Solomon Islands

total: 1,045 (2019) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: less than 1 (2019 est.)

Solomon Islands Broadcasting Corporation (SIBC) does not broadcast television; multi-channel pay-TV is available; SIBC operates 2 national radio stations and 2 provincial stations; there are 2 local commercial radio stations; Radio Australia is available via satellite feed (since 2009) (2019)

.sb

total: 198,900 (2021 est.) percent of population: 11.92% (2019 est.)

general assessment: Internet penetration has reached 20%; 3G and 4G LTE mobile network expansions, investment in mobile services in the region; otherwise 3G and satellite services for communication and Internet access; increase in broadband subscriptions; the launch of the Kacific-1 satellite in 2019 and the Coral Sea Cable System have vastly improved the telecom sector (2020) domestic: fixed-line is 1 per 100 persons and mobile-cellular telephone density is about 71 per 100 persons; domestic cable system to extend to key major islands (2019) international: country code - 677; landing points for the CSCS and ICNS2 submarine cables providing connectivity from Solomon Islands, to PNG, Vanuatu and Australia; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean) (2019) note: the COVID-19 pandemic continues to have a significant impact on production and supply chains globally; since 2020, some aspects of the telecom sector have experienced downturn, particularly in mobile device production; many network operators delayed upgrades to infrastructure; progress towards 5G implementation was postponed or slowed in some countries; consumer spending on telecom services and devices was affected by large-scale job losses and the consequent restriction on disposable incomes; the crucial nature of telecom services as a tool for work and school from home became evident, and received some support from governments

total subscriptions: 7,104 (2019) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 1.06 (2019 est.)

total subscriptions: 478,116 (2019) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 71.38 (2019 est.)

oil palm fruit, sweet potatoes, coconuts, taro, yams, fruit, pulses nes, vegetables, cocoa, cassava

revenues: 532.5 million (2017 est.) expenditures: 570.5 million (2017 est.)

-2.9% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Moody's rating: B3 (2015)

-$54 million (2017 est.) -$49 million (2016 est.)

$757 million (31 December 2017 est.) $643 million (31 December 2016 est.)

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 closure of key businesses, and an empty government treasury culminated in economic collapse. RAMSI's efforts, which concluded in Jun 2017, to restore law and order and economic stability have led to modest growth as the economy rebuilds.

Solomon Islands dollars (SBD) per US dollar - 8.06126 (2020 est.) 8.10373 (2019 est.) 8.01282 (2018 est.) 7.9147 (2014 est.) 7.3754 (2013 est.)

$430 million note: data are in current year dollars (2020 est.) $590 million note: data are in current year dollars (2019 est.) $680 million note: data are in current year dollars (2018 est.)

lumber, fish, aluminum, palm oil, cocoa beans (2019)

China 65%, Italy 9%, India 6% (2019)

calendar year

$1.298 billion (2017 est.)

household consumption: NA government consumption: NA investment in fixed capital: NA investment in inventories: NA exports of goods and services: 25.8% (2011 est.) imports of goods and services: -49.6% (2011 est.)

agriculture: 34.3% (2017 est.) industry: 7.6% (2017 est.) services: 58.1% (2017 est.)

37.1 (2013 est.)

lowest 10%: NA highest 10%: NA

$560 million note: data are in current year dollars (2020 est.) $750 million note: data are in current year dollars (2019 est.) $750 million note: data are in current year dollars (2018 est.)

refined petroleum, fish, insulated wiring, broadcasting equipment, excavation machinery (2019)

China 24%, Australia 13%, South Korea 12%, Singapore 12%, Malaysia 10% (2019)

3.6% (2017 est.)

fish (tuna), mining, timber

0.5% (2017 est.) 0.5% (2016 est.)

202,500 (2007 est.)

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

12.7% (2012 est.)

9.4% of GDP (2017 est.) 7.9% of GDP (2016 est.)

$1.71 billion note: data are in 2017 dollars (2020 est.) $1.78 billion note: data are in 2017 dollars (2019 est.) $1.76 billion note: data are in 2017 dollars (2018 est.) note: data are in 2017 dollars

3.5% (2017 est.) 3.5% (2016 est.) 2.5% (2015 est.)

$2,500 note: data are in 2017 dollars (2020 est.) $2,700 note: data are in 2017 dollars (2019 est.) $2,700 note: data are in 2017 dollars (2018 est.) note: data are in 2017 dollars

$0 (31 December 2017 est.) $421 million (31 December 2016 est.)

41% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

NA

total: 1.3% male: 1% female: 1.6% (2013)

0 bbl/day (2015 est.)

0 bbl/day (2015 est.)

0 bbl/day (2018 est.)

0 bbl (1 January 2018 est.)

95.79 million kWh (2016 est.)

0 kWh (2016 est.)

92% of total installed capacity (2016 est.)

0% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)

0% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)

8% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)

0 kWh (2016 est.)

38,000 kW (2016 est.)

103 million kWh (2016 est.)

electrification - total population: 66.7% (2018) electrification - urban areas: 76.7% (2018) electrification - rural areas: 63.5% (2018)

0 cu m (2017 est.)

0 cu m (2017 est.)

0 cu m (2017 est.)

0 cu m (2017 est.)

0 cu m (1 January 2014 est.)

1,600 bbl/day (2016 est.)

0 bbl/day (2015 est.)

1,577 bbl/day (2015 est.)

0 bbl/day (2015 est.)

particulate matter emissions: 10.67 micrograms per cubic meter (2016 est.) carbon dioxide emissions: 0.17 megatons (2016 est.) methane emissions: 0.43 megatons (2020 est.)

tropical monsoon; few temperature and weather extremes

deforestation; soil erosion; many of the surrounding coral reefs are dead or dying; effects of climate change and rising sea levels

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping-London Convention, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Whaling signed, but not ratified: Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban

agricultural land: 3.9% (2018 est.) arable land: 0.7% (2018 est.) permanent crops: 2.9% (2018 est.) permanent pasture: 0.3% (2018 est.) forest: 78.9% (2018 est.) other: 17.2% (2018 est.)

degree of risk: high (2020) food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea vectorborne diseases: malaria

coal revenues: 0% of GDP (2018 est.)

forest revenues: 20.27% of GDP (2018 est.)

44.7 billion cubic meters (2017 est.)

urban population: 25.1% of total population (2021) rate of urbanization: 3.57% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

municipal solid waste generated annually: 179,972 tons (2013 est.)

total: 28,896 sq km land: 27,986 sq km water: 910 sq km

slightly smaller than Maryland

tropical monsoon; few temperature and weather extremes

5,313 km

highest point: Mount Popomanaseu 2,335 m lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m

8 00 S, 159 00 E

strategic location on sea routes between the South Pacific Ocean, the Solomon Sea, and the Coral Sea

0 sq km NA (2012)

total: 0 km

agricultural land: 3.9% (2018 est.) arable land: 0.7% (2018 est.) permanent crops: 2.9% (2018 est.) permanent pasture: 0.3% (2018 est.) forest: 78.9% (2018 est.) other: 17.2% (2018 est.)

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

Oceania

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

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

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

most of the population lives along the coastal regions; about one in five live in urban areas, and of these some two-thirds reside in Honiara, the largest town and chief port

mostly rugged mountains with some low coral atolls

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

name: Honiara geographic coordinates: 9 26 S, 159 57 E time difference: UTC+11 (16 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time) etymology: the name derives from "nagho ni ara," which in one of the Guadalcanal languages roughly translates as "facing the eastern wind"

citizenship by birth: no citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of the Solomon Islands dual citizenship recognized: no residency requirement for naturalization: 7 years

history: adopted 31 May 1978, effective 7 July 1978; note - in late 2017, provincial leaders agreed to adopt a new federal constitution, with passage expected in 2018, but it has been postponed indefinitely amendments: proposed by the National Parliament; passage of constitutional sections, including those on fundamental rights and freedoms, the legal system, Parliament, alteration of the constitution and the ombudsman, requires three-fourths majority vote by Parliament and assent of the governor general; passage of other amendments requires two-thirds majority vote and assent of the governor general; amended several times, last in 2018; note - a new constitution was drafted in mid-2009 and the latest version drafted in 2013

conventional long form: none conventional short form: Solomon Islands local long form: none local short form: Solomon Islands former: British Solomon Islands etymology: Spanish explorer Alvaro de MENDANA named the isles in 1568 after the wealthy biblical King SOLOMON in the mistaken belief that the islands contained great riches

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

chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Janice Mose KEMAKEZA chancery: 685 Third Avenue, 11th Floor, Suite 1102, New York, NY 10017 telephone: [1] (212) 599-6192; [1] (212) 599-6193 FAX: [1] (212) 661-8925 email address and website: simun@solomons.com

chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952); represented by Governor General David VUNAGI (since 8 July 2019) head of government: Prime Minister Rick HOU (since 16 November 2017) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the governor general on the advice of the prime minister elections/appointments: the monarchy is hereditary; governor general appointed by the monarch on the advice of the National Parliament for up to 5 years (eligible for a second term); following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or majority coalition usually elected prime minister by the National Parliament; deputy prime minister appointed by the governor general on the advice of the prime minister from among members of the National Parliament election results: Manasseh SOGAVARE (independent) defeated in no-confidence vote on 6 November 2017; Rick HOU elected prime minister on 15 November 2017

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

parliamentary democracy under a constitutional monarchy; a Commonwealth realm

7 July 1978 (from the UK)

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

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

highest courts: Court of Appeal (consists of the court president and ex officio members including 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 and includes 5 members, mostly judicial officials and legal professionals; all judges serve until retirement at age 60 subordinate courts: Magistrates' Courts; Customary Land Appeal Court; local courts

mixed legal system of English common law and customary law

description: unicameral National Parliament (50 seats; members directly elected in single-seat constituencies by simple majority vote to serve 4-year terms) elections: last held on 3 April 2019 (next to be held in 2023) election results: percent of vote by party - UDP 10.7%, DAP 7.8%, PAP 4.4%, other 20.8%, independent 56.3%; seats by party - DAP 7, UDP 5, PAP 3, KPSI 1, SIPFP 1, SIPRA 1, independent 32; composition - men 49, women 1, percent of women 2%

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

Independence Day, 7 July (1978)

national colors: blue, yellow, green, white

Democratic Alliance Party or DAP [Steve ABANA] Kadere Party of Solomon Islands or KPSI [Peter BOYERS] People's Alliance Party or PAP [Nathaniel WAENA] Solomon Islands People First Party or SIPFP [Dr. Jimmie RODGERS] Solomon Islands Party for Rural Advancement or SIPRA [Manasseh MAELANGA] United Democratic Party or UDP [Sir Thomas Ko CHAN] note: in general, Solomon Islands politics is characterized by fluid coalitions

21 years of age; universal

Settlers from Papua arrived on Solomon Islands around 30,000 years ago. About 6,000 years ago, Austronesian settlers came to Solomon Islands and the two groups mixed extensively. Despite significant inter-island trade, no attempts were made to unite the islands into a single political entity. In 1568, Spanish explorer Alvaro de MENDANA became the first European to spot the islands. After a failed Spanish attempt at creating a permanent European settlement on the islands in the late 1500s, Solomon Islands remained free of European contact until 1767 when British explorer Philip CARTERET sailed by the islands. The islands were regularly visited by European explorers and American and British whaling ships into the 1800s, followed by missionaries in the 1850s. Germany declared a protectorate over the northern Solomon Islands in 1885 and the UK established a protectorate over the southern islands in 1893. In 1899, Germany transferred its Solomon Islands to the UK in exchange for the UK relinquishing all claims in Samoa. The UK tried to encourage plantation farming but few Europeans were willing to go to Solomon Islands and the UK left most services - such as education and medical services - to missionaries. In 1942, Japan invaded Solomon Islands and significant battles against Allied forces during the Guadalcanal Campaign proved a turning point in the Pacific war. World War II destroyed large parts of Solomon Islands and a nationalism movement emerged near the end of the war. By 1960, the British relented to allow for some local autonomy. The islands were granted self-government in 1976 and independence two years later under Prime Minister Sir Peter KENILOREA. In 1999, longstanding ethnic tensions between ethnic Guale in Honiara and ethnic Malaitans in Honiara s suburbs erupted in civil war, leading thousands of Malaitans to take refuge in Honiara and Guale to flee the city. In 2000, newly-elected Prime Minister Manasseh SOGAVARE focused on peace agreements and distributing resources equally among groups, but his actions bankrupted the government in 2001 and led to SOGAVARE s ouster. In 2003, Solomon Islands requested international assistance to reestablish law and order. The Australian-led Regional Assistance Mission to the Solomon Islands (RAMSI), which ended in 2017, was generally effective in improving the security situation. In 2006, riots broke out in Honiara and the city s Chinatown burned over allegations that the prime minister took money from China. SOGAVARE was reelected prime minister for a fourth time following elections in 2019 and that same year announced Solomon Islands would switch diplomatic recognition from Taiwan to China.

Australia and New Zealand provide material and training assistance to the police

no regular military forces; the Royal Solomon Islands Police is responsible for internal and external security and reports to the Ministry of Police, National Security, and Correctional Services

the maritime branch of the Royal Solomon Islands Police Force operates patrol boats provided by Australia (2021)

0-14 years: 32.99% (male 116,397/female 109,604) 15-24 years: 19.82% (male 69,914/female 65,874) 25-54 years: 37.64% (male 131,201/female 126,681) 55-64 years: 5.04% (male 17,844/female 16,704) 65 years and over: 4.51% (male 14,461/female 16,417) (2020 est.)

23.07 births/1,000 population (2021 est.)

16.2% (2015)

29.3% (2015)

4.5% (2018)

3.97 deaths/1,000 population (2021 est.)

total dependency ratio: 77.6 youth dependency ratio: 71.1 elderly dependency ratio: 6.5 potential support ratio: 15.3 (2020 est.)

improved: urban: 95% of population rural: 67.1% of population total: 73.6% of population unimproved: urban: 5% of population rural: 32.9% of population total: 26.4% of population (2017 est.)

10.1% of GDP (2015)

Melanesian 95.3%, Polynesian 3.1%, Micronesian 1.2%, other 0.3% (2009 est.)

NA

NA

NA

1.4 beds/1,000 population (2012)

total: 20.52 deaths/1,000 live births male: 24.49 deaths/1,000 live births female: 16.36 deaths/1,000 live births (2021 est.)

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

total population: 76.45 years male: 73.78 years female: 79.25 years (2021 est.)

degree of risk: high (2020) food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea vectorborne diseases: malaria

82,000 HONIARA (capital) (2018)

104 deaths/100,000 live births (2017 est.)

total: 23.5 years male: 23.2 years female: 23.7 years (2020 est.)

22.6 years (2015 est.) note: median age at first birth among women 25-29

noun: Solomon Islander(s) adjective: Solomon Islander

-1.57 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2021 est.)

22.5% (2016)

0.19 physicians/1,000 population (2016)

690,598 (July 2021 est.)

most of the population lives along the coastal regions; about one in five live in urban areas, and of these some two-thirds reside in Honiara, the largest town and chief port

1.75% (2021 est.)

Protestant 73.4% (Church of Melanesia 31.9%, South Sea Evangelical 17.1%, Seventh Day Adventist 11.7%, United Church 10.1%, Christian Fellowship Church 2.5%), Roman Catholic 19.6%, other Christian 2.9%, other 4%, unspecified 0.1% (2009 est.)

improved: urban: 95.6% of population rural: 22% of population total: 39.1% of population unimproved: urban: 4.4% of population rural: 78% of population total: 60.9% of population (2017 est.)

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female 0-14 years: 1.06 male(s)/female 15-24 years: 1.06 male(s)/female 25-54 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 55-64 years: 1.07 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.88 male(s)/female total population: 1.04 male(s)/female (2020 est.)

2.92 children born/woman (2021 est.)

total: 1.3% male: 1% female: 1.6% (2013)

urban population: 25.1% of total population (2021) rate of urbanization: 3.57% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

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

total: 36 (2013)

total: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2019)

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

H4

3 (2013)

total: 24 by type: general cargo 8, oil tanker 1, other 15 (2021)

number of registered air carriers: 1 (2020) inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers: 6 annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers: 427,806 (2018) annual freight traffic on registered air carriers: 3.84 million mt-km (2018)

major seaport(s): Honiara, Malloco Bay, Viru Harbor, Tulagi

total: 1,390 km (2011) paved: 34 km (2011) unpaved: 1,356 km (2011) note: includes 920 km of private plantation roads