by black birders.  In the 1930's the secessionist Chair & Rule Movement from Santa Islabel became popular in the province when they experienced US wartime generosity, and along with some Malatians they tried to buy US rule and believing that they had bought a new government over the then ruling British Government.

The people of the Central Province have legendary tales of an early wild cannibalistic race called the Mumutabu, but nothing is known of their demise. Forehead discs similar to "kaps kaps" but called "birus" are produced from clam shells and are work on ceremonial occasions. Small model canoes and dog teeth necklaces are also made. The province's capital, Tulagi was established as the capital of the Solomons in 1897, only four years after the protectorate was proclaimed because of its central position in the archipelago and its deep water anchorage. In the early 1900s large Pacific trading companies had opened stores in Tulagi, and on 7th August 1942 forces landed on the island which was by then Japanese occupied.