1993 Edition
CIA World Factbook 1993 (Project Gutenberg)
Geography
Area
total area: 28,450 km2 land area: 27,540 km2 comparative area: slightly larger than Maryland
Climate
tropical monsoon; few extremes of temperature and weather
Coastline
5,313 km
Environment
subject to typhoons, which are rarely destructive; geologically active region with frequent earth tremors
International disputes
none
Irrigated land
NA km2
Land boundaries
0 km
Land use
arable land: 1% permanent crops: 1% meadows and pastures: 1% forest and woodland: 93% other: 4%
Location
Oceania, just east of Papua New Guinea in the South Pacific Ocean
Map references
Oceania, Standard Time Zones of the World
Maritime claims
measured from claimed archipelagic baselines exclusive economic zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 12 nm
Natural resources
fish, forests, gold, bauxite, phosphates
Note
located just east of Papua New Guinea in the South Pacific Ocean
Terrain
mostly rugged mountains with some low coral atolls
People and Society
Birth rate
39.37 births/1,000 population (1993 est.)
Death rate
4.76 deaths/1,000 population (1993 est.)
Ethnic divisions
Melanesian 93%, Polynesian 4%, Micronesian 1.5%, European 0.8%, Chinese 0.3%, other 0.4%
Infant mortality rate
29 deaths/1,000 live births (1993 est.)
Labor force
23,448 economically active by occupation: agriculture, forestry, and fishing 32.4%, services 25%, construction, manufacturing, and mining 7.0%, commerce, transport, and finance 4.7% (1984)
Languages
Melanesian pidgin in much of the country is lingua franca, English spoken by 1-2% of population note: 120 indigenous languages
Life expectancy at birth
total population: 70.13 years male: 67.73 years female: 72.65 years (1993 est.)
Literacy
total population: NA% male: NA% female: NA%
Nationality
noun: Solomon Islander(s) adjective: Solomon Islander
Net migration rate
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1993 est.)
Population
372,746 (July 1993 est.)
Population growth rate
3.46% (1993 est.)
Religions
Anglican 34%, Roman Catholic 19%, Baptist 17%, United (Methodist/Presbyterian) 11%, Seventh-Day Adventist 10%, other Protestant 5%
Total fertility rate
5.88 children born/woman (1993 est.)
Government
Administrative divisions
7 provinces and 1 town*; Central, Guadalcanal, Honiara*, Isabel, Makira,, Malaita, Temotu, Western
Capital
Honiara
Chief of State
Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952), represented by Governor General Sir George LEPPING (since 27 June 1989, previously acted as governor general since 7 July 1988)
Constitution
7 July 1978
Digraph
BP
Diplomatic representation in US
chief of mission: (vacant); ambassador traditionally resides in Honiara (Solomon Islands)
Executive branch
British monarch, governor general, prime minister, Cabinet
FAX
(677) 23488
Flag
divided diagonally by a thin yellow stripe from the lower hoist-side corner; the upper triangle (hoist side) is blue with five white five-pointed stars arranged in an X pattern; the lower triangle is green
Head of Government
Prime Minister Solomon MAMALONI (since 28 March 1989); Deputy Prime Minister Sir Baddeley DEVESI (since NA October 1990)
Independence
7 July 1978 (from UK)
Judicial branch
High Court
Legal system
common law
Legislative branch
unicameral National Parliament
Member of
ACP, AsDB, C, ESCAP, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, IOC, ITU, SPARTECA, SPC, SPF, UN, UNCTAD, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WMO
Names
conventional long form: none conventional short form: Solomon Islands former: British Solomon Islands
National holiday
Independence Day, 7 July (1978)
National Parliament
last held 22 February 1989 (next to be held 26 May 1993); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (38 total) PAP 13, UP 6, NFP 4, SILP 4, LP 2, independents 9
Political parties and leaders
People's Alliance Party (PAP); United Party (UP), leader NA; Solomon Islands Liberal Party (SILP), Bartholemew ULUFA'ALU; Nationalist Front for Progress (NFP), Andrew NORI; Labor Party (LP), Joses TUHANUKU
Suffrage
21 years of age; universal
Type
parliamentary democracy
US diplomatic representation
Ambassador Robert W. FARRAND embassy: Mud Alley, Honiara
Economy
Agriculture
including fishing and forestry, accounts for about 70% of GDP; mostly subsistence farming; cash crops - cocoa, beans, coconuts, palm kernels, timber; other products - rice, potatoes, vegetables, fruit, cattle, pigs; not self-sufficient in food grains; 90% of the total fish catch of 44,500 metric tons was exported (1988)
Budget
revenues $48 million; expenditures $107 million, including capital expenditures of $45 million (1991 est.)
Currency
1 Solomon Islands dollar (SI$) = 100 cents
Economic aid
Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1980-89), $250 million
Electricity
21,000 kW capacity; 39 million kWh produced, 115 kWh per capita (1990)
Exchange rates
Solomon Islands dollars (SI$) per US$1 - 3.1211 (January 1993), 2.9281 (1992), 2.7148 (1991), 2.5288 (1990), 2.2932 (1989), 2.0825 (1988)
Exports
$74.2 million (f.o.b., 1991 est.) commodities: fish 46%, timber 31%, copra 5%, palm oil 5% partners: Japan 51%, UK 12%, Thailand 9%, Netherlands 8%, Australia 2%, US 2% (1985)
External debt
$128 million (1988 est.)
Fiscal year
calendar year
Imports
$87.1 million (c.i.f., 1991 est.) commodities: plant and machinery 30%, fuel 19%, food 16% partners: Japan 36%, US 23%, Singapore 9%, UK 9%, NZ 9%, Australia 4%, Hong Kong 4%, China 3% (1985)
Industrial production
growth rate 0% (1987); accounts for 5% of GDP
Industries
copra, fish (tuna)
Inflation rate (consumer prices)
14.3% (1991)
National product
GDP - exchange rate conversion - $200 million (1990 est.)
National product per capita
$600 (1990 est.)
National product real growth rate
6% (1990 est.)
Overview
About 90% of the population depend on subsistence agriculture, fishing, and forestry for at least part of their livelihood. Agriculture, fishing, and forestry contribute about 70% to GDP, with the fishing and forestry sectors being important export earners. The service sector contributes about 25% to GDP. Most manufactured goods and petroleum products must be imported. The islands are rich in undeveloped mineral resources such as lead, zinc, nickel, and gold. The economy suffered from a severe cyclone in mid-1986 that caused widespread damage to the infrastructure.
Unemployment rate
NA%
Communications
Airports
total: 30 usable: 29 with permanent-surface runways: 2 with runways over 3,659 m: with runways 2,440-3,659 m: with runways 1,220-2,439 m: 3
Highways
about 2,100 km total (1982); 30 km paved, 290 km gravel, 980 km earth, 800 private logging and plantation roads of varied construction
Ports
Honiara, Ringi Cove
Telecommunications
3,000 telephones; broadcast stations - 4 AM, no FM, no TV; 1 Pacific Ocean INTELSAT earth station
Military and Security
Branches
Police Force
Defense expenditures
exchange rate conversion - $NA, NA% of GDP
Manpower availability
NA