Solomon Islands
Capital: Honiara
History
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.
Geography
Metric Units
|
Total Area
|
28,896
sq km
|
| Land Boundaries |
0
km
|
| Border Countries |
No data |
| Coastline |
5,313
km
|
| Terrain |
mostly rugged mountains with some low coral atolls |
| Minimum Elevation |
0
m
|
| Maximum Elevation |
2,310
m
|
| Climate |
tropical monsoon; few extremes of temperature and weather |
| Natural Resources |
fish, forests, gold, bauxite, phosphates, lead, zinc, nickel |
| Arable Land |
0.62% |
| Permanent Crops |
2.25% |
Economy
Budget & Debt
Trade
| Exports |
$226.5 million |
| Export Items |
timber, fish, copra, palm oil, cocoa |
| Export Partners |
China 52.4%, Australia 12.1%, Thailand 4.5% (2011) |
| Imports |
$360.3 million |
| Import Items |
food, plant and equipment, manufactured goods, fuels, chemicals |
| Import Partners |
Australia 27%, Singapore 26.1%, China 6.4%, Malaysia 5.8%, NZ 5% (2011) |
People
| Population |
597,248 |
| Population Growth |
2.12% |
| Ethnic Groups |
Melanesian 94.5%, Polynesian 3%, Micronesian 1.2%, other 1.1%, unspecified 0.2% (1999 census) |
| Religion |
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) |
| Life Expectancy |
74.66 years |
| Infant Mortality |
1.04 deaths/1,000 live births |
| Maternal Mortality |
4.2 deaths/100,000 live births |
Energy
