Solomon Islands

parliamentary democracyIndependence 7 July 1978 (from UK)

Solomon Islands as the 1994 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 107 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
LocationOceania, Melanesia, just east of Papua New Guinea in the South Pacific
1994

Every edition of Solomon Islands

Populationas each edition published it
385,811 people July 1994 est. · 335,082 in 1990
Population growth% a year
3.43% 1994 est. · 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
5.73 children per woman 1994 est. · 6.3 in 1990
Infant mortalitydeaths per 1,000 live births
27.8 deaths per 1,000 live births 1994 est. · 40 in 1990
GDP per capitaeach edition's own dollars
$2,500 1991 est. · $600 in 1993
GDP real growth% a year
1.8% 1991 est. · 6% in 1993

Geography

Oceania, Melanesia, just east of Papua New Guinea in the South Pacific | Ocean

24 fields
Coastline
5,313km
land boundaries: 0 kmMaritime claims: measured from claimed archipelagic baselines

Location

Oceania, Melanesia, just east of Papua New Guinea in the South Pacific Ocean

Map references

Oceania, Standard Time Zones of the World

total area

28,450 sq km

land area

27,540 sq km

comparative area

slightly larger than Maryland

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, lead, zinc, nickel

arable land

1%

permanent crops

1%

meadows and pastures

1%

forest and woodland

93%

other

4%

current issues

  • deforestation;
  • soil erosion;
  • limited arable land

natural hazards

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

international agreements

  • party to - Environmental Modification, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Whaling;
  • signed, but not ratified - Biodiversity, Climate Change, Law of the Sea

Note

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

People

21 fields
Population
385,811
(July 1994 est.)growth rate: 3.43% (1994 est.)

Per 1,000 population(1994 est.)

Birth
38.93Death
4.63Net migration
0

Ethnic divisions

Melanesian 93%Polynesian 4%Micronesian 1.5%European 0.8%Chinese 0.3%other 0.4%

Religions

Anglican 34%Roman Catholic 19%Baptist 17%United (Methodist/Presbyterian) 11%Seventh-Day Adventist 10%other Protestant 5%
Labor force
23,448economically active

Infant mortality rate

27.8 deaths/1,000 live births (1994 est.)

total population

70.48 years

male

68.05 years

female

73.03 years (1994 est.)

Total fertility rate

5.73 children born/woman (1994 est.)

noun

Solomon Islander(s)

adjective

Solomon Islander

Languages

Melanesian pidgin in much of the country is lingua franca, English spoken by 1%-2% of population

note

120 indigenous languages

total population

NA%

male

NA%

female

NA%

by occupation

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

Government

Parliamentary democracy

23 fields

Legislature, 47 seatsone dot, one seat

PAP 8LP 4UP 3Christian Fellowship 2NFP 1independents 2

conventional long form

none

conventional short form

Solomon Islands

former

British Solomon Islands

Type

parliamentary democracy

Capital

Honiara

Administrative divisions

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

Independence

7 July 1978 (from UK)

National holiday

Independence Day, 7 July (1978)

Constitution

7 July 1978

Suffrage

21 years of age; universal

chief of state

Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952), represented by Governor General Sir George LEPPING (since 27 June 1989, previously acted as governor general since 7 July 1988)

head of government

Prime Minister Francis Billy HILLY (since June 1993); Deputy Prime Minister Francis SAEMALA (since June 1993)

cabinet

Cabinet; appointed by the governor general on advice of the prime minister from members of parliament

National Parliament

  • elections last held NA May 1993 (next to be held NA 1997);
  • results - percent of vote by party NA;
  • seats - (47 total) National Unity Group 21, PAP 8, National Action Party 6, LP 4, UP 3, Christian Fellowship 2, NFP 1, independents 2

Judicial branch

High Court

Political parties and leaders

  • People's Alliance Party (PAP);
  • United Party (UP), leader NA;
  • Solomon Islands Liberal Party (SILP), Bartholemew ULUFA'ALU;
  • Nationalist Front for Progress (NFP), Andrew NORI;
  • Labor Party (LP), Joses TUHANUKU;
  • National Action Party, leader NA;
  • Christian Fellowship, leader NA;
  • National Unity Group, Solomon MAMALONI

Member of

ACP, AsDB, C, ESCAP, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTELSAT (nonsignatory user), IOC, ITU, LORCS, SPARTECA, SPC, SPF, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WMO

chief of mission

(vacant); ambassador traditionally resides in Honiara (Solomon Islands)

US diplomatic representation

embassy closed July 1993; the ambassador to Papua New Guinea is accredited to the Solomon Islands

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

The bulk of the population depend on subsistence agriculture, fishing, | and forestry for at least part of their livelihood.

25 fields
GDP per capita, PPP
$2,500
(1991 est.)
Real growth rate
1.8%
(1991 est.)industrial production growth: growth rate -3.8% (1991 est.); accounts for 5% of GDP
External debt
$128million
(1988 est.)

Overview

The bulk of the population depend on subsistence 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. The economy suffered from a severe cyclone in mid-1986 that caused widespread damage to the infrastructure. In 1993, the government was working with the IMF to develop a structural adjustment program to address the country's fiscal deficit.

National product

GDP - purchasing power equivalent - $900 million (1991 est.)

revenues

$48 million

expenditures

$107 million, including capital expenditures of $45 million (1991 est.)

Exports

$84 million (f.o.b., 1991)

commodities

fish 46%, timber 31%, palm oil 5%, cocoa, copra

partners

Japan 39%, UK 23%, Thailand 9%, Australia 5%, US 2% (1991)

Imports

$110 million (c.i.f., 1991)

commodities

plant and machinery manufactured goods, food and live animals, fuel

partners

Australia 34%, Japan 16%, Singapore 14%, NZ 9%

capacity

21,000 kW

production

39 million kWh

consumption per capita

115 kWh (1990)

Industries

copra, fish (tuna)

Agriculture

  • including fishing and forestry, accounts for 31% 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)

recipient

Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1980-89), $250 million

Currency

1 Solomon Islands dollar (SI$) = 100 cents

Exchange rates

Solomon Islands dollars (SI$) per US$1 - 3.2383 (November 1993), 2.9281 (1992), 2.7148 (1991), 2.5288 (1990), 2.2932 (1989)

Fiscal year

calendar year

Communications

12 fields

total

1,300 km

paved

30 km

unpaved

gravel 290 km; earth 980 km

note

in addition, there are 800 km of private logging and plantation roads of varied construction (1982)

Ports

Honiara, Ringi Cove

total

31

usable

30

with permanent-surface runways

2

with runways over 3,659 m

0

with runways 2,440-3,659 m

0

with runways 1,220-2,439 m

4

Telecommunications

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

Defense Forces

Police Force

2 fields

Branches

Police Force

Defense expenditures

$NA, NA% of GDP

Central Intelligence Agency. “Solomon Islands.” The World Factbook 1994. Archived by The Factbook, thefactbook.org/solomon-islands/1994.

How to cite ← 1993 edition 1995 edition →