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 and the Guadalcanal Campaign (August 1942-February 1943) proved a turning point in the Pacific War, since after the operation the Japanese lost their strategic initiative and remained on the defensive until thier final defeat in 1945. Self-government for the Solomon Islands came 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), which ended in June 2017, was generally 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:
  territorial sea: 12 nm
  exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
  continental shelf: 200 nm
  measured from claimed archipelagic baselines
  Climate:
  tropical monsoon; few temperature and weather extremes
  Terrain:
  mostly rugged mountains with some low coral atolls
  Elevation:
  0 m lowest point: Pacific Ocean
  2335 highest point: Mount Popomanaseu
  Natural resources:
  fish, forests, gold, bauxite, phosphates, lead, zinc, nickel
  Land use:
  agricultural land: 3.9% (2011 est.)
  arable land: 0.7% (2011 est.) / permanent crops: 2.9% (2011 est.) / permanent pasture: 0.3% (2011 est.)
  forest: 78.9% (2011 est.)
  other: 17.2% (2011 est.)
  Irrigated land:
  0 sq km NA (2012)
  Population distribution:
  most of the population lives along the coastal regions; about one in five live in urban areas, and of these some two-thirds reside in Honiara, the largest town and chief port
  Natural hazards:

  tropical cyclones, but rarely destructive; geologically active region with frequent earthquakes, tremors, and volcanic activity; tsunamis

  volcanism: Tinakula (851 m) has frequent eruption activity, while an eruption of Savo (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; effects of climate change and rising sea levels
  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
- People and Society :: Solomon Islands
- Population:
  660,121 (July 2018 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 167
  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.)
  Age structure:
  0-14 years: 34.05% (male 115,734 /female 109,009)
  15-24 years: 19.95% (male 67,794 /female 63,925)
  25-54 years: 36.89% (male 123,930 /female 119,577)
  55-64 years: 4.77% (male 16,112 /female 15,389)
  65 years and over: 4.34% (male 13,515 /female 15,136) (2018 est.)
  population pyramid:
  The World Factbook Field Image Modal
  Australia - Oceania :: Solomon Islands Print
  Image Description
  This is the population pyramid for Solomon Islands. A population pyramid illustrates the age and sex structure of a country's population and may provide insights about political and social stability, as well as economic development. The population is distributed along the horizontal axis, with males shown on the left and females on the right. The male and female populations are broken down into 5-year age groups represented as horizontal bars along the vertical axis, with the youngest age groups at the bottom and the oldest at the top. The shape of the population pyramid gradually evolves over time based on fertility, mortality, and international migration trends.
  For additional information, please see the entry for Population pyramid on the Definitions and Notes page under the References tab.
  Dependency ratios:
  total dependency ratio: 75.4 (2015 est.)
  youth dependency ratio: 69.4 (2015 est.)
  elderly dependency ratio: 6 (2015 est.)
  potential support ratio: 16.6 (2015 est.)
  Median age:
  total: 22.8 years
  male: 22.6 years
  female: 23.1 years (2018 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 178
  Population growth rate:
  1.9% (2018 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 54
  Birth rate:
  24.5 births/1,000 population (2018 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 51
  Death rate:
  3.8 deaths/1,000 population (2018 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 213
  Net migration rate:
  -1.7 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2017 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 152
  Population distribution:
  most of the population lives along the coastal regions; about one in five live in urban areas, and of these some two-thirds reside in Honiara, the largest town and chief port
  Urbanization:
  urban population: 23.7% of total population (2018)
  rate of urbanization: 3.91% annual rate of change (2015-20 est.)
  Major urban areas - population:
  82,000 HONIARA (capital) (2018)
  Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female (2017 est.)
  0-14 years: 1.06 male(s)/female (2017 est.)
  15-24 years: 1.06 male(s)/female (2017 est.)
  25-54 years: 1.04 male(s)/female (2017 est.)
  55-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female (2017 est.)
  65 years and over: 0.92 male(s)/female (2017 est.)
  total population: 1.04 male(s)/female (2017 est.)
  Mother's mean age at first birth:
  22.6 years (2015 est.)

  note: median age at first birth among women 25-29

  Maternal mortality rate:
  114 deaths/100,000 live births (2015 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 71
  Infant mortality rate:
  total: 14.3 deaths/1,000 live births (2018 est.)
  male: 16.3 deaths/1,000 live births (2018 est.)
  female: 12.2 deaths/1,000 live births (2018 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 101
  Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 75.8 years (2018 est.)
  male: 73.1 years (2018 est.)
  female: 78.6 years (2018 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 102
  Total fertility rate:
  3.09 children born/woman (2018 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 50
  Contraceptive prevalence rate:
  29.3% (2015)
  Health expenditures:
  5.1% of GDP (2014)
  country comparison to the world: 138
  Physicians density:
  0.19 physicians/1,000 population (2013)
  Hospital bed density:
  1.4 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 (2015 est.)
  rural: 15% of population (2015 est.)
  total: 29.8% of population (2015 est.)
  unimproved: urban: 18.6% of population (2015 est.)
  rural: 85% of population (2015 est.)
  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:
  22.5% (2016)
  country comparison to the world: 76
  Children under the age of 5 years underweight:
  15.5% (2015)
  country comparison to the world: 40
  Education expenditures:
  10% of GDP (2010)
  country comparison to the world: 5
  Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write (2009 est.)
  total population: 84.1% (2009 est.)
  male: 88.9% (2009 est.)
  female: 79.2% (2009 est.)
- 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
  etymology: Spanish explorer Alvaro de MENDANA named the isles in 1568 after the wealthy biblical King SOLOMON in the mistaken belief that the islands contained great riches
  Government type:
  parliamentary democracy (National Parliament) under a constitutional monarchy; 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:
  history: adopted 31 May 1978, effective 7 July 1978; note - in late 2017, provincial leaders agreed to adopt a new federal constitution, and passage is expected in 2018 (2018)
  amendments: proposed by the National Parliament; passage of constitutional sections including those on fundamental rights and freedoms, the legal system, Parliament, alteration of the constitution and the ombudsman requires three-fourths majority vote by Parliament and assent to by the governor-general; passage of other amendments requires two-thirds majority vote and assent to by the governor-general; amended several times, last in 2014 (2018)
  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
  Judicial branch:
  highest courts: Court of Appeal (consists of the court president and ex officio members including 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 and includes 5 members, mostly judicial officials and legal professionals; all judges serve until retirement at age 60
  subordinate courts: Magistrates' Courts; Customary Land Appeal Court; local courts
  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 Rick HOU (since 16 November 2017)
  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) defeated in no-confidence vote on 6 November 2017; Rick HOU elected prime minister on 15 November 2017
  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 February or March 2019)
  election results: percent of vote by party - UDP 10.7%, DAP 7.8%, PAP 4.4%, other 20.8%, independent 56.3%; seats by party - DAP 7, UDP 5, PAP 3, KPSI 1, SIPFP 1, SIPRA 1, independent 32; composition - men 49, women 1, percent of women 2%
  Political parties and leaders:
  Democratic Alliance Party or DAP [Steve ABANA]
  Kadere Party of Solomon Islands or KPSI [Peter BOYERS]
  People's Alliance Party or PAP [Nathaniel WAENA]
  Solomon Islands People First Party or SIPFP [Dr. Jimmie RODGERS]
  Solomon Islands Party for Rural Advancement or SIPRA [Manasseh MAELANGA]
  United Democratic Party or UDP [Sir Thomas Ko CHAN]

  note: in general, Solomon Islands politics is characterized by fluid coalitions

  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 Robert SISILO (since 21 July 2017)
  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 closure of key businesses, and an empty government treasury culminated in economic collapse. RAMSI's efforts, which concluded in Jun 2017, to restore law and order and economic stability have led to modest growth as the economy rebuilds.
  GDP (purchasing power parity):
  $1.33 billion (2017 est.)
  $1.285 billion (2016 est.)
  $1.242 billion (2015 est.)

  note: data are in 2017 dollars

  country comparison to the world: 200
  GDP (official exchange rate):
  $1.298 billion (2017 est.) (2017 est.)
  GDP - real growth rate:
  3.5% (2017 est.)
  3.5% (2016 est.)
  2.5% (2015 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 100
  GDP - per capita (PPP):
  $2,200 (2017 est.)
  $2,100 (2016 est.)
  $2,100 (2015 est.)

  note: data are in 2017 dollars

  country comparison to the world: 207
  Gross national saving:
  13.1% of GDP (2017 est.)
  15.2% of GDP (2016 est.)
  14.5% of GDP (2015 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 145
  GDP - composition, by end use:
  household consumption: NA
  government consumption: NA
  investment in fixed capital: NA
  investment in inventories: NA
  exports of goods and services: 25.8% (2011 est.)
  imports of goods and services: -49.6% (2011 est.)
  GDP - composition, by sector of origin:
  agriculture: 34.3% (2017 est.)
  industry: 7.6% (2017 est.)
  services: 58.1% (2017 est.)
  Agriculture - products:
  cocoa, coconuts, palm kernels, rice, fruit; cattle, pigs; fish; timber
  Industries:
  fish (tuna), mining, timber
  Industrial production growth rate:
  3.6% (2017 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 83
  Labor force:
  202,500 (2007 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 171
  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: 532.5 million (2017 est.)
  expenditures: 570.5 million (2017 est.)
  Taxes and other revenues:
  41% (of GDP) (2017 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 33
  Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-):
  -2.9% (of GDP) (2017 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 130
  Public debt:
  9.4% of GDP (2017 est.)
  7.9% of GDP (2016 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 198
  Fiscal year:
  calendar year
  Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  0.5% (2017 est.)
  0.5% (2016 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 29
  Commercial bank prime lending rate:
  10.7% (31 December 2017 est.)
  10.1% (31 December 2016 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 78
  Stock of narrow money:
  $499.8 million (31 December 2017 est.)
  $429.5 million (31 December 2016 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 170
  Stock of broad money:
  $499.8 million (31 December 2017 est.)
  $429.5 million (31 December 2016 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 175
  Stock of domestic credit:
  $152.6 million (31 December 2017 est.)
  $149.6 million (31 December 2016 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 186
  Current account balance:
  -$54 million (2017 est.)
  -$49 million (2016 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 81
  Exports:
  $468.6 million (2017 est.)
  $419.9 million (2016 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 177
  Exports - partners:
  China 64.5%, Italy 6.2%, Switzerland 4.6%, Philippines 4.4% (2017)
  Exports - commodities:
  timber, fish, copra, palm oil, cocoa, coconut oil
  Imports:
  $462.1 million (2017 est.)
  $419.3 million (2016 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 198
  Imports - commodities:
  food, plant and equipment, manufactured goods, fuels, chemicals
  Imports - partners:
  China 21.9%, Australia 19.6%, Singapore 10.7%, Vietnam 7.5%, NZ 6.2%, Papua New Guinea 5%, South Korea 4.7% (2017)
  Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
  $0 (31 December 2017 est.)
  $421 million (31 December 2016 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 194
  Debt - external:
  $757 million (31 December 2017 est.)
  $643 million (31 December 2016 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 172
  Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:
  $594.8 million (31 December 2017 est.)
  $571.2 million (31 December 2016 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 126
  Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:
  $59.2 million (31 December 2017 est.)
  $50.1 million (31 December 2016 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 114
  Exchange rates:
  Solomon Islands dollars (SBD) per US dollar -
  7.9 (2017 est.)
  7.94 (2016 est.)
  7.94 (2015 est.)
  7.9147 (2014 est.)
  7.3754 (2013 est.)
- Energy :: Solomon Islands
- Electricity access:
  population without electricity: 495,321 (2012)
  electrification - total population: 23% (2012)
  electrification - urban areas: 62% (2012)
  electrification - rural areas: 13% (2012)
  Electricity - production:
  103 million kWh (2016 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 200
  Electricity - consumption:
  95.79 million kWh (2016 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 202
  Electricity - exports:
  0 kWh (2016 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 199
  Electricity - imports:
  0 kWh (2016 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 201
  Electricity - installed generating capacity:
  38,000 kW (2016 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 198
  Electricity - from fossil fuels:
  92% of total installed capacity (2016 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 52
  Electricity - from nuclear fuels:
  0% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 184
  Electricity - from hydroelectric plants:
  0% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 201
  Electricity - from other renewable sources:
  8% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 90
  Crude oil - production:
  0 bbl/day (2017 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 200
  Crude oil - exports:
  0 bbl/day (2015 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 195
  Crude oil - imports:
  0 bbl/day (2015 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 197
  Crude oil - proved reserves:
  0 bbl (1 January 2018 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 197
  Refined petroleum products - production:
  0 bbl/day (2015 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 203
  Refined petroleum products - consumption:
  1,600 bbl/day (2016 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 199
  Refined petroleum products - exports:
  0 bbl/day (2015 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 203
  Refined petroleum products - imports:
  1,577 bbl/day (2015 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 195
  Natural gas - production:
  0 cu m (2017 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 197
  Natural gas - consumption:
  0 cu m (2017 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 198
  Natural gas - exports:
  0 cu m (2017 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 185
  Natural gas - imports:
  0 cu m (2017 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 189
  Natural gas - proved reserves:
  0 cu m (1 January 2014 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 195
  Carbon dioxide emissions from consumption of energy:
  233,500 Mt (2017 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 196
- Communications :: Solomon Islands
- Telephones - fixed lines:
  total subscriptions: 7,405 (2017 est.)
  subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 1 (2017 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 200
  Telephones - mobile cellular:
  total subscriptions: 465,331 (2017 est.)
  subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 72 (2017 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 172
  Telephone system:
  domestic: mobile-cellular telephone density is about 65 per 100 persons (2016)
  international: country code - 677; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean) (2016)
  Broadcast media:
  Solomon Islands Broadcasting Corporation (SIBC) does not broadcast television; multi-channel pay-TV is available; SIBC operates 2 national radio stations and 2 provincial stations; there are 2 local commercial radio stations; Radio Australia is available via satellite feed (since 2009) (2018)
  Internet country code:
  .sb
  Internet users:
  total: 69,859 (July 2016 est.)
  percent of population: 11% (July 2016 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 180
  Broadband - fixed subscriptions:
  total: 1,166 (2017 est.)
  subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: less than 1 (2017 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 189
- Transportation :: Solomon Islands
- National air transport system:
  number of registered air carriers: 1 (2015)
  inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers: 3 (2015)
  annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers: 373,738 (2015)
  annual freight traffic on registered air carriers: 3,691,584 mt-km (2015)
  Civil aircraft registration country code prefix:
  H4 (2016)
  Airports:
  36 (2013)
  country comparison to the world: 110
  Airports - with paved runways:
  total: 1 (2013)
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2013)
  Airports - with unpaved runways:
  total: 35 (2013)
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2013)
  914 to 1,523 m: 10 (2013)
  under 914 m: 24 (2013)
  Heliports:
  3 (2013)
  Roadways:
  total: 1,390 km (2011)
  paved: 34 km (2011)
  unpaved: 1,356 km (2011)

  note: includes 920 km of private plantation roads

  country comparison to the world: 178
  Merchant marine:
  total: 22 (2017)
  by type: general cargo 6, other 16 (2017)
  country comparison to the world: 136
  Ports and terminals:
  major seaport(s): Honiara, Malloco Bay, Viru Harbor, Tulaghi
- Military and Security :: Solomon Islands
- Military branches:
  no regular military forces; Royal Solomon Islands Police Force (2013)
- Transnational Issues :: Solomon Islands
- Disputes - international:
  from 2003 to 2017, the Regional Assistance Mission to Solomon Islands, consisting of police, military, and civilian advisors drawn from 15 countries, 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, at hotels, and entertainment venues; some local children are also sold by their parents for marriage to foreign workers or put up for "informal adoption" to pay off debts 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 2014, the Solomon Islands was granted a waiver from an otherwise required downgrade to Tier 3 because its government has a written plan that, if implemented, would constitute making significant efforts to bring itself into compliance with the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking; the government gazetted implementing regulations for the 2012 immigration act prohibiting transnational trafficking, but the penalties are not sufficiently stringent because they allow the option of paying a fine; a new draft law to address these weaknesses awaits parliamentary review; no new trafficking investigations were conducted, even after labor inspections at logging and fishing companies, no existing cases led to prosecutions or convictions, and no funding was allocated for national anti-trafficking efforts; authorities did not identify or protect any victims and lack any procedures or shelters to do so; civil society and religious organizations provide most of the limited services available; a lack of understanding of the crime of trafficking remains a serious challenge (2015)