Solomon Islands KEY FACTS Joined Commonwealth: 1978 Population: 561,000 (2013) GDP p.c. growth: 0.5% p.a. 1990–2013 UN HDI 2014: World ranking 157 Official language: English Time: GMT plus 11 hrs Currency: Solomon Islands dollar (SI$) Geography Area: 28,370 sq km Coastline: 5,310 km Capital: Honiara Solomon Islands, an archipelago in the south- west Pacific, consists of a double chain of There are large tracts of rough grass on the islands. The international airport is at rocky islands and some small coral islands. northern side of Guadalcanal and Nggela Henderson Field, 13 km east of Honiara. The major islands are Guadalcanal, Choiseul, Sule. Parts of the coast are swampy, Santa Isabel, New Georgia, Malaita and supporting extensive mangrove forests. Society Elsewhere, the coast is dominated by coconut Makira (or San Cristobal). Vanuatu is the KEY FACTS 2013 nearest neighbour to the south-east where palms. Hardwoods now grown for timber the archipelago tapers off into a series of include mahogany, acacia and teak. Population per sq km: 20 smaller islands. Its nearest neighbour to the Wildlife: Indigenous mammals are small and Life expectancy: 68 years west is Papua New Guinea. include opossums, bats and mice. There are Net primary enrolment: 93% crocodiles in the mangrove swamps and sea The country comprises the capital territory of Population: 561,000 (2013); 21 per cent of turtles nest on the shores from November to Honiara and nine provinces, namely Central people live in urban areas; growth 2.6 per February. Birdlife (more than 150 species) (provincial capital Tulagi), Choiseul (Taro cent p.a. 1990–2013; birth rate 31 per 1,000 includes many species of parrot and Island), Guadalcanal (Honiara), Isabel (Buala), people (46 in 1970); life expectancy 68 years incubator bird. Some 20 mammal species and Makira and Ulawa (Kirakira), Malaita (Auki), (54 in 1970). 20 bird species are thought to be endangered Rennell and Bellona (Tigoa), Temotu (Lata), (2014). About 95 per cent of the people are Western (Gizo). Melanesian, three per cent Polynesian and Main towns: Honiara (capital, pop. 63,300 Topography: The islands are remarkable for one per cent Micronesian (1999 census). in 2010) on Guadalcanal, Auki (6,800) on their steep rugged mountains, of which There is a small expatriate population. Malaita, Munda (4,900) on New Georgia, Makarakomburu (on Guadalcanal Island) is Gizo (4,500) on Gizo in the New Georgia Language: The official language is English; the highest at 2,293 metres. There are also Islands, Uruuru (3,300) on Malaita, Buala an English-based Creole, Pidgin, is the most several atolls and reef islands, plus several (2,800) on Santa Isabel, Yandina (2,600) on widely spoken language. There are more than dormant and two active volcanoes. The rivers Mbanika in the Russell Islands, Kirakira 80 indigenous languages. are fast-flowing and not navigable. (2,000) on Makira, Tulagi (1,700) on Nggela Religion: Mainly Christians (Church of Climate: Equatorial; hot and humid. During Sule, Taro Island (1,200), Lata (630) on Ndeni Melanesia 32 per cent, Roman Catholics 20 the rainy season (November–April), there are in the Santa Cruz Islands and Tigoa (580) on per cent, South Seas Evangelicals 17 per cent, fierce tropical storms – for example, Cyclone Rennell and Bellona. Seventh Day Adventists 12 per cent, United Zoë in December 2002, which devastated the Transport: There are 1,390 km of roads Church ten per cent; 2009 census). isolated islands of Tikopia and Anuta. (mainly on Guadalcanal and Malaita), 2.4 per Health: Public spending on health was eight Environment: The most significant cent paved, with some 470 km of main per cent of GDP in 2012. The government environmental issues are deforestation, soil roads, the rest private rural-access roads. The runs six hospitals, as well as clinics and clinical erosion, and that much of the surrounding terrain is mountainous and there is heavy aid posts. The churches run two hospitals as coral reef is dead or dying. rainfall making road conditions unpredictable. well as clinics. Some 81 per cent of the Vegetation: Forest covers 79 per cent of the The international ports are Honiara (on population uses an improved drinking water land, with dense tropical rainforest occurring Guadalcanal) and Yandina (on Rennell Island); source and 29 per cent have access to on most islands, this percentage having other significant ports are Gizo and Noro (on adequate sanitation facilities (2012). Infant declined at 0.2 per cent p.a. 1990–2010. New Georgia). Ferries ply between the mortality was 25 per 1,000 live births in 2013 The CommonwealTh Yearbook 2015 Solomon Islands (120 in 1960). Malaria remains the main Real growth in GDP GDP by sector (2013) health problem. % 12 % Education: Public spending on education 10 Agriculture was 9.9 per cent of GDP in 2010. There are 8 28.4% six years of primary education and seven Industry years of secondary, with cycles of three and 6 15.2% four years. The school year starts in January. 4 g 2 Services Solomon Islands College of Higher Education 56.4% 0 offers teacher training; finance, nursing and secretarial studies; and a range of technical -2 subjects related to Solomon Islands’ economy -4 Recovery began in 1998–99, but was soon such as marine and fisheries studies, forestry -6 reversed as political unrest intensified: plant 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 and agriculture. The college also gives some and equipment, along with infrastructure, first-year university courses. Solomon Islands were damaged; the gold mine at Gold Ridge is a partner in the regional University of the Inflation was closed; and the economy collapsed, South Pacific, which has its main campus in % 8 shrinking by 14 per cent in 2000, nine per Suva, Fiji, and a campus in Honiara, Solomon cent in 2001 and 2.4 per cent in 2002, when 7 Islands. the government was depending on aid to 6 Media: Solomon Star is a daily newspaper, finance both the peace agreement (including 5 and Solomon Times and Solomons Voice are economic development of the island of weekly. 4 Malaita) and the budget. Radio is the main source of information for 3 After six years of recession the economy most people. Solomon Islands Broadcasting 2 returned to vigorous growth in 2003. Strong growth continued in 2004–08, averaging 7.3 Corporation provides a national public radio 1 service. per cent p.a. But the economy remained 0 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 relatively small and undiversified and very There are 46 personal computers per 1,000 dependent on exports of timber and logs. Aid people (2005). constituted 67 per cent of GNI in 2010, 48 pressur e on land is leading to soil Communications: Country code 677; per cent in 2011 and 34 per cent in 2012, impoverishment. Production can be affected internet domain ‘.sb’. Mobile phone coverage and logging has reportedly been pursued at by tropical storms. is limited to Honiara, Gizo and Munda. There an unsustainable rate. The strong growth of are a few internet cafes in Honiara and Gizo. During the 1990s fishing was a developing the mid-2000s was halted in the world industry, encouraged by the declaration of a For every 1,000 people there are 14 landlines, economic downturn of 2008–09, falling from 576 mobile phone subscriptions and 80 320-km exclusive maritime zone. Forestry also 7.3 per cent in 2008 to a contraction of 4.7 internet users (2013). contributed strongly, providing the dominant per cent in 2009, but bouncing back with export product. The government was working strong growth in 2010–11, then moderating Public holidays: New Year’s Day, Queen’s with export partners and CDC Capital Partners to average about three per cent p.a. in Official Birthday (June), Independence Day (7 to halt the depletion of forests. 2012–15. July), Christmas Day and National Day of Thanksgiving (26 December). Each province Although public expenditure remained has its own holiday, some of which continue high, resulting in budget deficits and History for several days. growth of public debt, economic growth Archaeological evidence suggests that the Religious and other festivals whose dates vary was consistently good in the 1980s and Solomon Islands have been inhabited since from year to year include Good Friday, Easter 1990s until 1997 when the economy went 1000 BCE. European penetration began in Monday and Whit Monday. into recession, due largely to the impact of 1568 CE when the Spaniard Alvaro de the Asian economic downturn and Mendana, exploring from South America, Economy consequent falls in export revenues. An spent half a year in the islands. Believing that economic reform programme was launched gold was present, he gave them the name of KEY FACTS 2013 in early 1998 with the emphasis on public- Solomon’s Islands, after the legendary King GNI: US$960m spending cuts. Solomon’s mines. During the 18th century a GNI p.c.: US$1,610 GDP growth: 4.2% p.a. 2009–13 Solomon Islands on the international stage Inflation: 5.3% p.a. 2009–13 When Cyclone Zoë swept through the Pacific in late December 2002, the island of Tikopia Solomon Islands’ economy is based on was the hardest hit and was left with no way to communicate with the outside world. agriculture, forestry and fisheries, which There is no airstrip on the island, so aid from the capital – as well as international aid from together account for around 40 per cent of New Zealand, Australia and France – took several days to arrive by ship. Early GDP and provide employment for the reconnaissance flights by Australia and New Zealand suggested that the level of devastation majority of the population.