Solomon Islands

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

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

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

• 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

at birth:

1.05 male(s)/female

under 15 years:

1.04 male(s)/female

15-64 years:

1.02 male(s)/female

65 years and over:

0.9 male(s)/female

total population:

1.03 male(s)/female (2008 est.)

noun:

Solomon Islander(s)

adjective:

Solomon Islander

• Melanesian pidgin in much of the country is lingua franca;
• English (official; but spoken by only 1%-2% of the population);
• 120 indigenous languages

conventional long form:

none

conventional short form:

Solomon Islands

local long form:

none

local short form:

Solomon Islands

former:

British Solomon Islands

name:

Honiara

geographic coordinates:

9 26 S, 159 57 E

time difference:

UTC+11 (16 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

chief of state:

Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952); represented by Governor General Nathaniel WAENA (since 7 July 2004)

head of government:

• Prime Minister Derek SIKUA (since 20 December 2007);
• note - Prime Minister Manasseh SOGAVARE defeated in a no confidence vote in parliament on 13 December 2007;
• SIKUA elected on 20 December 2007

cabinet:

Cabinet consists of 20 members appointed by the governor general on the advice of the prime minister from among the members of Parliament

elections:

• the monarch is hereditary;
• governor general appointed by the monarch on the advice of Parliament for up to five years (eligible for a second term);
• 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

• Association of Independent Members or AIM [Thomas CHAN];
• Christian Alliance Solomon Islands or CASI [Edward RONIA];
• LAFARI Party [John GARO];
• National Party [Francis HILLY];
• People's Alliance Party or PAP [Sir Allan KEMAKEZA];
• Social Credit Party or SOCRED [Manasseh Damukana SOGAVARE];
• Solomon First Party [David QUAN];
• Solomon Islands Democratic Party [Gabriel SURI];
• Solomon Islands Labor Party or SILP [Joses TUHANUKU];
• Solomon Islands Liberal Party [Bartholomew ULUFA'ALU];
• Solomon Islands Party for Rural Advancement or SIPRA [Job D. TAUSINGA];
• United Party [Sir Peter KENILOREA]

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

• Isatabu Freedom Movement (IFM);
• Malaita Eagle Force (MEF);
• note - these rival armed ethnic factions crippled the Solomon Islands in a wave of violence from 1999 to 2003

chief of mission:

Ambassador Collin David BECK

chancery:

800 Second Avenue, Suite 400L, New York, NY 10017

telephone:

[1] (212) 599-6192, 6193

FAX:

[1] (212) 661-8925

• 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

agriculture:

75%

industry:

5%

services:

20% (2000 est.)

lowest 10%:

NA%

highest 10%:

NA%

• cocoa beans, coconuts, palm kernels, rice, potatoes, vegetables, fruit;
• timber;
• cattle, pigs;
• fish

general assessment:

NA

domestic:

NA

international:

country code - 677; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)

total:

1,360 km

paved:

33 km

unpaved:

1,327 km

note: includes 800 km of private plantation roads (2002)

male:

6,924

female:

6,679 (2008 est.)