Solomon Islands

none conventional short form: Solomon Islands former: British Solomon Islands

parliamentary democracyIndependence 7 July 1978 (from UK)

Solomon Islands as the 2001 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 109 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

Position8 00 S, 159 00 E

Area28,450 sq km land: 27,540 sq km water: 910 sq km

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

2001

Every edition of Solomon Islands

Populationas each edition published it

480,442 people July 2001 est. · 335,082 in 1990

Population growth% a year

2.98% 2001 est. · 3.46% in 1993

Median ageyears

Not in this edition 18.2 yrs in 2003

Life expectancyyears at birth

71.55 years 2001 est. · 70.13 yrs in 1993

Fertility ratechildren per woman

4.65 children per woman 2001 est. · 6.3 in 1990

Infant mortalitydeaths per 1,000 live births

24.47 deaths per 1,000 live births 2001 est. · 40 in 1990

GDP per capitaeach edition's own dollars

$2,000 2000 est. · $600 in 1993

GDP real growth% a year

1% 2000 est. · 6% in 1993

Introduction

1 field

Background

The UK established a protectorate over the Solomon Islands in the 1890s. Some of the bitterest fighting of World War II occurred on these islands. Self-government was achieved in 1976 and independence two years later. Current issues include government deficits, deforestation, and malaria control.

Geography

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

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Coastline

5,313km

land boundaries: 0 kmMaritime claims: measured from claimed archipelagic baselines continental shelf: 200 NM exclusive economic zone: 200 NM territorial sea: 12 NM

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: 28,450 sq km land: 27,540 sq km water: 910 sq km

Climate

tropical monsoon; few extremes of temperature and weather

Terrain

mostly rugged mountains with some low coral atolls

Elevation extremes

lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: Mount Makarakomburu 2,447 m

Natural resources

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

Land use

arable land: 1% permanent crops: 1% permanent pastures: 1% forests and woodland: 88% other: 9% (1993 est.)

Irrigated land

NA sq km

Natural hazards

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

Environment - current issues

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

Environment - international agreements

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

People

18 fields

Population

480,442

(July 2001 est.)growth rate: 2.98% (2001 est.)

Per 1,000 population(2001 est.)

Birth

34.05Death

4.27Net migration

Ethnic groups

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%indigenous beliefs 4%

Age structure

0-14 years: 43.79% (male 107,229; female 103,162) 15-64 years: 53.15% (male 129,315; female 126,021) 65 years and over: 3.06% (male 7,190; female 7,525) (2001 est.)

Sex ratio

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.96 male(s)/female total population: 1.03 male(s)/female (2001 est.)

Infant mortality rate

24.47 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.)

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 71.55 years male: 69.12 years female: 74.1 years (2001 est.)

Total fertility rate

4.65 children born/woman (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

NA%

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

HIV/AIDS - deaths

Nationality

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

Literacy

definition: NA total population: NA% male: NA% female: NA%

Government

Parliamentary democracy; Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952), represented by Governor General Father John LAPLI (since NA 1999) head of government: Prime Minister Mannaseh Damukana SOGAVARE (since 1 July 2000)

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National Parliament, 45 seatsone dot, one seat

GNUR 21PAP 7SILP 4UP 4independents 6other 3

Country name

conventional long form: none conventional short form: Solomon Islands former: British Solomon Islands

Government type

parliamentary democracy

Capital

Honiara

Administrative divisions

7 provinces and 1 town*;
Central, Guadalcanal, Honiara*, Isabel, Makira, Malaita, Temotu, Western;
note - there may be two new provinces of Choiseul (Lauru) and Rennell/Bellona and the administrative unit of Honiara may have been abolished

Independence

7 July 1978 (from UK)

National holiday

Independence Day, 7 July (1978)

Constitution

7 July 1978

Legal system

English common law

Suffrage

21 years of age; universal

Executive branch

chief of state:: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952), represented by Governor General Father John LAPLI (since NA 1999) head of government: Prime Minister Mannaseh Damukana SOGAVARE (since 1 July 2000);
Assistant Prime Minister Nathaniel WAENA (since 1 July 2000);
Deputy Prime Minister Allan KEMAKEZA (since 1 July 2000);
note - Prime Minister Bartholomew ULUFA'ALU was forced to resign his position in June 2000 following the armed takeover of the capital by elements supporting the opposition parties;
Mannaseh Damukana SOGAVARE, who had been opposition leader, was then elected prime minister at a sitting of National Parliament on 30 June 2000 cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the governor general on the advice of the prime minister from among the members of Parliament elections: none;
the monarch is hereditary;
governor general appointed by the monarch on the advice of Parliament for up to five years;
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

Legislative branch

unicameral National Parliament (50 seats; members elected from single member constituencies by popular vote to serve four-year terms) elections: last held 6 August 1997 (next to be held by August 2001) election results: percent of vote by party - NA%;
seats by party - GNUR 21, PAP 7, NAPSI 5, SILP 4, UP 4, independents 6, other 3

Judicial branch

Court of Appeal

Political parties and leaders

there are two main coalitions - Coalition for National Unity, Reconciliation, and Peace or CNURP and Alliance for Change;
the CNURP took power on 30 June 2000, it comprises members of the Liberal Party, People's Alliance Party, and the United Party, as well as a number of independents;
the Alliance for Change, represents the former government and now is the opposition;
in general, Solomon Islands politics is characterized by fluid coalitions;
Group for National Unity and Reconciliation or GNUR [leader NA];
Liberal Party [Bartholomew ULUFA'ALU];
National Action Party of Solomon Islands or NAPSI [Francis SAEMALA];
People's Alliance Party or PAP [George LEPPING];
People's Progressive Party [Mannaseh Damukana SOGAVARE];
Solomon Islands Labor Party or SILP [Joses TUHANUKU];
United Party or UP [leader NA]

Political pressure groups and leaders

International organization participation

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

Diplomatic representation in the US

chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires ad interim Jeremiah MANELE 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 Solomon Islands (embassy closed July 1993); the 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

Economy

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

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Real growth rate

(2000 est.)industrial production growth: NA%

Inflation, consumer prices

10%

(1999 est.)

Labor force

26,842

Debt - external

$152.4million

(1998)

Electricity

Electricity production

30 million (1999)Electricity consumption

27.9 million (1999)

Economy - overview

The bulk of the population depends on 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. However, severe ethnic violence, the closing of key business enterprises, and an empty government treasury have led to a continuing economic downslide.

Deliveries of crucial fuel supplies (including those for electrical generation) by tankers have become sporadic due to the government's inability to pay and attacks against ships. Telecommunications are threatened by the lack of technical and maintenance staff many of whom have left the country.