SOLOMON ISLANDS edit
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NOTE: This archipelagic nation, independent since 7 July 1978, includes southern Solomon Islands, primarily Guadalcanal, Malaita, San Cristobal, Santa Isabel, Choiseul. Northern Solomon Islands constitute part of Papua New Guinea.
LAND edit
About 29,785 km²
WATER edit
Limits of territorial waters: 12 nm (fishing 200 nm)
Coastline: about 5,313 km
PEOPLE edit
Population: 245,000 (July 1982), average annual growth rate 3.4%
Nationality: noun—Solomon Islander(s); adjective—Solomon Islander
Ethnic divisions: 93.0% Melanesians, 4.0% Polynesians, 1.5% Micronesians, 0.8% Europeans, 0.3% Chinese, 0.4% others
Religion: almost all at least nominally Christian; Roman Catholic, Anglican, and Methodist churches dominant
Literacy: 60%
GOVERNMENT edit
Official name: Solomon Islands
Type: independent parliamentary state within Commonwealth
Capital: Honiara on the island of Guadalcanal
Political subdivisions: 4 administrative districts
Legal system: a High Court plus Magistrates Courts, also a system of native courts throughout the islands
Branches: executive authority in Governor General; a Legislative Assembly of 38 members
Government leaders: Governor General Baddeley DEVESI, Prime Minister Solomon MAMALONI
Suffrage: universal age 21 and over
Elections: every four years, latest August 1980
Political parties and leaders: United Party, Peter Kenilorea; People's Alliance Party, Solomon Mamaloni, National Democratic Party, Bartholemew Ulufa'alu
Member of: ADB, GATT (de facto), IBRD, IDA, IFAD, IMF, UN, UPU
ECONOMY edit
GDP: $71.2 million (1977), $320 per capita
Agriculture: largely dominated by coconut production with subsistence crops of yams, taro, bananas; self-sufficient in rice
Electric power: 12,000 kW capacity (1981); 26 million kWh produced (1981), 113 kWh per capita
Exports: $41.0 million (1977); 39% copra, 27% timber, 23% fish
Imports: $32.5 million (1977); 12% energy fuels
Major trade partners: exports—EEC excluding UK 42%, Japan 29%; imports— Australia 34%, UK 14%, Japan 13% (1975)
Aid: economic commitments from Western (non-US) countries, ODA (1979), $13.3 million
Budget: (1977) $24.2 million
Monetary conversion rate: 1 Australian dollar=US$1.1532 (September 1978)
COMMUNICATIONS edit
Railroad: none
Highways: 834 km total; 241 km sealed or all-weather
Inland waterways: none
Ports: 5 minor
Civil air: no major transport aircraft
Airfields: 25 total, 23 usable; 1 with permanent-surface runways; 5 with runways 1,220-2,430 m
Telecommunications: 4 AM broadcast, no FM, and no TV stations; 1,726 telephones, no TV sets; one ground satellite station