1995 Edition
CIA World Factbook 1995 (Project Gutenberg)
Geography
Area
total area: 28,450 sq km land area: 27,540 sq km comparative area: slightly larger than Maryland
Climate
tropical monsoon; few extremes of temperature and weather
Coastline
5,313 km
Environment
current issues: deforestation; soil erosion; much of the surrounding coral reefs are dead or dying natural hazards: typhoons, but they are rarely destructive; geologically active region with frequent earth tremors; volcanic activity international agreements: party to - Climate Change, Environmental Modification, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Whaling; signed, but not ratified - Biodiversity, Law of the Sea
International disputes
none
Irrigated land
NA sq km
Land boundaries
0 km
Land use
arable land: 1% permanent crops: 1% meadows and pastures: 1% forest and woodland: 93% other: 4%
Location
Oceania, group of islands in the South Pacific Ocean, east of Papua New Guinea
Map references
Oceania
Maritime claims
measured from claimed archipelagic baselines continental shelf: 200 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 12 nm
Natural resources
fish, forests, gold, bauxite, phosphates, lead, zinc, nickel
Terrain
mostly rugged mountains with some low coral atolls
People and Society
Age structure
0-14 years: 46% (female 90,293; male 93,695) 15-64 years: 51% (female 100,183; male 103,374) 65 years and over: 3% (female 5,738; male 5,923) (July 1995 est.)
Birth rate
38.48 births/1,000 population (1995 est.)
Death rate
4.51 deaths/1,000 population (1995 est.)
Ethnic divisions
Melanesian 93%, Polynesian 4%, Micronesian 1.5%, European 0.8%, Chinese 0.3%, other 0.4%
Infant mortality rate
26.7 deaths/1,000 live births (1995 est.)
Labor force
NA 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: 70.84 years male: 68.38 years female: 73.41 years (1995 est.)
Literacy
NA%
Nationality
noun: Solomon Islander(s) adjective: Solomon Islander
Net migration rate
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1995 est.)
Population
399,206 (July 1995 est.)
Population growth rate
3.4% (1995 est.)
Religions
Anglican 34%, Roman Catholic 19%, Baptist 17%, United (Methodist/Presbyterian) 11%, Seventh-Day Adventist 10%, other Protestant 5%, traditional beliefs 4%
Total fertility rate
5.59 children born/woman (1995 est.)
Government
Administrative divisions
7 provinces and 1 town*; Central, Guadalcanal, Honiara*, Isabel, Makira, Malaita, Temotu, Western
Capital
Honiara
Constitution
7 July 1978
Digraph
BP
Diplomatic representation in US
ambassador traditionally resides in Honiara (Solomon Islands)
Executive branch
chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952), represented by Governor General Moses PITAKAKA (since 10 June 1994) head of government: Prime Minister Solomon MAMALONI (since 7 November 1994); Deputy Prime Minister Dennis LULEI (since 10 November 1994) cabinet: Cabinet; appointed by the governor general on advice of the prime minister from members of parliament
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
Independence
7 July 1978 (from UK)
Judicial branch
High Court
Legal system
common law
Legislative branch
unicameral
Member of
ACP, AsDB, C, ESCAP, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTELSAT (nonsignatory user), IOC, ITU, SPARTECA, SPC, SPF, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, 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
elections last held NA November 1994 (next to be held NA 1997); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (47 total) number of seats by party NA
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; National Action Party, leader NA; Christian Fellowship, leader NA; National Unity Group, Solomon MAMALONI
Suffrage
21 years of age; universal
Type
parliamentary democracy
US diplomatic representation
embassy closed July 1993; the ambassador to Papua New Guinea is accredited to the Solomon Islands
Economy
Agriculture
including fishing and forestry, accounts for 31% 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
recipient: Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1980-89), $250 million
Electricity
capacity: 21,000 kW production: 30 million kWh consumption per capita: 80 kWh (1993)
Exchange rates
Solomon Islands dollars (SI$) per US$1 - 3.3113 (September 1994), 3.1877 (1993), 2.9281 (1992), 2.7148 (1991), 2.5288 (1990)
Exports
$84 million (f.o.b., 1991) commodities: fish 46%, timber 31%, palm oil 5%, cocoa, copra partners: Japan 39%, UK 23%, Thailand 9%, Australia 5%, US 2% (1991)
External debt
$128 million (1988 est.)
Fiscal year
calendar year
Imports
$110 million (c.i.f., 1991) commodities: plant and machinery, manufactured goods, food and live animals, fuel partners: Australia 34%, Japan 16%, Singapore 14%, NZ 9%
Industrial production
growth rate -3.8% (1991 est.); accounts for 5% of GDP
Industries
copra, fish (tuna)
Inflation rate (consumer prices)
13% (1992 est.)
National product
GDP - purchasing power parity - $1 billion (1992 est.)
National product per capita
$2,590 (1992 est.)
National product real growth rate
8% (1992)
Overview
The bulk of the population depend on subsistence agriculture, fishing, and forestry for at least part of their livelihood. 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. In 1993, the government was working with the IMF to develop a structural adjustment program to address the country's fiscal deficit.
Unemployment rate
NA%
Communications
Radio
broadcast stations: AM 4, FM 0, shortwave 0 radios: NA
Telephone system
3,000 telephones local: NA intercity: NA international: 1 INTELSAT (Pacific Ocean) earth station
Television
broadcast stations: 0 televisions: NA
Transportation
Airports
total: 31 with paved runways 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 with paved runways 914 to 1,523 m: 1 with paved runways under 914 m: 19 with unpaved runways 1,524 to 2,438 m: 1 with unpaved runways 914 to 1,523 m: 9
Highways
total: 1,300 km paved: 30 km unpaved: gravel 290 km; earth 980 km note: in addition, there are 800 km of private logging and plantation roads of varied construction (1982)
Merchant marine
none
Ports
Aola Bay, Honiara, Lofung, Noro, Viru Harbor, Yandina
Railroads
0 km
Military and Security
Branches
no military forces; Royal Solomon Islands Police (RSIP)
Defense expenditures
$NA, NA% of GDP ________________________________________________________________________ SOMALIA