Solomon Islands

independent parliamentary state within CommonwealthIndependence 7 July 1978 (from UK

Solomon Islands as the 1991 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 64 fields, one of 36 editions from 1990 to 2025.

field in that editiontext changed from the edition beforenot in that editionthe open editionEach field below ends in its editions, 1990 to 2025. Point at a year above to follow it down.

CapitalHoniara

Area28,450 km2

1991

Every edition of Solomon Islands

Populationas each edition published it

347,115 people July 1991 · 335,082 in 1990

Population growth% a year

Not in this edition 3.46% in 1993

Median ageyears

Not in this edition 18.2 yrs in 2003

Life expectancyyears at birth

Not in this edition 70.13 yrs in 1993

Fertility ratechildren per woman

6.2 children per woman 1991 · 6.3 in 1990

Infant mortalitydeaths per 1,000 live births

39 deaths per 1,000 live births 1991 · 40 in 1990

GDP per capitaeach edition's own dollars

Not in this edition $600 in 1993

GDP real growth% a year

Not in this edition 6% in 1993

Geography

11 fields

Total area

28,450km2

land area: 27,540 km2Comparative area: slightly larger than Maryland

Coastline

5,313km

land boundaries: noneMaritime claims: (measured from claimed archipelagic baselines); Exclusive economic zone: 200 nm; Territorial sea: 12 nm

Climate

tropical monsoon; few extremes of temperature and weather

Terrain

mostly rugged mountains with some low coral atolls

Natural resources

fish, forests, gold, bauxite, phosphates

Land use

arable land 1%;
permanent crops 1%;
meadows and pastures 1%;
forest and woodland 93%;
other 4%

Environment

subject to typhoons, which are rarely destructive; geologically active region with frequent earth tremors

Note

located just east of Papua New Guinea in the South Pacific Ocean

People

14 fields

Population

347,115

(July 1991), growth rate 3.5% (1991)

Per 1,000 population(1991)

Birth

40Death

5Net migration

Ethnic divisions

Melanesian 93.0%Polynesian 4.0%Micronesian 1.5%European 0.8%Chinese 0.3%other 0.4%

Labor force

23,448economically active

agriculture, forestry, and fishing 32.4%; services 25%; construction, manufacturing, and mining 7.0%; commerce, transport, and finance 4.7% (1984)

Nationality

noun--Solomon Islander(s); adjective--Solomon Islander

Religion

almost all at least nominally Christian; Anglican 34%, Roman Catholic 19%, Baptist 17%, United (Methodist/Presbyterian) 11%, Seventh-Day Adventist 10%, other Protestant 5%

Language

120 indigenous languages;
Melanesian pidgin in much of the country is lingua franca;
English spoken by 1-2% of population

Organized labor

NA, but most of the cash-economy workers have trade union representation

Government

Independent parliamentary state within Commonwealth

15 fields

National Parliament, 38 seats, elected 22 February 1989one dot, one seat

PAP 13UP 6NFP 4SILP 4LP 2independents 9

Type

independent parliamentary state within Commonwealth

Administrative divisions

7 provinces and 1 town*; Central, Guadalcanal, Honiara*, Isabel, Makira, Malaita, Temotu, Western

Independence

7 July 1978 (from UK; formerly British Solomon Islands)

Executive branch

British monarch, governor general, prime minister, Cabinet

Judicial branch

High Court Chief of State--Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952), represented by Governor General George LEPPING (since 27 June 1989, previously acted as governor general since 7 July 1988);
Head of Government--Prime Minister Solomon MAMALONI (since 28 March 1989);
Deputy Prime Minister Sir Baddeley DEVESI (since NA October 1990) People's Alliance Party (PAP);
United Party (UP), Sir Peter KENILOREA;
Solomon Islands Liberal Party (SILP), Bartholemew ULUFA'ALU;
Nationalist Front for Progress (NFP), Andrew NORI;
Labor Party (LP), Joses TUHANUKU

Suffrage

universal at age 21 National Parliament--last held 22 February 1989 (next to be held February 1993);
results--percent of vote by party NA;
seats--(38 total) PAP 13, UP 6, NFP 4, SILP 4, LP 2, independents 9

Member of

ACP, AsDB, C, ESCAP, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, IOC, ITU, SPC, SPF, UN, UNCTAD, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WMO

Diplomatic representation

Ambassador (vacant) resides in Honiara (Solomon Islands);
US--the ambassador in Papua New Guinea is accredited to the Solomon Islands;
Embassy at Mud Alley, Honiara (mailing address is American Embassy, P. O. Box 561, Honiara);
telephone (677) 23890

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

Economy

About 90% of the population depend on subsistence agriculture, fishing, and forestry for at least part of their livelihood.

16 fields

GDP, purchasing power parity

$156million

per capita $500 (1988); real growth rate 5.0% (1989 est.)

Inflation, consumer prices

14.9%

(1989)

External debt

$128million

(1988 est.)

Exports $75 million (f.o.b., 1989)commodities, where a share is given

fish

46%timber

31%copra

5%palm oil

; partners--Japan 51%, UK 12%, Thailand 9%, Netherlands 8%, Australia 2%, US 2% (1985)

Imports $117 million (f.o.b., 1988)

plant and machinery

30%fuel

19%food

16%

; partners--Japan 36%, US 23%, Singapore 9%, UK 9%, NZ 9%, Australia 4%, Hong Kong 4%, China 3% (1985)

Budget

Revenues

$44 millionExpenditures

$45 million

expenditures, including capital expenditures of $22 million (1989 est.)

About 90% of the population depend on subsistence agriculture, fishing, and forestry for at least part of their livelihood. Agriculture, fishing, and forestry contribute about 75% to GDP, with the fishing and forestry sectors being important export earners. The service sector contributes about 25% to GDP. 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.

Unemployment rate

NA%

Industrial production

growth rate 0% (1987); accounts for 5% of GDP

Electricity

21,000 kW capacity; 39 million kWh produced, 115 kWh per capita (1990)

Industries

copra, fish (tuna)

Agriculture

including fishing and forestry, accounts for about 75% 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)

Economic aid

Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1985), $16.1 million

Currency

Solomon Islands dollar (plural--dollars); 1 Solomon Islands dollar (SI$) = 100 cents

Exchange rates

Solomon Islands dollars (SI$) per US$1--2.5934 (January 1991), 2.5288 (1990), 2.2932 (1989), 2.0825 (1988), 2.0033 (1987), 1.7415 (1986), 1.4808 (1985)

Fiscal year

calendar year

Communications

5 fields

Airports, 31 total, 29 usable

permanent-surface runways

2runways over 2,439 m

nonerunways 1,220-2,439 m

3,000 telephones;
stations--4 AM, no FM, no TV;
1 Pacific Ocean INTELSAT earth station

Defense Forces

Police Force

3 fields

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