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Communications

Broadcast media [time series]

Solomon Islands Broadcasting Corporation (SIBC) is the sole TV broadcaster with 1 station; multi-channel pay-TV is available; SIBC, the public service broadcaster, operates 2 national radio stations and 2 provincial stations; 2 local commercial radio stations operating; Radio Australia is obtainable via satellite feed (2009)

Internet country code [time series]

.sb

Internet users (Internet hosts) [time series]

4,065 (2010) country comparison to the world: 141

Internet users [time series]

10,000 (2009) country comparison to the world: 200

Telecommunication systems (Telephone system) [time series]

general assessment: NA domestic: mobile-cellular telephone density is about 5 telephones per 100 persons international: country code - 677; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)

Telephones - fixed lines (Telephones - main lines in use) [time series]

8,400 (2010) country comparison to the world: 204

Telephones - mobile cellular [time series]

30,000 (2010) country comparison to the world: 202

Economy

Agricultural products (Agriculture - products) [time series]

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

Budget [time series]

revenues: $223.2 million expenditures: $198.4 million (2010 est.)

Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-) [time series]

3.5% of GDP (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 17

Commercial bank prime lending rate [time series]

14.4% (31 December 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 48 15.3% (31 December 2009 est.)

Current account balance [time series]

-$207.9 million (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 87 -$207.9 million (2007 est.)

Debt - external [time series]

$166 million (2004) country comparison to the world: 180

Economic overview (Economy - overview) [time series]

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 RAMSI, severe ethnic violence, the closing of key businesses, and an empty government treasury culminated in economic collapse. RAMSI's efforts to restore law and order and economic stability have led to modest growth as the economy rebuilds.

Electricity - consumption [time series]

72.54 million kWh (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 198

Electricity - exports [time series]

0 kWh (2009 est.)

Electricity - imports [time series]

0 kWh (2009 est.)

Electricity - production [time series]

78 million kWh (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 198

Exchange rates [time series]

Solomon Islands dollars (SBD) per US dollar - NA (2007) 7.3447 (2006) 7.5299 (2005) 7.4847 (2004) 7.5059 (2003)

Exports [time series]

$163.4 million (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 182 $163.4 million (2006)

Exports - commodities [time series]

timber, fish, copra, palm oil, cocoa

Exports - partners [time series]

China 63.7% (2010)

GDP (official exchange rate) [time series]

$712 million (2010 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) (GDP (purchasing power parity)) [time series]

$1.627 billion (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 191 $1.542 billion (2009 est.) $1.562 billion (2008 est.) note: data are in 2010 US dollars

GDP - composition, by sector of origin (GDP - composition by sector) [time series]

agriculture: 31.1% industry: 6.9% services: 62% (2010 est.)

Real GDP per capita (GDP - per capita (PPP)) [time series]

$2,900 (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 170 $2,800 (2009 est.) $2,900 (2008 est.) note: data are in 2010 US dollars

Real GDP growth rate (GDP - real growth rate) [time series]

5.6% (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 60 -1.3% (2009 est.) 7.3% (2008 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share [time series]

lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%

Imports [time series]

$256 million (2006) country comparison to the world: 197 $239.2 million (2009 est.)

Imports - commodities [time series]

food, plant and equipment, manufactured goods, fuels, chemicals

Imports - partners [time series]

Australia 29%, Singapore 21.7%, China 7.9%, NZ 6.1%, Fiji 4.3%, Papua New Guinea 4.2%, Malaysia 4.1% (2010)

Industrial production growth rate [time series]

NA%

Industries [time series]

fish (tuna), mining, timber

Inflation rate (consumer prices) [time series]

1.3% (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 37 7.1% (2009 est.)

Labor force [time series]

202,500 (2007) country comparison to the world: 169

Labor force - by occupation [time series]

agriculture: 75% industry: 5% services: 20% (2000 est.)

Natural gas - consumption [time series]

0 cu m (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 129

Natural gas - exports [time series]

0 cu m (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 65

Natural gas - imports [time series]

0 cu m (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 92

Natural gas - production [time series]

0 cu m (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 159

Natural gas - proved reserves [time series]

0 cu m (1 January 2011 est.) country comparison to the world: 115

Oil - consumption [time series]

2,000 bbl/day (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 185

Oil - exports [time series]

0 bbl/day (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 199

Oil - imports [time series]

1,485 bbl/day (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 187

Oil - production [time series]

0 bbl/day (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 137

Oil - proved reserves [time series]

0 bbl (1 January 2011 est.) country comparison to the world: 110

Population below poverty line [time series]

NA%

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold [time series]

$265.8 million (31 December 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 158 $146 million (31 December 2009 est.)

Stock of broad money [time series]

$264.8 million (31 December 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 183 $227.1 million (31 December 2009 est.)

Stock of domestic credit [time series]

$148.1 million (31 December 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 181 $111.1 million (31 December 2009 est.)

Stock of narrow money [time series]

$161.2 million (31 December 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 177 $127.4 million (31 December 2009 est.)

Taxes and other revenues [time series]

31.3% of GDP (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 88

Unemployment rate [time series]

NA%

Geography

Area [time series]

total: 28,896 sq km country comparison to the world: 144 land: 27,986 sq km water: 910 sq km

Area - comparative [time series]

slightly smaller than Maryland

Climate [time series]

tropical monsoon; few extremes of temperature and weather

Coastline [time series]

5,313 km

Elevation (Elevation extremes) [time series]

lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: Mount Popomanaseu 2,310 m

Environment - current issues [time series]

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

International environmental agreements (Environment - international agreements) [time series]

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

Geographic coordinates [time series]

8 00 S, 159 00 E

Geography - note [time series]

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

Irrigated land [time series]

Land boundaries [time series]

0 km

Land use [time series]

arable land: 0.62% permanent crops: 2.04% other: 97.34% (2005)

Location [time series]

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

Map references [time series]

Oceania

Maritime claims [time series]

measured from claimed archipelagic baselines territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 nm

Natural hazards [time series]

typhoons, but rarely destructive; geologically active region with frequent earthquakes, tremors, and volcanic activity; tsunamis volcanism: Tinakula (elev. 851 m) has frequent eruption activity, while an eruption of Savo (elev. 485 m) could affect the capital Honiara on nearby Guadalcanal

Natural resources [time series]

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

Terrain [time series]

mostly rugged mountains with some low coral atolls

Total renewable water resources [time series]

44.7 cu km (1987)

Government

Administrative divisions [time series]

9 provinces and 1 capital territory*; Central, Choiseul, Guadalcanal, Honiara*, Isabel, Makira, Malaita, Rennell and Bellona, Temotu, Western

Capital [time series]

name: Honiara geographic coordinates: 9 26 S, 159 57 E time difference: UTC+11 (16 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

Constitution [time series]

7 July 1978

Country name [time series]

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

Diplomatic representation from the US [time series]

the US does not have an embassy in the Solomon Islands; the US ambassador to Papua New Guinea is accredited to the Solomon Islands

Diplomatic representation in the US [time series]

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

Executive branch [time series]

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 Gordon Darcy LILO (since 16 November 2011) cabinet: Cabinet consists of 20 members appointed by the governor general on the advice of the prime minister from among the members of parliament (For more information visit theWorld Leaders website) elections: the monarchy 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 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; Gordon Darcy LILO elected on 16 November 2011

Flag (Flag description) [time series]

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

Government - note [time series]

by the end of 2007, the Regional Assistance Mission to the Solomon Islands (RAMSI) - originally made up of police and troops from Australia, NZ, Fiji, Papua New Guinea, and Tonga - had been scaled back to 303 police officers, 197 civilian technical advisers, and 72 military advisers from 15 countries across the region

Government type [time series]

parliamentary democracy and a Commonwealth realm

Independence [time series]

7 July 1978 (from the UK)

International law organization participation [time series]

has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; non-party state to the ICCt

International organization participation [time series]

ACP, ADB, AOSIS, C, 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

Judicial branch [time series]

Court of Appeal

Legal system [time series]

mixed legal system of English common law and customary law

Legislative branch [time series]

unicameral National Parliament (50 seats; members elected from single-member constituencies by popular vote to serve four-year terms) elections: last held on 4 August 2010 (next to be held in 2014) election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - SIDP 14, OUR 4, SIPRA 3, RDP 3, IDP 2, DDP 2, PCP 1, PFP 1, RUPP 1, SILP 1, SINP 1, independents 17

National anthem(s) (National anthem) [time series]

name: "God Save Our Solomon Islands" lyrics/music: Panapasa BALEKANA and Matila BALEKANA/Panapasa BALEKANA note: adopted 1978

National holiday [time series]

Independence Day, 7 July (1978)

Political parties (Political parties and leaders) [time series]

Direct Development Party or DDP [Dick HA'AMORI]; People's Alliance Party or PAP [James MEKAB]; People's Congress Party or PCP [Fred FONO]; People's Federation Party or PFP [Rudolf DORA]; Ownership, Unity, and Responsibility Party or OUR [Manasseh SOGAVARE]; Reform Democratic Party or RDP [Danny PHILIP]; Rural and Urban Political Party or RUPP [Samuel MANETOALI]; Solomon Islands Democratic Party or SIDP [Steve ABANA]; Solomon Islands Liberal Party or SILP [Derek SIKUA]; Solomon Islands National Party or SINP [Francis HILLY]; 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

Political parties (Political pressure groups and leaders) [time series]

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

Suffrage [time series]

21 years of age; universal

Introduction

Background [time series]

The UK established a protectorate over the Solomon Islands in the 1890s. Some of the most bitter fighting of World War II occurred on this archipelago. Self-government was achieved in 1976 and independence two years later. Ethnic violence, government malfeasance, and endemic crime 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) has generally been effective in restoring law and order and rebuilding government institutions.

Military

Manpower available for military service [time series]

males age 16-49: 142,913 (2010 est.)

Manpower fit for military service [time series]

males age 16-49: 118,921 females age 16-49: 118,164 (2010 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually [time series]

male: 6,483 female: 6,098 (2010 est.)

Military and security forces (Military branches) [time series]

no regular military forces; Solomon Islands Police Force (2011)

Military expenditures [time series]

3% of GDP (2006) country comparison to the world: 46

People and Society

Age structure [time series]

0-14 years: 37.8% (male 111,265/female 104,896) 15-64 years: 58.3% (male 169,873/female 163,621) 65 years and over: 3.9% (male 10,879/female 11,356) (2011 est.)

Birth rate [time series]

28.03 births/1,000 population (2011 est.) country comparison to the world: 45

Children under the age of 5 years underweight [time series]

11.5% (2007) country comparison to the world: 62

Death rate [time series]

3.93 deaths/1,000 population (July 2011 est.) country comparison to the world: 206

Drinking water source [time series]

improved: urban: 94% of population rural: 65% of population total: 70% of population unimproved: urban: 6% of population rural: 35% of population total: 31% of population (2000)

Education expenditure (Education expenditures) [time series]

Ethnic groups [time series]

Melanesian 94.5%, Polynesian 3%, Micronesian 1.2%, other 1.1%, unspecified 0.2% (1999 census)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate [time series]

HIV/AIDS - deaths [time series]

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS [time series]

Health expenditure (Health expenditures) [time series]

5.4% of GDP (2009) country comparison to the world: 130

Hospital bed density [time series]

1.4 beds/1,000 population (2005) country comparison to the world: 126

Infant mortality rate [time series]

total: 17.82 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 102 male: 20.29 deaths/1,000 live births female: 15.23 deaths/1,000 live births (2011 est.)

Languages [time series]

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

Life expectancy at birth [time series]

total population: 74.18 years country comparison to the world: 106 male: 71.6 years female: 76.89 years (2011 est.)

Literacy [time series]

Major urban areas - population (Major cities - population) [time series]

HONIARA (capital) 72,000 (2009)

Maternal mortality ratio (Maternal mortality rate) [time series]

100 deaths/100,000 live births (2008) country comparison to the world: 68

Median age [time series]

total: 20.9 years male: 20.7 years female: 21.1 years (2011 est.)

Nationality [time series]

noun: Solomon Islander(s) adjective: Solomon Islander

Net migration rate [time series]

-1.9 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2011 est.) country comparison to the world: 162

Physician density (Physicians density) [time series]

0.186 physicians/1,000 population (2005) country comparison to the world: 152

Population [time series]

571,890 (July 2011 est.) country comparison to the world: 169

Population growth rate [time series]

2.22% (2011 est.) country comparison to the world: 38

Religions [time series]

Protestant 73.7% (Church of Melanesia 32.8%, South Seas Evangelical 17%, Seventh-Day Adventist 11.2%, United Church 10.3%, Christian Fellowship Church 2.4%), Roman Catholic 19%, other Christian 4.4%, other 2.4%, unspecified 0.3%, none 0.2% (1999 census)

Sanitation facility access [time series]

improved: urban: 98% of population rural: 18% of population total: 31% of population unimproved: urban: 2% of population rural: 82% of population total: 69% of population (2000)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education) [time series]

total: 9 years male: 9 years female: 9 years (2007)

Sex ratio [time series]

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: 0.89 male(s)/female total population: 1.02 male(s)/female (2011 est.)

Total fertility rate [time series]

3.59 children born/woman (2011 est.) country comparison to the world: 45

Urbanization [time series]

urban population: 19% of total population (2010) rate of urbanization: 4.2% annual rate of change (2010-15 est.)

Transnational Issues

Disputes - international [time series]

since 2003, RAMSI, consisting of police, military, and civilian advisors drawn from 15 countries, has assisted in reestablishing and maintaining civil and political order while reinforcing regional stability and security

Refugees and internally displaced persons [time series]

IDPs: 5,400 (displaced by tsunami on 2 April 2007) (2007)

Trafficking in persons [time series]

current situation: the Solomon Islands is a destination country for local and Southeast Asian men and women subjected to forced labor and forced prostitution; local children are subjected to sex trafficking, particularly near foreign logging camps and on foreign and local commercial fishing vessels, but also at hotels and entertainment establishments; some girls are hired under the guise of domestic labor in logging and fishing areas, but subsequently coerced into commercial sex; some Asian women from China, Indonesia, Malaysia, and the Philippines may have been recruited from their home countries for legitimate work and upon arrival, forced into prostitution; men from Indonesia and Malaysia are recruited to work in the Solomon Islands' logging and mining industries, and may be subsequently subjected to forced labor in industrial camps; the Solomon Islands is a destination country for child sex tourists tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List - the government failed to report any efforts to investigate or prosecute any trafficking offenders, or identify or assist any trafficking victims; the government did not conduct any public awareness campaigns on trafficking (2011)

Transportation

Airports [time series]

36 (2010) country comparison to the world: 108

Airports - with paved runways [time series]

total: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2010)

Airports - with unpaved runways [time series]

total: 34 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 8 under 914 m: 25 (2010)

Heliports [time series]

3 (2010)

Ports (Ports and terminals) [time series]

Honiara, Malloco Bay, Viru Harbor, Tulaghi

Roadways [time series]

total: 1,360 km country comparison to the world: 177 paved: 33 km unpaved: 1,327 km note: includes 800 km of private plantation roads (2002)