Solomon Islands
Country Guide

Explore Solomon Islands

Solomon Islands with its capital Honiara is located in Oceania (Oceania, group of islands in the South Pacific Ocean). It covers some 28,897 square kilometers (slightly smaller than Maryland) with a population of 647,581. English is the official language spoken by people in Solomon Islands. Thiscountry has no land-based border with any other country.

Solomon Islandsare a South Pacific archipelago east of Papua New Guinea. The Solomon Islands is a wide island nation and the distance between the westernmost and easternmost islands is about 1,500km (930 mi). The islands' ocean-equatorial climate is extremely humid throughout the year, with a mean temperature of 27 °C (80 °F) and few extremes of temperature or weather. The Solomon Islands archipelago is part of two distinct terrestrial ecoregions. Most of the islands are part of the Solomon Islands rain forests ecoregion. These forests have come under great pressure from forestry activities.

Popular Destinations in Solomon Islands

Administrative regions of Solomon Islands

• Central Province
• Choiseul
• Guadalcanal Province
• Honiara
• Isabel Province
• Makira-Ulawa Province
• Malaita Province
• Rennell and Bellona
• Temotu Province
• Western Province

About the country

The topography is mostly rugged mountains with some low coral atolls. The average density of population is about 22 per km². The climate in Solomon Islands can be described as tropical monsoon with few temperature and weather extremes. Potential natural disasters are geologically active region with frequent earthquakes, tremors, and volcanic activity, Tinakula (851 m) has frequent eruption activity, while an eruption of Savo (485 m) could affect the capital Honiara on nearby Guadalcanal, tropical cyclones, but rarely destructive and tsunamis.

To reach someone Solomon Islands dial +677 prior to a number. The local cellular networks are operated on 900 MHz, 1800 MHz, 3G. Websites typically end with the top level domain ".sb". If you want to bring electric appliances (e.g. battery chaarger), keep in min the local 230 V - 50 Hz (plugs: G, I). The sign for the locally used currency Dollar is SBD.

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.

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.

Geography

Area
Total (World Rank: 144)	28,896	sq km
Land (World Rank: 143)	27,986	sq km
Water (World Rank: 115)	910	sq km
Forest (World Rank: 199)	0.30	%
Comparative	slightly smaller than Maryland
Coastline
5313
Elevation
Highest point (World Rank: 111)	2,335	m
Agricultural land
Total (World Rank: 212)	3.90	%
Arable (World Rank: 203)	0.70	%
Permanent crops (World Rank: 74)	2.90	%
Permanent pastures (World Rank: 199)	0.30	%
Map reference
Oceania
Environment
Issues	- deforestation - many of the surrounding coral reefs are dead or dying - soil erosion
Agreement party	- Biodiversity - Climate Change - Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol - Desertification - Environmental Modification - Law of the Sea - Marine Dumping - Marine Life Conservation - Ozone Layer Protection - Whaling
Hazzards	- geologically active region with frequent earthquakes, tremors, and volcanic activity - Tinakula (851 m) has frequent eruption activity, while an eruption of Savo (485 m) could affect the capital Honiara on nearby Guadalcanal - tropical cyclones, but rarely destructive - tsunamis
Location
Oceania, group of islands in the South Pacific Ocean, east of Papua New Guinea
Climate
tropical monsoon; few temperature and weather extremes
Terrain
mostly rugged mountains with some low coral atolls

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People

Population
Total (World Rank: 166)	647,581
Deathrate (World Rank: 210)	0.38	%
Birthrate (World Rank: 48)	2.49	%
Growthrate (World Rank: 50)	1.94	%
Migration rate (World Rank: 119)	-0.17	%
Fertility rate (World Rank: 49)	3.16	%
Median age
Male (World Rank: 174)	22.30
Female (World Rank: 175)	22.80
Age structure
0 14 male (World Rank: 162)	115,329
0 14 female (World Rank: 163)	108,645
15 24 male (World Rank: 165)	66,608
15 24 female (World Rank: 165)	62,843
25 54 male (World Rank: 170)	120,339
25 54 female (World Rank: 170)	116,048
55 64 male (World Rank: 173)	15,316
55 64 female (World Rank: 177)	14,828
65 x male (World Rank: 172)	13,096
65 x female (World Rank: 174)	14,529
Health
Infant mortality rate (World Rank: 101)	1.47	%
Life expectancy total (World Rank: 101)	76	years
Life expectancy female (World Rank: 105)	78	years
Life expectancy male (World Rank: 101)	73	years
Physicians per 1000 (World Rank: 146)	0.20
Hospital bed per 1000 (World Rank: 137)	1.30
Sanitation access total (World Rank: 181)	29.80	%
Obesity adult (World Rank: 76)	22.50	%
Drinking water access (World Rank: 159)	80.80	%

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Energy

Electricity
Production (World Rank: 197)	90,000,000	kWh
Consumption (World Rank: 199)	83,700,000	kWh
Source fossil (World Rank: 44)	97.30	%
Source renew (World Rank: 92)	5.40	%
Refined products
Consumption (World Rank: 195)	1,600	bbl / day
Import (World Rank: 191)	1,554	bbl / day
Natural gas
Consumption (World Rank: 150)	12	m³
Carbon footprint
300000

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Nation

Budget
Education (World Rank: 3)	10	% of GDP
Health (World Rank: 137)	5	% of GDP
Surplus (World Rank: 87)	-2	% of GDP
National colours
yellow
Adjective
Solomon Islander
Noun
Solomon Islander(s)
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.
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

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Economy

Gdp
Purchasing power parity (World Rank: 200)	1,257,000,000	USD
Real growth rate (World Rank: 82)	3.30	%
Per capita purchasing power parity (World Rank: 202)	2,100	USD
Source agriculture (World Rank: 15)	34.40	%
Source industry (World Rank: 209)	7.60	%
Source service (World Rank: 137)	58.00	%
Labourforce
Total (World Rank: 168)	202,500
Products
Industries	- fish - mining - timber - tuna
Agriculture	- cattle - cocoa - coconuts - fish - fruit - palm kernels - pigs - rice - timber
Exports	- cocoa - copra - fish - palm oil - timber
Imports	- chemicals - equipment - food - fuels - manufactured goods - plant

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Communication

Phone
Landline total (World Rank: 195)	7,405
Landline per 100 (World Rank: 208)	1.00
Mobile per 100 (World Rank: 188)	66.00
Internet
Users (World Rank: 177)	69,859
Population (World Rank: 207)	11.00	%

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Transport

Air
Airports paved (World Rank: 224)	1.00
Airports unpaved (World Rank: 77)	35.00
Heliports (World Rank: 44)	3.00
Road
Total length (World Rank: 178)	1,390
Paved length (World Rank: 180)	34.00
Unpaved length (World Rank: 121)	1,356

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