Solomon Islands

Broadcast media

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

.sb

Internet users

total: 62,000 | percent of population: 10% (July 2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 187

Telephone system

domestic: mobile-cellular telephone density is about 65 per 100 persons | international: country code - 677; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean) (2015)

Telephones - fixed lines

total subscriptions: 7,438 | subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 1 (July 2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 201

Telephones - mobile cellular

total: 425,000 | subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 68 (July 2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 174

Agriculture - products

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

Budget

revenues: $411.9 million | expenditures: $433.6 million (2015 est.)

Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-)

-1.9% of GDP (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 85

Commercial bank prime lending rate

10.48% (31 December 2015 est.) | 10.91% (31 December 2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 78

Current account balance

-$30 million (2015 est.) | -$50 million (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 58

Debt - external

$491.5 million (31 December 2013 est.) | $187.3 million (31 December 2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 178

Economy - overview

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 to restore law and order and economic stability have led to modest growth as the economy rebuilds.

Exchange rates

Solomon Islands dollars (SBD) per US dollar - | 7.9147 (2015 est.) | 7.3754 (2014 est.) | 7.3754 (2013 est.) | 7.36 (2012 est.) | 7.6413 (2011 est.)

Exports

$419.9 million (2015 est.) | $455.1 million (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 176

Exports - commodities

timber, fish, copra, palm oil, cocoa

Exports - partners

China 61.7%, India 5.9%, Italy 5.9% (2015)

Fiscal year

calendar year

GDP (official exchange rate)

$1.147 billion (2015 est.)

GDP (purchasing power parity)

$1.146 billion (2015 est.) | $1.11 billion (2014 est.) | $1.088 billion (2013 est.) | note: data are in 2015 US dollars | country comparison to the world: 203

GDP - composition, by sector of origin

agriculture: 53.2% | industry: 8% | services: 38.8% (2015 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP)

$1,900 (2015 est.) | $1,900 (2014 est.) | $1,900 (2013 est.) | note: data are in 2015 US dollars | country comparison to the world: 204

GDP - real growth rate

3.3% (2015 est.) | 2% (2014 est.) | 3% (2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 89

Gross national saving

17.1% of GDP (2015 est.) | 14.9% of GDP (2014 est.) | 21.6% of GDP (2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 105

Household income or consumption by percentage share

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

Imports

$425.7 million (2015 est.) | $460.2 million (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 195

Imports - commodities

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

Imports - partners

Australia 24.7%, China 18.4%, Malaysia 6.3%, Singapore 5.8%, Fiji 4.7%, NZ 4.6%, Papua New Guinea 4.6% (2015)

Industrial production growth rate

4.6% (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 45

Industries

fish (tuna), mining, timber

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

-0.6% (2015 est.) 5.2% (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 83

Labor force

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

Labor force - by occupation

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

Population below poverty line

NA%

Stock of broad money

$452.1 million (31 December 2014 est.) | $467.9 million (31 December 2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 184

Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad

$50.1 million (31 December 2015 est.) | $48.2 million (31 December 2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 99

Stock of direct foreign investment - at home

$522.1 million (31 December 2015 est.) | $781.8 million (31 December 2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 113

Stock of domestic credit

$84.69 million (31 December 2015 est.) | $45.12 million (31 December 2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 184

Stock of narrow money

$405.7 million (31 December 2015 est.) | $360.5 million (31 December 2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 168

Taxes and other revenues

35.9% of GDP (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 55

Unemployment rate

NA%

Carbon dioxide emissions from consumption of energy

300,000 Mt (2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 194

Crude oil - exports

0 bbl/day (2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 103

Crude oil - imports

0 bbl/day (2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 165

Crude oil - production

0 bbl/day (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 113

Crude oil - proved reserves

0 bbl (1 January 2016 es) | country comparison to the world: 111

Electricity - consumption

79.05 million kWh (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 202

Electricity - exports

0 kWh (2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 112

Electricity - from fossil fuels

100% of total installed capacity (2012 est.) | country comparison to the world: 6

Electricity - from hydroelectric plants

0% of total installed capacity (2012 est.) | country comparison to the world: 163

Electricity - from nuclear fuels

0% of total installed capacity (2012 est.) | country comparison to the world: 58

Electricity - from other renewable sources

0% of total installed capacity (2012 est.) | country comparison to the world: 161

Electricity - imports

0 kWh (2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 125

Electricity - installed generating capacity

37,000 kW (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 196

Electricity - production

85 million kWh (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 203

Electricity access

population without electricity: 495,321 | electrification - total population: 23% | electrification - urban areas: 62% | electrification - rural areas: 13% (2012)

Natural gas - consumption

0 cu m (2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 122

Natural gas - exports

0 cu m (2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 69

Natural gas - imports

0 cu m (2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 168

Natural gas - production

0 cu m (2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 163

Natural gas - proved reserves

0 cu m (1 January 2014 es) | country comparison to the world: 117

Refined petroleum products - consumption

1,600 bbl/day (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 194

Refined petroleum products - exports

0 bbl/day (2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 161

Refined petroleum products - imports

1,554 bbl/day (2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 189

Refined petroleum products - production

0 bbl/day (2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 161

Area

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

Area - comparative

slightly smaller than Maryland

Climate

tropical monsoon; few temperature and weather extremes

Coastline

5,313 km

Elevation

mean elevation: NA | elevation extremes: lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m | highest point: Mount Popomanaseu 2,310 m

Environment - current issues

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

Environment - international agreements

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

8 00 S, 159 00 E

Geography - note

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

0 sq km NA (2012)

Land boundaries

0 km

Land use

agricultural land: 3.9% | arable land 0.7%; permanent crops 2.9%; permanent pasture 0.3% | forest: 78.9% | other: 17.2% (2011 est.)

Location

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

Map references

Oceania

Maritime claims

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

Natural hazards

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

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

Terrain

mostly rugged mountains with some low coral atolls

Administrative divisions

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

Capital

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

Citizenship

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

Constitution

adopted 31 May 1978, effective 7 July 1978; new constitution drafted in 2014 (2016)

Country name

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

Diplomatic representation from the US

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

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

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 Manasseh SOGAVARE (since 9 December 2014) | 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) elected prime minister; National Parliament vote - 31 to 19

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; 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

parliamentary democracy (National Parliament) under a constitutional monarchy; a Commonwealth realm

Independence

7 July 1978 (from the UK)

International law organization participation

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

International organization participation

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

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; Customary Land Appeal Court; local courts

Legal system

mixed legal system of English common law and customary law

Legislative branch

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 19 November 2014 (next to be held in 2018) | election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - independents 32, DAP 7, UDP 5, PAP 3, KPSI 1, SIPFP 1, SIPRA 1

National anthem

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

National holiday

Independence Day, 7 July (1978)

National symbol(s)

national colors: blue, yellow, green, white

Political parties and leaders

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

Political pressure groups and leaders

Isatabu Freedom Movement or IFM | Malaita Eagle Force or MEF | note: these rival armed ethnic factions crippled the Solomon Islands in a wave of violence from 1999 to 2003

Suffrage

21 years of age; universal

Background

The UK established a protectorate over the Solomon Islands in the 1890s. Some of the bitterest fighting of World War II occurred on this archipelago. Self-government was achieved in 1976 and independence two years later. Ethnic violence, government malfeasance, endemic crime, and a narrow economic base 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 branches

no regular military forces; Royal Solomon Islands Police Force (2013)

Age structure

0-14 years: 35.13% (male 114,871/female 108,229) | 15-24 years: 20.01% (male 65,349/female 61,702) | 25-54 years: 36.12% (male 116,795/female 112,564) | 55-64 years: 4.55% (male 14,565/female 14,302) | 65 years and over: 4.2% (male 12,701/female 13,949) (2016 est.)

Birth rate

25.3 births/1,000 population (2016 est.) | country comparison to the world: 50

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

11.5% (2007) | country comparison to the world: 65

Contraceptive prevalence rate

34.6% (2006/07)

Death rate

3.8 deaths/1,000 population (2016 est.) | country comparison to the world: 212

Dependency ratios

total dependency ratio: 75.1% | youth dependency ratio: 69.1% | elderly dependency ratio: 5.9% | potential support ratio: 16.8% (2015 est.)

Drinking water source

urban: 93.2% of population | rural: 77.2% of population | total: 80.8% of population | urban: 6.8% of population | rural: 22.8% of population | total: 19.2% of population (2015 est.)

Education expenditures

10% of GDP (2010) | country comparison to the world: 18

Ethnic groups

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

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths

NA

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

NA

Health expenditures

5.1% of GDP (2014) | country comparison to the world: 59

Hospital bed density

1.3 beds/1,000 population (2012)

Infant mortality rate

total: 15.2 deaths/1,000 live births | male: 17.3 deaths/1,000 live births | female: 12.9 deaths/1,000 live births (2016 est.) | country comparison to the world: 102

Languages

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

total population: 75.3 years | male: 72.7 years | female: 78.1 years (2016 est.) | country comparison to the world: 108

Literacy

definition: age 15 and over can read and write | total population: 84.1% | male: 88.9% | female: 79.2% (2009 est.)

Major urban areas - population

HONIARA (capital) 73,000 (2014)

Maternal mortality rate

114 deaths/100,000 live births (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 77

Median age

total: 22.2 years | male: 22 years | female: 22.4 years (2016 est.) | country comparison to the world: 178

Mother's mean age at first birth

21.6 | note: median age at first birth among women 25-29 (2006/07 est.)

Nationality

noun: Solomon Islander(s) | adjective: Solomon Islander

Net migration rate

-1.7 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2016 est.) | country comparison to the world: 156

Obesity - adult prevalence rate

25% (2014) | country comparison to the world: 27

Physicians density

0.22 physicians/1,000 population (2009)

Population

635,027 (July 2016 est.) | country comparison to the world: 169

Population growth rate

1.98% (2016 est.) | country comparison to the world: 50

Religions

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%, none 0.03%, unspecified 0.1% (2009 est.)

Sanitation facility access

urban: 81.4% of population | rural: 15% of population | total: 29.8% of population | urban: 18.6% of population | rural: 85% of population | total: 70.2% of population (2015 est.)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)

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

Sex ratio

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: 1.02 male(s)/female | 65 years and over: 0.92 male(s)/female | total population: 1.04 male(s)/female (2016 est.)

Total fertility rate

3.22 children born/woman (2016 est.) | country comparison to the world: 49

Urbanization

urban population: 22.3% of total population (2015) | rate of urbanization: 4.25% annual rate of change (2010-15 est.)

Disputes - international

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

current situation: the Solomon Islands is a source and destination country for local adults and children 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, at hotels, and entertainment venues; some local children are also sold by their parents for marriage to foreign workers or put up for “informal adoption” to pay off debts 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; in 2014, the Solomon Islands was granted a waiver from an otherwise required downgrade to Tier 3 because its government has a written plan that, if implemented, would constitute making significant efforts to bring itself into compliance with the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking; the government gazetted implementing regulations for the 2012 immigration act prohibiting transnational trafficking, but the penalties are not sufficiently stringent because they allow the option of paying a fine; a new draft law to address these weaknesses awaits parliamentary review; no new trafficking investigations were conducted, even after labor inspections at logging and fishing companies, no existing cases led to prosecutions or convictions, and no funding was allocated for national anti-trafficking efforts; authorities did not identify or protect any victims and lack any procedures or shelters to do so; civil society and religious organizations provide most of the limited services available; a lack of understanding of the crime of trafficking remains a serious challenge (2015)

Airports

36 (2013) | country comparison to the world: 109

Airports - with paved runways

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

Airports - with unpaved runways

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

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

H4 (2016)

Heliports

3 (2013)

National air transport system

number of registered air carriers: 1 | inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers: 3 | annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers: 373,738 | annual freight traffic on registered air carriers: 3,691,584 mt-km (2015)

Ports and terminals

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

Roadways

total: 1,390 km | paved: 34 km | unpaved: 1,356 km | note: includes 920 km of private plantation roads (2011) | country comparison to the world: 179