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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 operates 2 national radio stations and 2 provincial stations; 2 local commercial radio stations; Radio Australia is available via satellite feed (2009)

Internet country code [time series]

.sb

Internet users (Internet hosts) [time series]

4,370 (2012) country comparison to the world: 148

Internet users [time series]

10,000 (2009) country comparison to the world: 201

Telecommunication systems (Telephone system) [time series]

domestic: mobile-cellular telephone density is about 50 per 100 persons international: country code - 677; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean) (2011)

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

8,060 (2012) country comparison to the world: 203

Telephones - mobile cellular [time series]

302,100 (2012) country comparison to the world: 175

Economy

Agricultural products (Agriculture - products) [time series]

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

Budget [time series]

revenues: $411.1 million expenditures: $391.6 million (2012 est.)

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

2% of GDP (2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 25

Commercial bank prime lending rate [time series]

11.28% (31 December 2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 64 13.17% (31 December 2011 est.)

Current account balance [time series]

$-1.2 million (2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 58 $-60.6 million (2011 est.)

Debt - external [time series]

$255.5 million (31 December 2011 est.) country comparison to the world: 185 $166 million (2004)

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 The Regional Assistance Mission to the Solomon Islands (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.

Exchange rates [time series]

Solomon Islands dollars (SBD) per US dollar - 7.36 (2012 est.) 7.64 (2011 est.) 8.06 (2010 est.)

Exports [time series]

$415.2 million (2011 est.)

Exports - commodities [time series]

timber, fish, copra, palm oil, cocoa

Exports - partners [time series]

China 50.8%, Australia 17.5% (2012)

Fiscal year [time series]

calendar year

GDP (official exchange rate) [time series]

$983.5 million (2012 est.)

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

$1.858 billion (2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 194 $1.773 billion (2011 est.) $1.602 billion (2010 est.) note: data are in 2012 US dollars

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

agriculture: 51.8% industry: 9.2% services: 39% (2012 est.)

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

$3,300 (2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 174 $3,200 (2011 est.) $3,000 (2010 est.) note: data are in 2012 US dollars

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

4.8% (2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 73 10.7% (2011 est.) 7.8% (2010 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share [time series]

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

Imports [time series]

$446 million (2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 192 $421.2 million (2011 est.)

Imports - commodities [time series]

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

Imports - partners [time series]

Singapore 27.2%, Australia 25.7%, China 7.1%, NZ 4.9%, Malaysia 4.8% (2012)

Industrial production growth rate [time series]

NA%

Industries [time series]

fish (tuna), mining, timber

Inflation rate (consumer prices) [time series]

2.6% (2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 73 7.4% (2011 est.)

Labor force [time series]

202,500 (2007) country comparison to the world: 170

Labor force - by occupation [time series]

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

Population below poverty line [time series]

NA%

Stock of broad money [time series]

$386.4 million (31 December 2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 183 $353.8 million (31 December 2011 est.)

Stock of domestic credit [time series]

$37.73 million (31 December 2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 178 $50.01 million (31 December 2011 est.)

Stock of narrow money [time series]

$326.3 million (31 December 2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 168 $254.5 million (31 December 2011 est.)

Taxes and other revenues [time series]

41.8% of GDP (2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 35

Unemployment rate [time series]

NA%

Energy

Carbon dioxide emissions (Carbon dioxide emissions from consumption of energy) [time series]

203,200 Mt (2011 est.) country comparison to the world: 194

Crude oil - exports [time series]

0 bbl/day (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 91

Crude oil - imports [time series]

0 bbl/day (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 164

Crude oil - production [time series]

0 bbl/day (2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 156

Crude oil - proved reserves [time series]

0 bbl (1 January 2013 es) country comparison to the world: 109

Electricity - consumption [time series]

76.26 million kWh (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 201

Electricity - exports [time series]

0 kWh (2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 170

Electricity - from fossil fuels [time series]

100% of total installed capacity (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 8

Electricity - from hydroelectric plants [time series]

0% of total installed capacity (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 159

Electricity - from nuclear fuels [time series]

0% of total installed capacity (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 54

Electricity - from other renewable sources [time series]

0% of total installed capacity (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 160

Electricity - imports [time series]

0 kWh (2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 165

Electricity - installed generating capacity [time series]

36,000 kW (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 195

Electricity - production [time series]

82 million kWh (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 202

Natural gas - consumption [time series]

0 cu m (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 122

Natural gas - exports [time series]

0 cu m (2011 est.) country comparison to the world: 70

Natural gas - imports [time series]

0 cu m (2011 est.) country comparison to the world: 165

Natural gas - production [time series]

0 cu m (2011 est.) country comparison to the world: 107

Natural gas - proved reserves [time series]

0 cu m (1 January 2013 es) country comparison to the world: 117

Refined petroleum products - consumption [time series]

1,728 bbl/day (2011 est.) country comparison to the world: 192

Refined petroleum products - exports [time series]

0 bbl/day (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 155

Refined petroleum products - imports [time series]

1,463 bbl/day (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 187

Refined petroleum products - production [time series]

0 bbl/day (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 157

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: 2.25% other: 97.13% (2011)

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 (2011)

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]

adopted 31 May 1978, effective 7 July 1978; amended several times, last in 2010 (2012)

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, currently Ambassador Walter E. North, is accredited to the Solomon Islands

Diplomatic representation in the US [time series]

chief of mission: Ambassador Collin David BECK (since 31 March 2004) 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 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, EITI (candidate country), 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]

highest court(s): Court of Appeal (consists of the court president, and ex officio members to include the High Court chief justice and its puisne judges); High Court (consists of the chief justice and puisne judges as prescribed by the National Parliament) judge selection and term of office: Court of Appeal and High Court president, chief justices, and puisne judges appointed by the governor-general upon recommendation of the Judicial and Legal Service Commission, chaired by the chief justice to include 5 members, mostly judicial officials and legal professionals; all judges appointed until retirement at age 60 subordinate courts: Magistrates' Courts; local courts; Customary Land Appeal Court

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] Independent Democratic Party or IDP [Snyder RINI] 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; Royal Solomon Islands Police Force (2013)

Military expenditures [time series]

3.7% of GDP (2007) country comparison to the world: 30

People and Society

Age structure [time series]

0-14 years: 36.8% (male 113,030/female 106,527) 15-24 years: 20% (male 61,244/female 58,027) 25-54 years: 35% (male 106,525/female 102,452) 55-64 years: 4.3% (male 12,586/female 12,930) 65 years and over: 4% (male 11,598/female 12,329) (2013 est.)

Birth rate [time series]

26.9 births/1,000 population (2013 est.) country comparison to the world: 48

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

11.5% (2007) country comparison to the world: 64

Contraceptive prevalence rate [time series]

34.6% (2006/07)

Death rate [time series]

3.88 deaths/1,000 population (2013 est.) country comparison to the world: 210

Dependency ratios [time series]

total dependency ratio: 77.1 % youth dependency ratio: 71.2 % elderly dependency ratio: 6 % potential support ratio: 16.8 (2013)

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: 30% of population (2000 est.)

Education expenditure (Education expenditures) [time series]

7.3% of GDP (2010) country comparison to the world: 19

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]

8.8% of GDP (2011) country comparison to the world: 49

Hospital bed density [time series]

1.4 beds/1,000 population (2005)

Infant mortality rate [time series]

total: 16.7 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 102 male: 19.03 deaths/1,000 live births female: 14.26 deaths/1,000 live births (2013 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: 74.66 years country comparison to the world: 107 male: 72.05 years female: 77.39 years (2013 est.)

Literacy [time series]

definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 84.1% male: 88.9% female: 79.2%

Major urban areas - population [time series]

HONIARA (capital) 72,000 (2009)

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

93 deaths/100,000 live births (2010) country comparison to the world: 78

Median age [time series]

total: 21.3 years male: 21.1 years female: 21.6 years (2013 est.)

Nationality [time series]

noun: Solomon Islander(s) adjective: Solomon Islander

Net migration rate [time series]

-1.82 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2013 est.) country comparison to the world: 159

Obesity - adult prevalence rate [time series]

30% (2008) country comparison to the world: 27

Physician density (Physicians density) [time series]

0.22 physicians/1,000 population (2009)

Population [time series]

597,248 (July 2013 est.) country comparison to the world: 169

Population growth rate [time series]

2.12% (2013 est.) country comparison to the world: 46

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 est.)

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

total: 9 years male: 10 years female: 9 years (2007)

Sex ratio [time series]

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female 0-14 years: 1.06 male(s)/female 15-24 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 25-54 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 55-64 years: 0.96 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.95 male(s)/female total population: 1.04 male(s)/female (2013 est.)

Total fertility rate [time series]

3.44 children born/woman (2013 est.) country comparison to the world: 49

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, the Regional Assistance Mission to Solomon Islands, 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

Trafficking in persons [time series]

current situation: The Solomon Islands is a source and destination country for local and Southeast Asian men and women subjected to forced labor and forced prostitution; women from China, Indonesia, Malaysia, and the Philippines are recruited for legitimate work and upon arrival are forced into prostitution; men from Indonesia and Malaysia recruited to work in the Solomon Islands' mining and logging industries may be subjected to forced labor; local children are forced into prostitution near foreign logging camps, on fishing vessels, and at hotel and other entertainment venues; some local children are also sold by their parents for marriage to foreign workers or put up for "informal adoption" and then find themselves forced into domestic servitude or forced prostitution tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List - The Solomon Islands does not fully comply with the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking; however, it is making significant efforts to do so; the government has formed an ad hoc Solomon Islands Trafficking-in-Persons Advisory Committee and established an informal victim assistance referral procedure for law enforcement; the government did not pass the necessary implementing regulations for anti-trafficking legislation enacted in 2012, preventing authorities from using the new law to prosecute alleged traffickers; the government continues to rely on civil society or religious organizations to provide limited services to victims; the Solomon Islands is not a party to the 2000 UN TIP Protocol (2013)

Transportation

Airports [time series]

36 (2013) country comparison to the world: 110

Airports - with paved runways [time series]

total: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2013)

Airports - with unpaved runways [time series]

total: 35 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 10 under 914 m: 24 (2013)

Heliports [time series]

3 (2013)

Ports (Ports and terminals) [time series]

Honiara, Malloco Bay, Viru Harbor, Tulaghi

Roadways [time series]

total: 1,390 km country comparison to the world: 178 paved: 34 km unpaved: 1,356 km note: includes 920 km of private plantation roads (2011)