2007 Edition

Administrative divisions

9 provinces and 1 capital territory*; Central, Choiseul, Guadalcanal, Honiara*, Isabel, Makira, Malaita, Rennell and Bellona, Temotu, Western

Age structure

0-14 years: 41.3% (male 116,370/female 111,834) 15-64 years: 55.4% (male 154,793/female 151,308) 65 years and over: 3.3% (male 8,696/female 9,437) (2006 est.)

Agriculture - products

cocoa beans, coconuts, palm kernels, rice, potatoes, vegetables, fruit; timber; cattle, pigs; fish

Airports

35 (2006)

Airports - with paved runways

total

2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2006)

Airports - with unpaved runways

total

33 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 9

under 914 m

23 (2006)

Area

land

27,540 sq km

total

28,450 sq km

water

910 sq km

Area - comparative

slightly smaller than Maryland

Background

The UK established a protectorate over the Solomon Islands in the 1890s. Some of the bitterest fighting of World War II occurred on this archipelago. Self-government was achieved in 1976 and independence two years later. Ethnic violence, government malfeasance, and endemic crime have undermined stability and civil society. In June 2003, Prime Minister Sir Allen KEMAKEZA sought the assistance of Australia in reestablishing law and order; the following month, an Australian-led multinational force arrived to restore peace and disarm ethnic militias. The Regional Assistance Mission to the Solomon Islands (RAMSI) has been very effective in restoring law and order and rebuilding government institutions. Geography Solomon Islands

Birth rate

30.01 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Budget

expenditures

$75.1 million; including capital expenditures of NA (2003)

revenues

$49.7 million

Capital

geographic coordinates

9 26 S, 159 57 E

name

Honiara

time difference

UTC+11 (16 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

Climate

tropical monsoon; few extremes of temperature and weather

Coastline

5,313 km

Constitution

7 July 1978

Country name

conventional long form

none

conventional short form

Solomon Islands

former

British Solomon Islands

local long form

none

local short form

Solomon Islands

Currency (code)

Solomon Islands dollar (SBD)

Currency code

SBD

Death rate

3.92 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Debt - external

$166 million (2004)

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

Diplomatic representation in the US

chancery

800 Second Avenue, Suite 400L, New York, NY 10017

chief of mission

Ambassador Collin David BECK

telephone

[1] (212) 599-6192, 6193

Disputes - international

since 2003, Australian Defense Force leads the Regional Assistance Mission to the Solomon Islands (RAMSI) to maintain civil and political order and reinforce regional security This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

Economic aid - recipient

$122 million annually, mainly from Australia (2004 est.)

Economy - overview

The bulk of the population depends on agriculture, fishing, and forestry for at least part of its 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. Prior to the arrival of the Regional Assistance Mission to the Solomon Islands (RAMSI), severe ethnic violence, the closing of key businesses, and an empty government treasury culminated in economic collapse. RAMSI's efforts to restore law and order and economic stability have led to modest growth as the economy rebuilds.

Electricity - consumption

51.15 million kWh (2004)

Electricity - exports

0 kWh (2004)

Electricity - imports

0 kWh (2004)

Electricity - production

55 million kWh (2004)

Electricity - production by source

fossil fuel

100%

hydro

0%

nuclear

0%

other

0% (2001)

Elevation extremes

highest point

Mount Makarakomburu 2,447 m

lowest point

Pacific Ocean 0 m

Environment - current issues

deforestation; soil erosion; many of the surrounding coral reefs are dead or dying

Environment - international agreements

party to

Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Environmental Modification, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Whaling

signed, but not ratified

none of the selected agreements

Ethnic groups

Melanesian 94.5%, Polynesian 3%, Micronesian 1.2%, other 1.1%, unspecified 0.2% (1999 census)

Exchange rates

Solomon Islands dollars per US dollar - 7.5299 (2005), 7.4847 (2004), 7.5059 (2003), 6.7488 (2002)

Executive branch

cabinet

Cabinet consists of 20 members appointed by the governor general on the advice of the prime minister from among the members of Parliament

chief of state

Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952), represented by Governor General Nathaniel WAENA (since 7 July 2004)

elections

none; the monarch is hereditary; governor general appointed by the monarch on the advice of Parliament for up to five years (eligible for a second term); 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

head of government

Prime Minister Manasseh SOGAVARE (since 4 May 2006); note - Prime Minister Snyder RINI, elected on 18 April 2006 and sworn in on 20 April 2006, resigned on 26 April prior to no confidence vote in parliament; SOGAVARE elected on 4 May

Exports

$171 million f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Exports - commodities

timber, fish, copra, palm oil, cocoa

Exports - partners

China 41.6%, South Korea 13.5%, Thailand 7%, Japan 6.4%, Philippines 4.6%, Italy 4.2% (2005)

FAX

[1] (212) 661-8925

Fiscal year

calendar year Communications Solomon Islands

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

GDP - composition by sector

agriculture

42%

industry

11%

services

47% (2000 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP)

$600 (2005 est.)

GDP - real growth rate

4.4% (2005 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate)

$286 million (2005)

GDP (purchasing power parity)

$800 million (2002 est.)

Geographic coordinates

8 00 S, 159 00 E

Geography - note

strategic location on sea routes between the South Pacific Ocean, the Solomon Sea, and the Coral Sea People Solomon Islands

Government - note

June 2003 Prime Minister Sir Allan KEMAKEZA sought the intervention of Australia to aid in restoring order; parliament approved the request for intervention in July 2003; troops from Australia, NZ, Fiji, Papua New Guinea, and Tonga arrived 24 July 2003; by 2006, the Regional Assistance Mission to the Solomon Islands (RAMSI) had been scaled back to 259 police officers and 20 military, in addition to civilian technical advisers; in response to rioting that broke out in mid-April 2006, Australia dispatched an addtional 220 troops and 70 police officers to help restore order Economy Solomon Islands

Government type

parliamentary democracy

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths

NA

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

NA

Household income or consumption by percentage share

highest 10%

NA%

lowest 10%

NA%

Imports

$159 million f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Imports - commodities

food, plant and equipment, manufactured goods, fuels, chemicals

Imports - partners

Australia 26.2%, Singapore 25.7%, NZ 4.7%, Fiji 4.2%, Papua New Guinea 4.1% (2005)

Independence

7 July 1978 (from UK)

Industrial production growth rate

NA%

Industries

fish (tuna), mining, timber

Infant mortality rate

female

17.59 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

male

23.54 deaths/1,000 live births

total

20.63 deaths/1,000 live births

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

6.6% (2005 est.)

International organization participation

ACP, AsDB, C, ESCAP, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt (signatory), ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, IOC, ITU, MIGA, OPCW, PIF, Sparteca, SPC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WMO, WTO

Internet country code

.sb

Internet hosts

2,658 (2006)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs)

1 (2000)

Internet users

8,400 (2005) Transportation Solomon Islands

Irrigated land

NA

Judicial branch

Court of Appeal

Labor force

249,200 (1999)

Labor force - by occupation

agriculture

75%

industry

5%

services

20% (2000 est.)

Land boundaries

0 km

Land use

arable land

0.62%

other

97.34% (2005)

permanent crops

2.04%

Languages

Melanesian pidgin in much of the country is lingua franca; English is official but spoken by only 1%-2% of the population

note

120 indigenous languages

Legal system

English common law, which is widely disregarded

Legislative branch

unicameral National Parliament (50 seats; members elected from single-member constituencies by popular vote to serve four-year terms)

election results

percent of vote by party - National Party 6.9%, SIPRA 6.3%, Democratic 4.9%, PAP 6.3%, LAFARI 2.8%, Liberal 5%, SOCRED 4.3%, independents 60.3%; seats by party - National Party 4, SIPRA 4, Democratic 3, PAP 3, LAFARI 2, Liberal 2, SOCRED 2, independents 30

elections

last held 5 April 2006 (next to be held in 2010)

Life expectancy at birth

female

75.55 years (2006 est.)

male

70.4 years

total population

72.91 years

Literacy

definition

NA

female

NA Government Solomon Islands

male

NA

total population

NA

Location

Oceania, group of islands in the South Pacific Ocean, east of Papua New Guinea

Manpower available for military service

males age 18-49

114,253 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service

males age 18-49

92,796 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually

males age 18-49

6,033 (2005 est.)

Map references

Oceania

Maritime claims

measured from claimed archipelagic baselines

continental shelf

200 nm

exclusive economic zone

200 nm

territorial sea

12 nm

Median age

female

19 years (2006 est.)

male

18.7 years

total

18.9 years

Military branches

no regular military forces; Royal Solomon Islands Police (RSIP)

Military expenditures - dollar figure

NA

Military expenditures - percent of GDP

NA Transnational Issues Solomon Islands

National holiday

Independence Day, 7 July (1978)

Nationality

adjective

Solomon Islander

noun

Solomon Islander(s)

Natural gas - consumption

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - production

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Natural hazards

typhoons, but rarely destructive; geologically active region with frequent earth tremors; volcanic activity

Natural resources

fish, forests, gold, bauxite, phosphates, lead, zinc, nickel

Net migration rate

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Oil - consumption

1,280 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - exports

NA bbl/day (2001)

Oil - imports

NA bbl/day (2001)

Oil - production

0 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Political parties and leaders

Association of Independent Members or AIM [Thomas CHAN]; Christian Alliance Solomon Islands or CASI [Edward RONIA]; LAFARI Party [John GARO]; National Party [Francis HILLY]; People's Alliance Party or PAP [Sir Allan KEMAKEZA]; Social Credit Party or SOCRED [Manasseh Damukana SOGAVARE]; Solomon First Party [David QUAN]; Solomon Islands Democratic Party [Gabriel SURI]; Solomon Islands Labor Party or SILP [Joses TUHANUKU]; Solomon Islands Liberal Party [Bartholomew ULUFA'ALU]; Solomon Islands Party for Rural Advancement or SIPRA [Job D. TAUSINGA]; United Party [Sir Peter KENILOREA]

note

in general, Solomon Islands politics is characterized by fluid coalitions

Political pressure groups and leaders

Isatabu Freedom Movement (IFM); Malaita Eagle Force (MEF); note - these rival armed ethnic factions crippled the Solomon Islands in a wave of violence from 1999 to 2003

Population

552,438 (July 2006 est.)

Population below poverty line

NA%

Population growth rate

2.61% (2006 est.)

Ports and terminals

Honiara, Malloco Bay, Shortland Harbor, Viru Harbor, Yandina Military Solomon Islands

Radio broadcast stations

AM 1, FM 1, shortwave 1 (2004)

Radios

57,000 (1997)

Religions

Church of Melanesia 32.8%, Roman Catholic 19%, South Seas Evangelical 17%, Seventh-Day Adventist 11.2%, United Church 10.3%, Christian Fellowship Church 2.4%, other Christian 4.4%, other 2.4%, unspecified 0.3%, none 0.2% (1999 census)

Roadways

paved

34 km

total

1,360 km

unpaved

1,326 km (1999)

Sex ratio

at birth

1.05 male(s)/female

total population

1.03 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

under 15 years

1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.92 male(s)/female

Suffrage

21 years of age; universal

Telephone system

domestic

NA

general assessment

NA

international

country code - 677; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)

Telephones - main lines in use

7,400 (2005)

Telephones - mobile cellular

6,000 (2005)

Televisions

3,000 (1997)

Terrain

mostly rugged mountains with some low coral atolls

Total fertility rate

3.91 children born/woman (2006 est.)

Unemployment rate

NA%