Axion 3D Atlas/ATLAS.iso/stats/214.txt

Text File | 1998-01-23 | 10KB | 287 lines

{bitmap= 26,50,"flags\Solomon.bmp"}
{bigtext=150,120,"Solomon Islands"}



{1}Geography{4}
{4}To see a map of the Solomon Islands, click {z,"156.085205,-25.718752,178.976720,-8.352075",here}{4}!

{2}Location:{4} Oceania, group of islands in the South Pacific Ocean, east of Papua New Guinea

{2}Area:{4}
{3}total area:{4} 28,450 sq km
{3}land area:{4} 27,540 sq km
{3}comparative area:{4} slightly larger than Maryland

{2}Land boundaries:{4} 0 km

{2}Coastline:{4} 5,313 km

{2}Maritime claims:{4} measured from claimed archipelagic baselines
{3}continental shelf:{4} 200 nm
{3}exclusive economic zone:{4} 200 nm
{3}territorial sea:{4} 12 nm

{2}International disputes:{4} none

{2}Climate:{4} tropical monsoon; few extremes of temperature and weather

{2}Terrain:{4} mostly rugged mountains with some low coral atolls
{3}lowest point:{4} Pacific Ocean 0 m
{3}highest point:{4} Mount Makarakomburu 2,447 m

{2}Natural resources:{4} fish, forests, gold, bauxite, phosphates, lead, zinc, nickel

{2}Land use:{4}
{3}arable land:{4} 1%
{3}permanent crops:{4} 1%
{3}meadows and pastures:{4} 1%
{3}forest and woodland:{4} 93%
{3}other:{4} 4%

{2}Irrigated land:{4} NA sq km

{2}Environment:{4}
{3}current issues:{4} deforestation; soil erosion; much of the surrounding coral reefs are dead or dying

{2}natural hazards:{4} typhoons, but they are rarely destructive; geologically active region with frequent
earth tremors; volcanic activity

{2}international agreements:{4} party to - Biodiversity, Climate Change, Environmental Modification,
Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Whaling; signed, but not
ratified - Law of the Sea


{1}People{4}

{2}Population:{4} 412,902 (July 1996 est.)

{2}Age structure:{4}
{3}0-14 years:{4} 46% (male 96,241; female 92,722)
{3}15-64 years:{4} 51% (male 107,482; female 104,293)
{3}65 years and over:{4} 3% (male 6,129; female 6,035) (July 1996 est.)

{2}Population growth rate:{4} 3.35% (1996 est.)

{2}Birth rate:{4} 37.91 births/1,000 population (1996 est.)

{2}Death rate:{4} 4.41 deaths/1,000 population (1996 est.)

{2}Net migration rate:{4} 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1996 est.)

{2}Sex ratio:{4}
{3}at birth:{4} 1.05 male(s)/female
{3}under 15 years:{4} 1.04 male(s)/female
{3}15-64 years:{4} 1.03 male(s)/female
{3}65 years and over:{4} 1.02 male(s)/female
{3}all ages:{4} 1.03 male(s)/female (1996 est.)

{2}Infant mortality rate:{4} 25.8 deaths/1,000 live births (1996 est.)

{2}Life expectancy at birth:{4}
{3}total population:{4} 71.14 years
{3}male:{4} 68.67 years
{3}female:{4} 73.74 years (1996 est.)

{2}Total fertility rate:{4} 5.43 children born/woman (1996 est.)

{2}Nationality:{4}
{3}noun:{4} Solomon Islander(s)
{3}adjective:{4} Solomon Islander

{2}Ethnic divisions:{4} Melanesian 93%, Polynesian 4%, Micronesian 1.5%, European 0.8%, Chinese
0.3%, other 0.4%

{2}Religions:{4} Anglican 34%, Roman Catholic 19%, Baptist 17%, United (Methodist/Presbyterian)
11%, Seventh-Day Adventist 10%, other Protestant 5%, traditional beliefs 4%

{2}Languages:{4} Melanesian pidgin in much of the country is lingua franca, English spoken by 1%-2%
of population
{3}note:{4} 120 indigenous languages

{2}Literacy:{4} NA


{1}Government{4}

{2}Name of country:{4}
{3}conventional long form:{4} none
{3}conventional short form:{4} Solomon Islands
{3}former:{4} British Solomon Islands

{2}Type of government:{4} parliamentary democracy

{2}Capital:{4} Honiara

{2}Administrative divisions:{4} 7 provinces and 1 town*; Central, Guadalcanal, Honiara*, Isabel, Makira,
Malaita, Temotu, Western
{3}note:{4} there may be two new provinces of Choiseul (Lauru) and Rennell/Bellona and the
administrative unit of Honiara may have been abolished

{2}Independence:{4} 7 July 1978 (from UK)

{2}National holiday:{4} Independence Day, 7 July (1978)

{2}Constitution:{4} 7 July 1978

{2}Legal system:{4} common law

{2}Suffrage:{4} 21 years of age; universal

{2}Executive branch:{4}
{3}chief of state:{4} Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952) is a hereditary monarch, represented
by Governor General Moses PITAKAKA (since 10 June 1994) who was appointed for up to five
years by the queen on the advice of Parliament
{3}head of government:{4} Prime Minister Solomon MAMALONI (since 7 November 1994) was elected
by and from Parliament; Deputy Prime Minister Danny PHILIP (since NA October 1995) was
appointed by the governor general on the advice of the prime minister from among the members
of Parliament
{3}cabinet:{4} Cabinet was appointed by the governor general on the advice of the prime minister from
among the members of Parliament

{2}Legislative branch:{4} unicameral
National Parliament: elections last held 26 May 1993 (next to be held NA 1997); results - percent
of vote by party NA; seats - (47 total) GNUR 21, PAP 7, NAPSI 5, SILP 4, UP 4, independents 6

{2}Judicial branch:{4} High Court

{2}Political parties and leaders:{4} National Unity and Reconciliation Group (GNUR), Solomon
MAMALONI; People's Alliance Party (PAP); National Action Party (NAPSI), leader NA; Solomon
Islands Labor Party (SILP), leader NA; United Party (UP), leader NA; Nationalist Front for
Progress (NFP), Andrew NORI; Labor Party (LP), Joses TUHANUKU; Christian Fellowship, leader
NA

{2}International organization participation:{4} ACP, AsDB, C, ESCAP, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM,
IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat (nonsignatory user), IOC, ITU, Sparteca, SPC,
SPF, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WMO

{2}Diplomatic representation in US:{4} Solomon Islands do not have an embassy in the US; the
ambassador to the US traditionally resides in Honiara (Solomon Islands)

{2}US diplomatic representation:{4} the US does not have an embassy in Solomon Islands (embassy
closed July 1993); the ambassador to Papua New Guinea is accredited to the Solomon Islands

{2}Flag:{4} 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


{1}Economy{4}

{2}Economic overview:{4} The bulk of the population depend on subsistence agriculture, fishing, and
forestry for at least part of their 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. The government of the Solomon Islands is nearing financial insolvency. In mid-1995 the
central bank suspended interest and principal payments on government bonds and treasury bills
held by financial institutions and the general public. The government has taken no steps to
restrain expenditure or address the deficit, which is expected to be considerably higher than the
$20 million forecasted in the 1996 budget.

{2}GDP:{4} purchasing power parity - $1 billion (1992 est.)

{2}GDP real growth rate:{4} 8% (1992 est.)

{2}GDP per capita:{4} $2,590 (1992 est.)

{2}GDP composition by sector:{4}
{3}agriculture:{4} NA%
{3}industry:{4} NA%
{3}services:{4} NA%

{2}Inflation rate (consumer prices):{4} 13% (1994)

{2}Labor force:{4} 26,842
{3}by occupation:{4} services 41.5%, agriculture, forestry, and fishing 23.7%, commerce, transport, and
finance 21.7%, construction, manufacturing, and mining 13.1% (1992 est.)

{2}Unemployment rate:{4} NA%

{2}Budget:{4}
{3}revenues:{4} $81.3 million
{3}expenditures:{4} $101.9 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1995 est.)

{2}Industries:{4} copra, fish (tuna)

{2}Industrial production growth rate:{4} -3.8% (1991 est.)

{2}Electricity:{4}
{3}capacity:{4} 21,000 kW
{3}production:{4} 30 million kWh
{3}consumption per capita:{4} 80 kWh (1993)

{2}Agriculture:{4} cocoa, beans, coconuts, palm kernels, rice, potatoes, vegetables, fruit; cattle, pigs;
timber; fish

{2}Exports:{4} $94 million (f.o.b., 1993)
{3}commodities:{4} fish 46%, timber 31%, palm oil 5%, cocoa, copra
{3}partners:{4} Japan 39%, UK 23%, Thailand 9%, Australia 5%, US 2% (1991)

{2}Imports:{4} $101 million (c.i.f., 1993)
{3}commodities:{4} plant and machinery, manufactured goods, food and live animals, fuel
{3}partners:{4} Australia 34%, Japan 16%, Singapore 14%, NZ 9%

{2}External debt:{4} $128 million (1988 est.)

{2}Economic aid:{4}
{3}recipient:{4} ODA, $NA

{2}Currency:{4} 1 Solomon Islands dollar (SI$) = 100 cents

{2}Exchange rates:{4} Solomon Islands dollars (SI$) per US$1 - 3.3713 (2d quarter 1995), 3.2914
(1994), 3.1877 (1993), 2.9281 (1992), 2.7148 (1991)

{2}Fiscal year:{4} calendar year


{1}Transportation{4}

{2}Railways:{4} 0 km

{2}Highways:{4}
{3}total:{4} 1,300 km
{3}paved:{4} 30 km
{3}unpaved:{4} 1,270 km
{3}note:{4} in addition, there are 800 km of private logging and plantation roads of varied surface (1982
est.)

{2}Ports:{4} Aola Bay, Honiara, Lofung, Noro, Viru Harbor, Yandina

{2}Merchant marine:{4} none

{2}Airports:{4}
{3}total:{4} 30
{3}with paved runways 1,524 to 2,437 m:{4} 1
{3}with paved runways 914 to 1,523 m:{4} 1
{3}with paved runways under 914 m:{4} 18
{3}with unpaved runways 1,524 to 2,437 m:{4} 1
{3}with unpaved runways 914 to 1,523 m:{4} 9 (1995 est.)


{1}Communications{4}

{2}Telephones:{4} 5,000 (1991 est.)

{2}Telephone system:{4}
{3}domestic:{4} NA
{3}international:{4} satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)

{2}Radio broadcast stations:{4} AM 4, FM 0, shortwave 0

{2}Radios:{4} 38,000 (1993 est.)

{2}Television broadcast stations:{4} 0 (1987 est.)

{2}Televisions:{4} 2,000 (1992 est.)


{1}Defense{4}

{2}Branches:{4} no regular military forces; Solomon Islands National Reconnaissance and Surveillance
Force; Royal Solomon Islands Police (RSIP)

{2}Manpower availability:{4}
{3}males age 15-49:{4} NA
{3}males fit for military service:{4} NA

{2}Defense expenditures:{4} $NA, NA% of GDP