1999 Edition
CIA World Factbook 1999 (Internet Archive)
Introduction
Background
In 1893, Britain made the southern Solomon Islands a protectorate. Other islands were added to the group, including some ceded to Britain by Germany. The Solomon Islands were occupied by the Japanese during World War II. Following the war, internal self-government was established in 1976, and independence from the UK came two years later. Current issues include government deficits, deforestation, and malaria control.
Geography
Area
total: 28,450 sq km land: 27,540 sq km water: 910 sq km
Area--comparative
slightly smaller than Maryland
Climate
tropical monsoon; few extremes of temperature and weather
Coastline
5,313 km
Elevation extremes
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: Mount Makarakomburu 2,447 m
Environment--current issues
deforestation; soil erosion; much of the surrounding coral reefs are dead or dying
Environment--international agreements
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Environmental Modification, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Whaling signed, but not ratified: Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol
Geographic coordinates
8 00 S, 159 00 E
Irrigated land
NA sq km
Land boundaries
0 km
Land use
arable land: 1% permanent crops: 1% permanent pastures: 1% forests and woodland: 88% other: 9% (1993 est.)
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 hazards
typhoons, but they are rarely destructive; geologically active region with frequent earth tremors; volcanic activity
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: 45% (male 103,844; female 99,972) 15-64 years: 52% (male 120,518; female 117,298) 65 years and over: 3% (male 6,808; female 6,989) (1999 est.)
Birth rate
35.92 births/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Death rate
4.11 deaths/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Ethnic groups
Melanesian 93%, Polynesian 4%, Micronesian 1.5%, European 0.8%, Chinese 0.3%, other 0.4%
Infant mortality rate
23 deaths/1,000 live births (1999 est.)
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: 72.09 years male: 69.55 years female: 74.75 years (1999 est.)
Literacy
NA
Nationality
noun: Solomon Islander(s) adjective: Solomon Islander
Net migration rate
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Population
455,429 (July 1999 est.)
Population growth rate
3.18% (1999 est.)
Religions
Anglican 34%, Roman Catholic 19%, Baptist 17%, United (Methodist/Presbyterian) 11%, Seventh-Day Adventist 10%, other Protestant 5%, traditional beliefs 4%
Sex ratio
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.97 male(s)/female total population: 1.03 male(s)/female (1999 est.)
Total fertility rate
4.96 children born/woman (1999 est.)
Government
Administrative divisions
7 provinces and 1 town*; Central, Guadalcanal, Honiara*, Isabel, Makira, Malaita, Temotu, Western note: there may be two new provinces of Choiseul (Lauru) and Rennell/Bellona and the administrative unit of Honiara may have been abolished
Capital
Honiara
Constitution
7 July 1978
Country name
conventional long form: none conventional short form: Solomon Islands former: British Solomon Islands
Data code
BP
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 Bartholomew ULUFA'ALU (since 27 August 1997); Deputy Prime Minister Sir Baddeley DEVESI (since 27 August 1997) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the governor general on the advice of the prime minister from among the members of Parliament elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; governor general appointed by the monarch on the advice of Parliament for up to five years; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or the leader of a majority coalition is usually elected prime minister by Parliament; deputy prime minister appointed by the governor general on the advice of the prime minister from among the members of Parliament
Flag description
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
Government type
parliamentary democracy
Independence
7 July 1978 (from UK)
International organization participation
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, WTrO Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Stephen Rex HOROI (represents the country as both the Permanent Representative to the UN and the ambassador to the US) chancery: 800 Second Avenue, Suite 400L, New York, NY 10017 Diplomatic representation from the US: the US does not have an embassy in Solomon Islands (embassy closed July 1993); the ambassador to Papua New Guinea is accredited to the Solomon Islands
Judicial branch
Court of Appeal Political parties and leaders: characterized by fluid coalitions; TAUSINGA] (leader of opposition); People's Alliance Party or PAP
Legal system
English common law
Legislative branch
unicameral National Parliament (50 seats; members elected from single member constituencies by popular vote to serve four-year terms) elections: last held 6 August 1997 (next to be held by August 2001) election results: percent of vote by party--NA; seats by party--GNUR 21, PAP 7, NAPSI 5, SILP 4, UP 4, independents 6, other 3
National holiday
Independence Day, 7 July (1978)
Suffrage
21 years of age; universal
Economy
Agriculture--products
cocoa, beans, coconuts, palm kernels, rice, potatoes, vegetables, fruit; cattle, pigs; timber; fish
Budget
revenues: $147 million expenditures: $168 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1997 est.)
Currency
1 Solomon Islands dollar (SI$) = 100 cents
Debt--external
$145 million (1996 est.)
Economic aid--recipient
$46.4 million (1995)
Economy--overview
The bulk of the population depend on agriculture, fishing, and forestry for at least part of their livelihood. Most manufactured goods and petroleum products must be imported. The islands are rich in undeveloped mineral resources such as lead, zinc, nickel, and gold. Economic troubles in Southeast Asia led to a steep downturn in the timber industry, and economic output declined by about 10% in 1998. The government instituted public service pay cuts and other retrenchments.
Electricity--consumption
30 million kWh (1996)
Electricity--exports
0 kWh (1996)
Electricity--imports
0 kWh (1996)
Electricity--production
30 million kWh (1996)
Electricity--production by source
fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (1996)
Exchange rates
Solomon Islands dollars (SI$) per US$1--4.9334 (January 1999), 4.8156 (1998), 3.5664 (1997), 3.4059 (1995), 3.2914 (1994)
Exports
$184 million (f.o.b., 1996)
Exports--commodities
timber, fish, palm oil, cocoa, copra
Exports--partners
Japan 50%, Spain 16%, UK, Thailand 5% (1996)
Fiscal year
calendar year
GDP
purchasing power parity--$1.15 billion (1998 est.)
GDP--composition by sector
agriculture: NA% industry: NA% services: NA%
GDP--per capita
purchasing power parity?$2,600 (1998 est.)
GDP--real growth rate
-10% (1998 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share
lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%
Imports
$151 million (c.i.f., 1996 est.)
Imports--commodities
plant and equipment, manufactured goods, food and live animals, fuel
Imports--partners
Australia 42%, Japan 10%, Singapore 9%, NZ 8%, US 5% (1996)
Industrial production growth rate
NA%
Industries
copra, fish (tuna)
Inflation rate (consumer prices)
11.8% (1996)
Labor force
26,842
Labor force--by occupation
services 41.5%, agriculture, forestry, and fishing 23.7%, commerce, transport, and finance 21.7%, construction, manufacturing, and mining 13.1% (1992 est.)
Population below poverty line
NA%
Unemployment rate
NA%
Communications
Radio broadcast stations
AM 4, FM 0, shortwave 0
Radios
38,000 (1993 est.)
Telephone system
domestic: NA international: satellite earth station--1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)
Telephones
5,000 (1991 est.)
Television broadcast stations
0 (1997)
Televisions
2,000 (1992 est.)
Transportation
Airports
33 (1998 est.) Airports--with paved runways: total: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (1998 est.) Airports--with unpaved runways: total: 31 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 9 under 914 m: 21 (1998 est.)
Highways
total: 1,360 km paved: 34 km unpaved: 1,326 km (includes about 800 km of private plantation roads) (1996 est.) Ports and harbors: Aola Bay, Honiara, Lofung, Noro, Viru Harbor, Yandina
Merchant marine
none
Railways
0 km
Military and Security
Military branches
no regular military forces; Solomon Islands National Reconnaissance and Surveillance Force; Royal Solomon Islands Police (RSIP)
Military expenditures--dollar figure
$NA
Military expenditures--percent of GDP
NA%
Transnational Issues
Disputes--international
none