Statistical information Solomon Islands 1989

Solomon Islands in the World
top of pageBackground: In 1893, Britain made the southern Solomon Islands a protectorate. Other islands were added to the group, including some ceded to Britain by Germany. The Solomon Islands were occupied by the Japanese during World War II. Following the war, internal self-government was established in 1976, and independence from the UK came two years later. Current issues include government deficits, deforestation, and malaria control.
top of pageLocationGeographic coordinatesMap referenceAreaLand boundaries: none
Coastline: 5,313 km
Maritime claims: (measured from claimed archipelagic baselines)
Extended economic zone: 200 nm
Territorial sea: 12 nm
Climate: tropical monsoon; few extremes of temperature and weather
Terrain: mostly rugged mountains with some low coral atolls
ElevationNatural resources: fish, forests, gold, bauxite, phosphates
Land use: 1% arable land; 1% permanent crops; 1% meadows and pastures; 93% forest and woodland; 4% other
Irrigated landMajor riversMajor watersheds area km²Total water withdrawalTotal renewable water resourcesNatural hazardsGeographyNote: located just east of Papua New Guinea in the South Pacific Ocean
top of pagePopulation: 323,545 (July 1989), growth rate 3.6% (1989)
Nationality: noun - Solomon Islander(s; adjective - Solomon Islander
Ethnic groups: 93.0% Melanesian, 4.0% Polynesian, 1.5% Micronesian, 0.8% European, 0.3% Chinese, 0.4% other
Languages: 120 indigenous languages; Melanesian pidgin in much of the country is lingua franca; English spoken by 1-2% of population
Religions: almost all at least nominally Christian; Anglican, Seventh-Day Adventist, and Roman Catholic Churches dominant
Demographic profileAge structureDependency ratiosMedian agePopulation growth rateBirth rate: 41 births/1000 population (1989)
Death rate: 5 deaths/1000 population (1989)
Net migration rate: 0 migrants/1000 population (1989)
Population distributionUrbanizationMajor urban areasEnvironmentCurrent issues: subject to typhoons, which are rarely destructive; geologically active region with frequent earth tremors
Air pollutantsSex ratioMothers mean age at first birthMaternal mortality ratioInfant mortality rate: 41 deaths/1000 live births (1989)
Life expectancy at birth: 66 years male, 71 years female (1989)
Total fertility rate: 6.4 children born/woman (1989)
Contraceptive prevalence rateDrinking water sourceCurrent health expenditurePhysicians densityHospital bed densitySanitation facility accessHiv/AidsMajor infectious diseasesObesity adult prevalence rateAlcohol consumptionTobacco useChildren under the age of 5 years underweightEducation expendituresLiteracy: 60%
School life expectancy primary to tertiary educationYouth unemploymenttop of pageCountry name: conventional long form: none
Government type: independent parliamentary state within Commonwealth
Capital: Honiara
Administrative divisions: 7 provinces and 1 town*; Central, Guadalcanal, Honiara*, Isabel, Makira, Malaita, Temotu, Western
Dependent areasIndependence: 7 July 1978 (from UK; formerly British Solomon Islands)
National holiday: Independence Day, 7 July (1978)
Constitution: 7 July 1978
Legal system: a High Court plus Magistrates Courts; also a system of native courts throughout the islands
International law organization participationCitizenshipSuffrage: universal at age 21
Executive branchLegislative branch: NA
Judicial branchPolitical parties and leadersInternational organization participation: ADB, Commonwealth, ESCAP, G-77, GATT (de facto), IBRD, IDA, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, SPF, UN, UPU, WHO
Diplomatic representationIn the us: Ambassador Francis SAEMALA resides in Honiara (Solomon Islands; US - Ambassador Everett BIERMAN; Embassy at Mud Alley, Honiara (mailing address is American Embassy, P. O. Box 561, Honiara; telephone (677) 23,890
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
National symbolsNational anthemNational heritagetop of pageEconomy overview: About 90% of the population depend on subsistence agriculture and fishing for their livelihood. Agriculture, fishing, and forestry contribute about 75% to GDP, with the fishing and forestry sectors being important export earners. The service sector contributes about 25% to GDP. Manufacturing activity is negligible. Most manufactured goods and petroleum products must be imported. The islands are rich in undeveloped mineral resources such as lead, zinc, nickel, and gold. The economy is still recovering from a severe cyclone that struck in mid-1986 and caused widespread damage to the infrastructure.
Real gdp purchasing power parityReal gdp growth rateReal gdp per capitaGross national savingGdp composition by sector of origin
Gdp composition by end useGdp composition by sector of originAgriculture products: copra, cocoa, palm oil, rice, fruits, vegetables, spices, tobacco, cattle, pigs
Industries: copra, fish (tuna)
Industrial production growth rate: 0% (1987)
Labor force:
23,448 economically active; 32.4% agriculture, forestry, and fishing; 25%
services, 7.0% construction, manufacturing, and mining; 4.7% commerce, transport, and finance (1984)
Unemployment rate: NA%
Youth unemploymentPopulation below poverty lineGini indexHousehold income or consumption by percentage shareDistribution of family income gini indexBudget: revenues $139.0 million; expenditures $154.4 million, including capital expenditures of $113.4 million (1987)
Taxes and other revenuesPublic debtRevenueFiscal year: calendar year
Inflation rate consumer pricesCentral bank discount rateCommercial bank prime lending rateStock of narrow moneyStock of broad moneyStock of domestic creditMarket value of publicly traded sharesCurrent account balanceExports: $64.5 million (f.o.b., 1987)
Commodities: fish 46%, timber 31%, copra 5%, palm oil 5%
Partners: Japan 51%, UK 12%, Thailand 9%, Netherlands 8%, Australia 2%, US 2% (1985)
Imports: $67.4 million (f.o.b., 1987)
Commodities: plant and machinery 30%, fuel 19%, food 16%
Partners: Japan 36%, US 23%, Singapore 9%, UK 9%, NZ 9%, Australia 4%, Hong Kong 4%, China 3% (1985)
Reserves of foreign exchange and goldDebt external: $128 million (1988 est.)
Stock of direct foreign investment at homeStock of direct foreign investment abroadExchange rates: Solomon Islands dollars (SI$) per US$1 - 2.1268 (January 1989), 2.0825 (1988), 2.0033 (1987), 1.7415 (1986), 1.4808 (1985)
top of pageElectricityCapacity: 15,000 kW capacity; 30 million kWh produced, 100 kWh per capita (1988)
CoalPetroleumCrude oilRefined petroleumNatural gasCarbon dioxide emissionsEnergy consumption per capitatop of pageTelephonesTelephone systemBroadcast mediaInternetBroadband fixed subscriptionstop of pageMilitary expendituresDollar figure: NA
Military and security forcesMilitary service age and obligationSpace programTerrorist groupstop of pageNational air transport systemCivil aircraft registration country code prefixAirports: 26 total, 24 usable; 2 with permanent-surface runways; 5 with runways 1,220-2,439 m
HeliportsPipelinesRailwaysRoadwaysWaterwaysMerchant marinePorts and terminalstop of pageDisputes internationalRefugees and internally displaced personsIllicit drugs