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Australia-Oceania :: Solomon Islands

- ## Introduction :: SOLOMON ISLANDS

- 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, endemic crime, and a narrow economic base have undermined stability and civil society. In June 2003, then Prime Minister Sir Allan 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 generally been effective in restoring law and order and rebuilding government institutions.

- ## Geography :: SOLOMON ISLANDS

- Location:
  Oceania, group of islands in the South Pacific Ocean, east of Papua New Guinea
  Geographic coordinates:
  8 00 S, 159 00 E
  Map references:
  Oceania
  Area:
  total: 28,896 sq km
  land: 27,986 sq km
  water: 910 sq km
  country comparison to the world: 144
  Area - comparative:
  slightly smaller than Maryland
  Land boundaries:
  0 km
  Coastline:
  5,313 km
  Maritime claims:
  measured from claimed archipelagic baselines
  territorial sea: 12 nm
  exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
  continental shelf: 200 nm
  Climate:
  tropical monsoon; few temperature and weather extremes
  Terrain:
  mostly rugged mountains with some low coral atolls
  Elevation extremes:
  lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
  highest point: Mount Popomanaseu 2,310 m
  Natural resources:
  fish, forests, gold, bauxite, phosphates, lead, zinc, nickel
  Land use:
  agricultural land: 3.9%
  arable land 0.7%; permanent crops 2.9%; permanent pasture 0.3%
  forest: 78.9%
  other: 17.2% (2011 est.)
  Irrigated land:
  NA
  Total renewable water resources:
  44.7 cu km (2011)
  Natural hazards:
  typhoons, but rarely destructive; geologically active region with frequent earthquakes, tremors, and volcanic activity; tsunamis
  volcanism: Tinakula (elev. 851 m) has frequent eruption activity, while an eruption of Savo (elev. 485 m) could affect the capital Honiara on nearby Guadalcanal
  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
  Geography - note:
  strategic location on sea routes between the South Pacific Ocean, the Solomon Sea, and the Coral Sea; on 2 April 2007 an undersea earthquake measuring 8.1 on the Richter scale occurred 345 km WNW of the capital Honiara; the resulting tsunami devastated coastal areas of Western and Choiseul provinces with dozens of deaths and thousands dislocated; the provincial capital of Gizo was especially hard hit

- ## People and Society :: SOLOMON ISLANDS

- Nationality:
  noun: Solomon Islander(s)
  adjective: Solomon Islander
  Ethnic groups:
  Melanesian 95.3%, Polynesian 3.1%, Micronesian 1.2%, other 0.3% (2009 est.)
  Languages:
  Melanesian pidgin (in much of the country is lingua franca), English (official but spoken by only 1%-2% of the population), 120 indigenous languages
  Religions:
  Protestant 73.4% (Church of Melanesia 31.9%, South Sea Evangelical 17.1%, Seventh Day Adventist 11.7%, United Church 10.1%, Christian Fellowship Church 2.5%), Roman Catholic 19.6%, other Christian 2.9%, other 4%, none 0.03%, unspecified 0.1% (2009 est.)
  Population:
  622,469 (July 2015 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 169
  Age structure:
  0-14 years: 35.68% (male 114,349/female 107,750)
  15-24 years: 20.01% (male 64,036/female 60,512)
  25-54 years: 35.73% (male 113,306/female 109,133)
  55-64 years: 4.45% (male 13,863/female 13,820)
  65 years and over: 4.13% (male 12,315/female 13,385) (2015 est.)
  population pyramid:
  Dependency ratios:
  total dependency ratio: 75.1%
  youth dependency ratio: 69.1%
  elderly dependency ratio: 5.9%
  potential support ratio: 16.8% (2015 est.)
  Median age:
  total: 21.9 years
  male: 21.7 years
  female: 22.1 years (2015 est.)
  Population growth rate:
  2.02% (2015 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 49
  Birth rate:
  25.77 births/1,000 population (2015 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 47
  Death rate:
  3.85 deaths/1,000 population (2015 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 210
  Net migration rate:
  -1.75 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2015 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 162
  Urbanization:
  urban population: 22.3% of total population (2015)
  rate of urbanization: 4.25% annual rate of change (2010-15 est.)
  Major urban areas - population:
  HONIARA (capital) 73,000 (2014)
  Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  0-14 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
  15-24 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
  25-54 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
  55-64 years: 1 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.92 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.04 male(s)/female (2015 est.)
  Maternal mortality rate:
  114 deaths/100,000 live births (2015 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 77
  Infant mortality rate:
  total: 15.65 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 17.84 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 13.35 deaths/1,000 live births (2015 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 102
  Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 75.12 years
  male: 72.49 years
  female: 77.88 years (2015 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 106
  Total fertility rate:
  3.28 children born/woman (2015 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 47
  Contraceptive prevalence rate:
  34.6% (2006/07)
  Health expenditures:
  5.1% of GDP (2013)
  country comparison to the world: 59
  Physicians density:
  0.22 physicians/1,000 population (2009)
  Hospital bed density:
  1.3 beds/1,000 population (2012)
  Drinking water source:
  improved:
  urban: 93.2% of population
  rural: 77.2% of population
  total: 80.8% of population
  unimproved:
  urban: 6.8% of population
  rural: 22.8% of population
  total: 19.2% of population (2015 est.)
  Sanitation facility access:
  improved:
  urban: 81.4% of population
  rural: 15% of population
  total: 29.8% of population
  unimproved:
  urban: 18.6% of population
  rural: 85% of population
  total: 70.2% of population (2015 est.)
  HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  NA
  HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  NA
  HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  NA
  Obesity - adult prevalence rate:
  25% (2014)
  country comparison to the world: 27
  Children under the age of 5 years underweight:
  11.5% (2007)
  country comparison to the world: 65
  Education expenditures:
  9.9% of GDP (2010)
  country comparison to the world: 18
  Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 84.1%
  male: 88.9%
  female: 79.2% (2009 est.)
  School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
  total: 9 years
  male: 10 years
  female: 9 years (2007)

- ## Government :: SOLOMON ISLANDS

- Country name:
  conventional long form: none
  conventional short form: Solomon Islands
  local long form: none
  local short form: Solomon Islands
  former: British Solomon Islands
  Government type:
  parliamentary democracy and a Commonwealth realm
  Capital:
  name: Honiara
  geographic coordinates: 9 26 S, 159 57 E
  time difference: UTC+11 (16 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
  Administrative divisions:
  9 provinces and 1 city*; Central, Choiseul, Guadalcanal, Honiara*, Isabel, Makira and Ulawa, Malaita, Rennell and Bellona, Temotu, Western
  Independence:
  7 July 1978 (from the UK)
  National holiday:
  Independence Day, 7 July (1978)
  Constitution:
  adopted 31 May 1978, effective 7 July 1978; amended several times, last in 2010 (2015)
  Legal system:
  mixed legal system of English common law and customary law
  International law organization participation:
  has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; non-party state to the ICCt
  Citizenship:
  citizenship by birth: no
  citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of the Solomon Islands
  dual citizenship recognized: no
  residency requirement for naturalization: 7 years
  Suffrage:
  21 years of age; universal
  Executive branch:
  chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952); represented by Governor General Frank KABUI (since 7 July 2009)
  head of government: Prime Minister Manasseh SOGAVARE (since 9 December 2014)
  cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the governor general on the advice of the prime minister
  elections/appointments: the monarchy is hereditary; governor general appointed by the monarch on the advice of the National Parliament for up to 5 years (eligible for a second term); following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or majority coalition usually elected prime minister by the National Parliament; deputy prime minister appointed by the governor general on the advice of the prime minister from among members of the National Parliament
  election results: Manasseh SOGAVARE (independent) elected prime minister; National Parliament vote - 31 to 19
  Legislative branch:
  description: unicameral National Parliament (50 seats; members directly elected in single-seat constituencies by simple majority vote to serve 4-year terms)
  elections: last held on 19 November 2014 (next to be held in 2018)
  election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - independents 32, DAP 7, UDP 5, PAP 3, KPSI 1, SIPFP 1, SIPRA 1
  Judicial branch:
  highest court(s): Court of Appeal (consists of the court president, and ex officio members to include the High Court chief justice and its puisne judges); High Court (consists of the chief justice and puisne judges as prescribed by the National Parliament)
  judge selection and term of office: Court of Appeal and High Court president, chief justices, and puisne judges appointed by the governor-general upon recommendation of the Judicial and Legal Service Commission, chaired by the chief justice to include 5 members, mostly judicial officials and legal professionals; all judges appointed until retirement at age 60
  subordinate courts: Magistrates' Courts; local courts; Customary Land Appeal Court
  Political parties and leaders:
  Democratic Alliance Party or DAP [Steve ABANA]
  Kadere Party of Solomon Islands or KPSI [Alfred LEGUA]
  People's Alliance Party or PAP [Nathaniel WAENA]
  Solomon Islands People First Party or SIPFP [Jimmie RODGERS]
  Solomon Islands Party for Rural Advancement or SIPRA [Manasseh MAELANGA]
  United Democratic Party [Thomas Ko CHAN]
  note: in general, Solomon Islands politics is characterized by fluid coalitions
  Political pressure groups and leaders:
  Isatabu Freedom Movement or IFM
  Malaita Eagle Force or MEF
  note: these rival armed ethnic factions crippled the Solomon Islands in a wave of violence from 1999 to 2003
  International organization participation:
  ACP, ADB, AOSIS, C, EITI (candidate country), ESCAP, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, IOC, ITU, MIGA, OPCW, PIF, Sparteca, SPC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WMO, WTO
  Diplomatic representation in the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador Collin David BECK (since 31 March 2004)
  chancery: 800 Second Avenue, Suite 400L, New York, NY 10017
  telephone: [1] (212) 599-6192, 6193
  FAX: [1] (212) 661-8925
  Diplomatic representation from the US:
  the US does not have an embassy in the Solomon Islands; the US ambassador to Papua New Guinea is accredited to the 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; blue represents the ocean; green the land; and yellow sunshine; the five stars stand for the five main island groups of the Solomon Islands
  National symbol(s):
  national colors: blue, yellow, green, white
  National anthem:
  name: "God Save Our Solomon Islands"
  lyrics/music: Panapasa BALEKANA and Matila BALEKANA/Panapasa BALEKANA
  note: adopted 1978

- ## Economy :: SOLOMON ISLANDS

- 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, government machinery, and economic stability have led to modest growth as the economy rebuilds.
  GDP (purchasing power parity):
  $1.094 billion (2014 est.)
  $1.078 billion (2013 est.)
  $1.046 billion (2012 est.)
  note: data are in 2014 US dollars
  country comparison to the world: 203
  GDP (official exchange rate):
  $1.155 billion (2014 est.)
  GDP - real growth rate:
  1.5% (2014 est.)
  3% (2013 est.)
  4.7% (2012 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 165
  GDP - per capita (PPP):
  $1,900 (2014 est.)
  $1,900 (2013 est.)
  $1,800 (2012 est.)
  note: data are in 2014 US dollars
  country comparison to the world: 204
  Gross national saving:
  6.6% of GDP (2014 est.)
  10.8% of GDP (2013 est.)
  18.2% of GDP (2012 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 158
  GDP - composition, by sector of origin:
  agriculture: 51.6%
  industry: 10.1%
  services: 38.2% (2014 est.)
  Agriculture - products:
  cocoa, coconuts, palm kernels, rice, fruit; cattle, pigs; fish; timber
  Industries:
  fish (tuna), mining, timber
  Industrial production growth rate:
  1.4% (2014 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 125
  Labor force:
  202,500 (2007 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 170
  Labor force - by occupation:
  agriculture: 75%
  industry: 5%
  services: 20% (2000 est.)
  Unemployment rate:
  NA%
  Population below poverty line:
  NA%
  Household income or consumption by percentage share:
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%
  Budget:
  revenues: $433.9 million
  expenditures: $447.4 million (2014 est.)
  Taxes and other revenues:
  37.6% of GDP (2014 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 50
  Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-):
  -1.2% of GDP (2014 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 75
  Fiscal year:
  calendar year
  Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  5.2% (2014 est.) 5.4% (2013 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 170
  Commercial bank prime lending rate:
  10.91% (31 December 2014 est.)
  10.77% (31 December 2013 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 72
  Stock of narrow money:
  $360.5 million (31 December 2014 est.)
  $366.7 million (31 December 2013 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 172
  Stock of broad money:
  $452.1 million (31 December 2014 est.)
  $467.9 million (31 December 2013 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 185
  Stock of domestic credit:
  $45.12 million (31 December 2014 est.)
  $24.46 million (31 December 2013 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 182
  Current account balance:
  -$57 million (2014 est.)
  -$47 million (2013 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 75
  Exports:
  $493.1 million (2012 est.)
  $448.1 million (2013 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 174
  Exports - commodities:
  timber, fish, copra, palm oil, cocoa
  Exports - partners:
  China 62.9%, Italy 5.8%, Australia 5.4% (2014)
  Imports:
  $446 million (2012 est.)
  $464.5 million (2013 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 195
  Imports - commodities:
  food, plant and equipment, manufactured goods, fuels, chemicals
  Imports - partners:
  Australia 26%, Singapore 16.4%, China 10.3%, Malaysia 5.8%, NZ 5.1%, Indonesia 4.2%, Fiji 4.2%, Papua New Guinea 4.1% (2014)
  Debt - external:
  $491.5 million (31 December 2013 est.)
  $228.1 million (31 December 2012 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 180
  Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:
  $799 million (31 December 2014 est.)
  $751.3 million (31 December 2013 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 112
  Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:
  $47.3 million (31 December 2014 est.)
  $47.3 million (31 December 2013 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 98
  Exchange rates:
  Solomon Islands dollars (SBD) per US dollar -
  7.3754 (2014 est.)
  7.3754 (2013 est.)
  7.36 (2012 est.)
  7.6413 (2011 est.)
  8.0645 (2010 est.)

- ## Energy :: SOLOMON ISLANDS

- Electricity - production:
  85 million kWh (2012 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 203
  Electricity - consumption:
  79.05 million kWh (2012 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 203
  Electricity - exports:
  0 kWh (2013 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 112
  Electricity - imports:
  0 kWh (2013 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 125
  Electricity - installed generating capacity:
  36,000 kW (2012 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 196
  Electricity - from fossil fuels:
  100% of total installed capacity (2012 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 6
  Electricity - from nuclear fuels:
  0% of total installed capacity (2012 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 58
  Electricity - from hydroelectric plants:
  0% of total installed capacity (2012 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 163
  Electricity - from other renewable sources:
  0% of total installed capacity (2012 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 161
  Crude oil - production:
  0 bbl/day (2014 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 113
  Crude oil - exports:
  0 bbl/day (2012 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 103
  Crude oil - imports:
  0 bbl/day (2012 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 165
  Crude oil - proved reserves:
  0 bbl (1 January 2015 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 111
  Refined petroleum products - production:
  0 bbl/day (2012 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 161
  Refined petroleum products - consumption:
  1,500 bbl/day (2013 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 194
  Refined petroleum products - exports:
  0 bbl/day (2012 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 158
  Refined petroleum products - imports:
  1,491 bbl/day (2012 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 189
  Natural gas - production:
  0 cu m (2013 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 163
  Natural gas - consumption:
  0 cu m (2013 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 122
  Natural gas - exports:
  0 cu m (2013 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 68
  Natural gas - imports:
  0 cu m (2013 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 168
  Natural gas - proved reserves:
  0 cu m (1 January 2014 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 117
  Carbon dioxide emissions from consumption of energy:
  266,000 Mt (2012 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 193

- ## Communications :: SOLOMON ISLANDS

- Telephones - fixed lines:
  total subscriptions: 7,500
  subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 1 (2014 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 201
  Telephones - mobile cellular:
  total: 376,700
  subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 62 (2014 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 174
  Telephone system:
  domestic: mobile-cellular telephone density is about 50 per 100 persons
  international: country code - 677; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean) (2011)
  Broadcast media:
  Solomon Islands Broadcasting Corporation (SIBC) is the sole TV broadcaster with 1 station; multi-channel pay-TV is available; SIBC operates 2 national radio stations and 2 provincial stations; 2 local commercial radio stations; Radio Australia is available via satellite feed (2009)
  Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 1, FM 1, shortwave 1 (2004)
  Internet country code:
  .sb
  Internet users:
  total: 46,400
  percent of population: 7.6% (2014 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 187

- ## Transportation :: SOLOMON ISLANDS

- Airports:
  36 (2013)
  country comparison to the world: 109
  Airports - with paved runways:
  total: 1
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2013)
  Airports - with unpaved runways:
  total: 35
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
  914 to 1,523 m: 10
  under 914 m:
  24 (2013)
  Heliports:
  3 (2013)
  Roadways:
  total: 1,390 km
  paved: 34 km
  unpaved: 1,356 km
  note: includes 920 km of private plantation roads (2011)
  country comparison to the world: 179
  Ports and terminals:
  major seaport(s): Honiara, Malloco Bay, Viru Harbor, Tulaghi

- ## Military :: SOLOMON ISLANDS

- Military branches:
  no regular military forces; Royal Solomon Islands Police Force (2013)
  Manpower available for military service:
  males age 16-49: 142,913 (2010 est.)
  Manpower fit for military service:
  males age 16-49: 118,921
  females age 16-49: 118,164 (2010 est.)
  Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
  male: 6,483
  female: 6,098 (2010 est.)

- ## Transnational Issues :: SOLOMON ISLANDS

- Disputes - international:
  since 2003, the Regional Assistance Mission to Solomon Islands, consisting of police, military, and civilian advisors drawn from 15 countries, has assisted in reestablishing and maintaining civil and political order while reinforcing regional stability and security
  Trafficking in persons:
  current situation: The Solomon Islands is a source and destination country for local adults and children and Southeast Asian men and women subjected to forced labor and forced prostitution; women from China, Indonesia, Malaysia, and the Philippines are recruited for legitimate work and upon arrival are forced into prostitution; men from Indonesia and Malaysia recruited to work in the Solomon Islands’ mining and logging industries may be subjected to forced labor; local children are forced into prostitution near foreign logging camps, on fishing vessels, and at hotel and other entertainment venues; some local children are also sold by their parents for marriage to foreign workers or put up for “informal adoption” and then find themselves forced into domestic servitude or forced prostitution
  tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List – The Solomon Islands does not fully comply with the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking; however, it is making significant efforts to do so; in 2013, the government passed but did not gazette implementing regulations for 2012 legislation prohibiting all forms of human trafficking; authorities investigated an unspecified number of labor trafficking cases in the fishing industry but did not prosecute or convict any suspected offenders or actively assist victims; the government did not allocate funding for national anti-trafficking efforts in 2013; the country lacks systematic procedures for identifying trafficking victims among high-risk groups and a formal mechanism for referring victims to care; civil society and religious organizations provide limited services to victims; no anti-trafficking awareness-raising campaigns were conducted in 2013 (2014)

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